Swimming Fitness!?

Question

I've been swimming the past week and its just killing me! Maybe it's supposed too...but does anyone have tips on pacing myself? How long should I swim...how many laps? What other exercises should I do along with swimming...I have a long thin build I would like to make into a long lean muscular build. I realize this will take commitment but I'm ready for it. Any tips at all would be great...I've been going everyday for the past week so I definitely have the drive to reach my goal but need a little advice. Thanks!

Answer 1

Cut down and go every other day for gentle length work, and do a workout where you push yourself once a week I personally swim 4 times a week with 3 gentle swims and one swim where I push my limits.

Its the swimming that is a stimuli and your body will adapt whilst your not swimming. Its also a good idea to either drink a protein shake afterwards or eat loads of protein rich food.

Answer 2

What you should do is every other day (for 5 days), you should do a gentle day where you relax, but not too much, then the other day you should push your limits. Then, on weekends it would really help if you ran, because that helps get your stamina and endurance going also which is a huge part in swimming. Obviously, you won't be an all star in the beginning, but as you keep working at it, you begin to grow stronger and build up stamina, therefore workouts begin to get easier. Remember to always do a warm-up, and also a cool down to get your muscles going, and then relaxed before each workout. Stretching before helps also. If you would like, you can email me and i could give you a sample workout to go off of. I hope this helps you, and good luck!

Answer 3

Hi. i thought i would give you my swimteam workout.. dont know if that would help but im going to give it to you anyway :]

Stretch(IMPORTANT)

500 yrd (nice and slow)(20 lengths)

50's(5-10) on 45secs-1min

25's (8) (15 seconds rest between each one)

100's (5) medium-fast pace

200 (3) slow-medium pace

Answer 4

Well, yes, it's going to hurt a bit. If you're athletic, I'm sure you've learned the difference between soreness and pain. If you're in pain, STOP! You may be doing something wrong, and you can do your joints (shoulders and knees particularly) serious injury if you try to push through it.

That warning aside...  Don't swim for any more than an hour. If you're just starting out, try for 1000-1500 m/yd. If that's too much, back off.  Start out with about 10-15 minutes of warm-up. Seriously. Don't skimp. Spend about half of that in a long, steady state where you don't stop (anymore than you have to) and the rest doing 25s or 50s with a little drill, maybe some build.

Then don't forget to cool down. About 200 should do.

I agree with the every other day idea recommended by folks. If you're cross-training, don't push yourself in the water every day - maybe only once or twice a week. If you're recovering on the days you aren't swimming, then go ahead and push yourself in the water.  Do just a little all-out swimming - that doesn't mean you have to sprint, but you should finish your set with your heart rate and breathing elevated.

Good luck!!