I am a competitive swimmer and there is no training tomorrow. What can I do to maintain my fitness?

The session today was full of 50m free sprints. These races are my specialty, but due to certain situations, I havent been training as much as i used to, after christmas. My shoulders got tired real fast today and I was wondering what type of exercises I could do to strengthen my shoulders and my stamina? Should I go running? jump roping? lift weights? I dont knw

I am a competitive swimmer and there is no training tomorrow. What can I do to maintain my fitness?
I swim at a national level



the 50 free doesn't require much training... it's more natural talent and stamina. Running would help a lot, yes, since it build up your cardio system which will help you take less breaths. Jump roping also helps your cardio too. As for weights, I don't think that is neccesary if you plan to just focus on the 50 free. But if you want to get better in pretty much every other event, weights would help in addition to swimming your hardest at pratice every night you can, yes.



Anyway, having a day off is nothing bad. In fact, it helps you a lot, as it gives you time to rest your muscles and recover for the next workout you do. Resting is the best medicen for soreness, as I think that's what you may have ment in your shoulders.



Do some push up sets, that really helps your upper arms and shoulders... do something like

25Xpushups

20Xleft leg up push ups

20Xright leg up push ups

25X regular again



rest for as little as you can inbetween these, and it should hurt. That's good. If you can't do this right away, build into it!!



Best of luck
Reply:Try to do some running/brisk walking for warm up first. Then start doing some push ups and some weight lifting for shoulders exercise.



After that, you can do some crunches for strengthening your back and stomach and then try some leg stretching as well so as to maintain the flexibility of your legs for swimming.
Reply:Dive Dive
Reply:One of the best things you can do is lots of stretching. Frequently your muscles get tired because they are not used to the repetitive motion, not because there is not enough muscle mass.



Simple things like doing slow full circles with your arm will help more than you would imagine. Try 30 full arm circles at a time, rotating your arm from the shoulder and right next to your body (sort of like a windmill) and you'll be amazed at how tired your shoulder gets even without weights. Do a set forwards and then a set backwards.



One other good stretch for your shoulders is to start with your hands above your head in a "streamline" position. Have your elbows locked and your hands one on top of the other. Then stretch your hands upward a couple inches by pushing up with your shoulders, and slowly rotating your hands inward so your streamline position gets tighter. Hold it for a second or two, and then gradually let your hands sink back down, un-rotate your hands and finish in a streamline position again.



The other thing you can do is to use more reps with light weights to help condition your shoulders. One exercise is to have maybe 10 pounds in each hand. Start with your hands down at your sides, and one at a time raise them straight in front of you until they are slightly higher than your shoulder, and then return them to your side. Do the exercise slowly and with a smooth motion. You can alternately lift your arms straight out to your side, again one at a time, until they are slightly higher than your shoulder. When you do these, try to keep your back straight and not "swing" your arms up by bending at your hips.



Another exercise you can do with light weights is to start with your hand next to your head, and one at a time press them up into the air straight above your head. When your hand is as high as it will go, lift it another inch or two by lifting from your shoulder.



These exercises will help you build up a little strength and at the same time help with the flexibility and with keeping your shoulders "used" to the motion you will need for spriting.
Reply:well if you dont have training your coach probably did it for a reason, but if u want to go for a quick 1 mile run, 1/2 mile easy, 1/2 mile hard than do some pull ups, push ups, curls, sit ups, v-sits, leglifts and then go for another cool down run till u feel good
Reply:i am a competitive swimmer to so i can help you it is natural to be tired after any rest if you trained the whole last week you must get your usuale weekly rest if you didn't you may improve your fitness as follows push ups and set ups rope jumping no running or wiegtlifting because they improve your power and respiration only don't forget your usuale streches they are so important for your fitness