Sustaining a heavy training routine is tough to do year round, year after year. Not only is it hard on the body, it's hard to maintain a committed level of enthusiasm.
Yet many swimmers are reluctant to schedule in "off seasons" because they know how painful and hard it is to get back into shape after a layoff. But an off-season doesn't have to mean doing nothing. A simple shift in focus can keep swimmers in the water, and even better still - allow them to begin the next cycle of intense training in better condition, and with improved technique.
Here are some productive ways to spend your off-season:
● Focus on a different element: For example, triathletes who spend the majority of their time in the water swimming distance freestyle sets can mix it up with short sets of stroke and I.M. Cross-training in the water is mentally refreshing, strengthens the entire body and reduces the risk of over-use injuries.
●Do more dry land training: Activities to consider include lifting weights and attending pilates and yoga classes. Done consistently and correctly, these three conditioning supplements offer tremendous benefits in terms of stroke mechanics. Weights build power, strength and endurance. Pilates improves core strength, which is the key to both power and timing in swimming. And, improved flexibility via Yoga means you can maximize the all-important long reach and high catch in each stroke.
●Improve technique: Tweaking your strokes to reduce drag, improve your streamline and become more efficient in the water all translate to swimming faster. Since technique changes might require drills and repetition before they become automatic at full speed, take advantage of the less intense training period of the off-season. If identifying aspects to work on is difficult to do on your own, ask your coach for help, go to a clinic, or set up a series of appointments at SwimLabs.
●Break a bad habit: Every swimmer can get lazy at times. Use the off season to get back into the swim of things such as making sure you streamline and dolphin-kick off of every wall and use consistent breathing patterns in free and fly.
Bio: Rebecca Friedlander is a Denver-based freelance writer who applies her extensive health and fitness experience and certifications to her writing. A competitive swimmer since age four, she currently holds top-ten national age-group masters rankings in multiple events and is an All-American long distance swimmer. Questions? Contact her at rlfriedlander@gmail.com.
