Can you swim too much?

marmiterulesok

I know about running and how it's good to have rest days to aid muscle repair.

What about if you swim every day?
I've recently started swimming every day and do 60-80 lengths a day.

I can't see that it would cause muscle damage in the same way that running would....am I right?

Thanks for any insight.

stephen77

It depends on what intensity you do this at.

Muscle repair is not just about the impact on the road from running.

There is a big difference between if your doing 20 length with a 2 minute rest between each length of sprint butterfly to doing a leisure 80 lengths of a slow paced breast stroke.

Some of the recovery will be down to your diet as well.

marmiterulesok

I break it up into two swims a day so do 30-40 lengths at a time.I'm not the fastest swimmer around.I would say that medium speed is the best I can do.Breast stroke and back stroke.
I wouldn't do 60-80 lengths in one session.Well 60 maybe at a push.
I do swim continuously with the odd pause to get my breath (or let someone faster go ahead of me).

MacMickster

If you're just swimming leisurely then it is probably no more harmful to swim every day than it is to walk every day. Just listen to what your body tells you. It will tell you if you need a day or two off.

MarkFromCornwall

Some perspective:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beno%C3%AEt_Lecomte

Seriously, I think stretching after swimming is more important than rest days.

stephen77

marmiterulesok wrote: »

I break it up into two swims a day so do 30-40 lengths at a time.I'm not the fastest swimmer around.I would say that medium speed is the best I can do.Breast stroke and back stroke.
I wouldn't do 60-80 lengths in one session.Well 60 maybe at a push.
I do swim continuously with the odd pause to get my breath (or let someone faster go ahead of me).

Intensity is about how you push yourself rather than actually how fast you go.
If medium speed is the best you can go. Then your pushing yourself and your body will try and adapt.

No harm in having a day off rest a week.

marmiterulesok

MacMickster wrote: »

If you're just swimming leisurely then it is probably no more harmful to swim every day than it is to walk every day. Just listen to what your body tells you. It will tell you if you need a day or two off.

Yes.Good point.

MarkFromMullion wrote: »

Some perspective:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beno%C3%AEt_Lecomte

Seriously, I think stretching after swimming is more important than rest days.

Interesting.I'd never heard of him.
I do stretch as well.

stephen77 wrote: »

Intensity is about how you push yourself rather than actually how fast you go.
If medium speed is the best you can go. Then your pushing yourself and your body will try and adapt.

No harm in having a day off rest a week.

I certainly get winded swimming though it varies.Since taking it up about three years ago I do see a lot of improvement.

I certainly have the time to swim twice a day since I no longer work and am in the process of being awarded medical retirement for complex reasons.It does me so much good and gives me a routine.Doing two shorter seasons is more do-able than one long one.A long one would be too tiring.
My swimming technique varies a lot,but I do try to push myself.

Thanks for all your advice and comments.

stephen77

marmiterulesok wrote: »

I certainly have the time to swim twice a day since I no longer work and am in the process of being awarded medical retirement for complex reasons.It does me so much good and gives me a routine.Doing two shorter seasons is more do-able than one long one.A long one would be too tiring.
My swimming technique varies a lot,but I do try to push myself.

Thanks for all your advice and comments.

From the sounds of it. Keep doing what you are doing as you enjoy it and its doing you good


If not broke, do not fix it.

benjus

How big is the pool you use? There's quite a lot of variation in what a "length" means.

marmiterulesok

benjus wrote: »

How big is the pool you use? There's quite a lot of variation in what a "length" means.

Haha,I was wondering when someone would ask.
It's 25m only unfortunately.

belfastgirl23

Just make sure your technique is good. Otherwise you can end up with neck and shoulder problems - almost an RSI type thing. Stretching helps too...