BREAKING FROM TRAINING TO REACH PEAK PERFORMANCE

After 3 days of being out of the water the body begins to lose its fitness level.

So what does 2-3 weeks of staying out of the pool due to the body? 

Well the left ventricle of the heart—the ventricle that supplies the body with oxygenated blood—begins to reduce in size, which results in a swimmers VO₂ max—maximal aerobic capacity—to decline.   So over 2-3 weeks of not swimming, the amount of blood pumped by the heart for each beat reduces by about 10 percent. Aerobic enzymes that help produce the energy—found in muscle tissues—can fall by 20% or more in 3 weeks.   The change in fitness level over a few weeks out of the water can add minutes to a timed 3000 swim.

So why does WAVE take time off between seasons every year?    

Well, despite everything you just read, a break from the pool after a season is needed and helps lead to big performance gains.

People don’t realize that even though the body may detrain, there are some positive things occurring during a break away from the pool.

 

One—Muscles and Tendons (even bones) get time to recover from the stresses placed on them during hard training. Allowing time to heal can safeguard from a major injury.

Two—Layoffs restore an athlete’s enthusiasm for swimming and increase their desire to train. 

 

Remember at WAVE we want swimmers performing at their best in the summer.  A YEAR FROM NOW!! Without taking a break now…where are swimmers going to be in 8 months? Recovering from an injury or feeling over-loaded a.k.a “BURNED OUT”.

Okay I understand, but little Roscoe worked so hard and I do not want him to lose what he has gained (detrain).

Research has shown that three to four weeks is optimal time for the muscles to truly rehabilitate themselves after hard training.  Once swimmers return to a regular routine of training again, the athlete will move more easily beyond their previous performance level, because their muscles and tendons will be fully restored.

So what should a swimmer do during the off time?
Stay in shape. Do a variety of activities like run twice a week, play at the pool, get on bike, or just get outside and goof around. Remember being active helps keep your body in shape, but do not get too involved in one activity…you are supposed to be recovering not training.

During the time away from the pool, a swimmer will worry about their swimming ability diminishing—detraining. The truth is that a break from the pool will prepare their body for dramatic breakthroughs in reaching peak performances.