Swimming on workout days

[mattrr]

So my routine is a 2 day a week workout focused on big compound moves mostly.

I've always been someone that gets sore after workouts and if it's a hard one or a new routine, I can be sore for up to a week.

Recently, in an attempt to up my general fitness/conditioning (which is poor), I started to swim (first time in a very long time). At first that made me pretty sore too but a few weeks on and I'm finding something odd:

Although it may not be ideal, due to time/organisation I've had to swim on the days that I workout - usually workout in morning then swim in late afternoon for about 40mins.

I've found that doing this, I don't get as sore! from my workouts

WTF - it's like the swimming is somehow helping my recovery...

[Sand Blaster]

It probably is....

SB

[president_fad]

Most likely it is, it will help the blood flow into the muscles which will help push out the lactic acid and get rid of doms. I do high rep squats with the bar and then rotate from the steam room to the pool.

[mattrr]

Cool, yeah I figured it must be something like that. .more blood, more oxygen.

All good then.

[Richard85]

It probably is....

SB

would swimming be comparable to pulling a sled at all? I need to get back into some GPP

[ruckover]

would swimming be comparable to pulling a sled at all? I need to get back into some GPP

Preface: I am basing this idea on running vs. walking w/weights, and 9 years of competitive swimming experience.

Regular swimming is fairly good for getting in shape, but I can see it being similar to running in terms of being high intensity, but low load on your muscles. What I would do instead is swim with hand paddles, fins, and a drag suit (or even a sweatshirt if you're allowed to). This will make swimming more strength based and cause you to "muscle" your stroke, increasing the load on the muscle and will work the crap out of your cardiopulmonary system.

[Sand Blaster]

would swimming be comparable to pulling a sled at all? I need to get back into some GPP

Ruckover gives a pretty good answer above. I think the benefit of swimming might be when you're truly thrashed and the non-impact nature would give some movement without additional CNS stress. Of course, that would be a leisurely swim.

SB

[Richard85]

you also have to factor in skill level... 10 laps would probably crush me right now lol

[mattrr]

Just saw a doco last night on Phelps. Saying that he basically trained every day, even xmas and some 'hard' sessions involved going all out - 10,000 metres for time.. non-stop

How the hell does he not get overtrained doing that?

[ruckover]

Just saw a doco last night on Phelps. Saying that he basically trained every day, even xmas and some 'hard' sessions involved going all out - 10,000 metres for time.. non-stop

How the hell does he not get overtrained doing that?

You do feel like crap, especially after those wonderful 5AM 2+ hour non-stop practices, but swimmers eat a SHITLOAD, and practice very often and get used to the incredible work level. An untrained swimmer can barely swim 100m, and practices are usually 3000 to 6000m at paces usually around 75% of race speed (rough, rough estimate).

[Kuzin Tarell]

Just saw a doco last night on Phelps. Saying that he basically trained every day, even xmas and some 'hard' sessions involved going all out - 10,000 metres for time.. non-stop

How the hell does he not get overtrained doing that?

He doesn't lift and supposedly eats like 10k calories while training.

[newbie2hit]

Phelps doesn't lift??? He build a physique like that simply by swimming??? Where the hell did I put my speedos...?

[ktm_Wrench]

Phelps is a genetic freak. He is like 6'4" but has legs of a 6' man. He also supposedly has marphans syndrome--which would be why he has such a large frame.

[Lex4158]

Phelps is a genetic freak. He is like 6'4" but has legs of a 6' man. He also supposedly has marphans syndrome--which would be why he has such a large frame.

Judging by the look of his face I'd say he also has down syndrome:wiggle: