How do you choose your swim workout?

fit4lifemom

Yesterday I found myself waiting for the pool to open and in those 2 mins, I was also planning what to do in the water.

Right now my workouts are not part of a "bigger picture", just how do I feel that day and how can I maximize my time in the pool.

It made me curious how other people plan their swims - random like me, program set to achieve a certain goal, swim team coach, on-line coaching,....?

I think my swimming fitness has come back enough now that I need to spend some time planning a 2-3 month progression so that I keep the intensity up instead of getting bored.

Colleen

IHateThinkingOfAUsername

How freaky!! I was having a similar think as I drove home from the pool today (did aquacise). I respond well to structure and timetables. So this holiday I've been going to lots of aquacise classes because it's timetabled. I was thinking of creating a timetable for my swimming - treat it kinda like a class. That then got me on to thinking how I would approach these classes... I have a pull/kick so I can do drills of arms and legs (I'm developing my front crawl). I am pleased with my distance swimming, but maybe could work on my speed sprint swimming. Like you say - I don't want to get bored. So I'm in for responses. (Or websites that'll tell me what to do - but something simple that I can remember for a swim).

jjeanmneis

I usually just swim how far/long I feel. For time I usually shoot for an hour or 1 mile (something like that) and I work on balance and proper stroke since I've only been swimming for a few months.
I learned about speedo pace club at lunch today and I'm diving in for more structure in my workouts - plus I love their tutorials.

IHateThinkingOfAUsername

I saw the Speedo Pace Club app earlier when I was having a google. Does it say things like:

x laps at y pace
x breast stroke laps

etc

Or is it more complicated? Too complicated I wouldn't be able to remember the routine in the water.

Ms_J1

I either do a distance swim or a couple of middle distance intervals mixed with some 50 or 75 builds. My main goal when I swim is just to keep my heart rate up between 145 and 155 for 45 minutes to an hour any way possible.

AquaticQuests

I probably need to.have a more interval training based system like MS J1.

My program has remained the same since I restarted the regular swimming a year ago, with increase in distance as I've developed stamina!


I Start with stretches in changing room (as described in the shoulder pain thread)! The stretches are crucial for me, as I have in the past had to stop swimming for months due to shoulder overuse injury - I suspect rotator cuff!
Then 24 lengths of freestyle warm up! These 2 have remained constant throughout the year!
I then do an IM set 50m of each stroke!
A year ago I would do 1 or 2 IM sets after the warm up! Now the standard is 9 IM sets after the warm up with a 10 to 13 breath break between sets (yes I measure my breaks in breaths) primarily to enable recovery before I embark on another 50m of fly!!!

The routine works, but find it heavy on the shoulders, and my legs always want to make it a free ride, so I need to incorporate some kicking drills of some sort!