How long does it take to get in shape for swimming?

Question

im on a swim team, and our practices are mon-thurs. i only swim on mondays and wednesdays and our practice is an hour and 15 minutes long. im still out of shape, how long will it take for me to get in shape?

Answer 1

I have never heard of a team that only practices 4 times a week!  That seems crazy to me.  You should be in the pool every day!  That is what will help you get back into shape.  If you aren't able to do that you should run on the days you don't swim.  That will help keep your endurance up, which is probably the main thing you're struggling with in the pool.  Good luck! :o)

Answer 2

Going only twice a week won't do much for getting in shape. Go every day and you will see results MUCH quicker.

Answer 3

How long have you done this routine and what are you trying to do? Lose weight? Tone muscles? Up your cardio? If you have some control over your routine, I find you can focus on any of these things, even within those hours.

One way to focus on a particular set of muscles and/or lose weight in one area is doing more than just laps. For leg exercises, a kick board is great, and for arm exercises, you can either use specialized arm paddles (you can find those in any sports store worth its salt), put a floater between your knees or a wide elastic around your ankles.

You can also alternate strokes according to your energy level. Butterfly stroke is more physically demanding and breast stroke is great for resting. Endurance training includes slowly adding more and more laps within the same amount of time. Don't forget to practice properly breathing and working your technique. Both things go a long way with your energy level.

Also, being part of a team is a good incentive. In any swim team, there will be races (even outside of competition), endurance training, varying routines with kindled friendships as a bonus. Lastly, the most important thing when it comes to swimming is to stick to it. You will notice the results as you go along.

Hope this helps!