How many times a week?

[MarkkuS]

How many workouts a week are needed in order to improve your technique?
Some says you need to train a least 3 times a week.

[Richardsk]

I would say the more the better and I aim at seven times a week. Even once a week will help, though.

Generally your own body will let you know - and your lifestyle, of course. Not everybody can manage seven practices a week.

[MarkkuS]

I like to swim, but I also want to bike during the summer season. And during the winter season I also do aerobics training.
So much to do, so little time available.

[WFEGb]

Hallo Markkus,

don't know recent scientific findings. K.H.Cooper wrote (in the 1960s...) for building endurance you should at least train every third day and at least rest one day a week... Just for neuronal imprints swimming each day might be OK...

Let TI renew our swimming and life,
Werner

[ian mac]

Markkus,
There are no absolutes as each individual has different goals, abilities and time/life priorities. I shall be starting a new thread soon on periodization and goal setting.

However, one thing that motivates me regarding TI is that every stroke of every length should be technique oriented. Regardless of whether I am intending to train fast or at a more leisurely rate, I know in advance what it is that I wish to accomplish and then focus on doing so. Terry calls it swimming mindfully and insists that there should be no "garbage laps". I am a huge advocate of this. Even restorative or "easy" laps should always have a technique component to them.

As a general rule of thumb however, significant improvements will come with 3 swim practices of 60 - 90 minutes/week.
Happy laps,
ian mac

[grandall]

Originally Posted by MarkkuS

How many workouts a week are needed in order to improve your technique?
Some says you need to train a least 3 times a week.

Hi Markus,

I think it depends on the swimmer and how focused their practices are. Quanity doesn't necessarly mean quality. As your looking to improve technique not aerobic capacity.

[MarkkuS]

Originally Posted by grandall

I think it depends on the swimmer and how focused their practices are. Quanity doesn't necessarly mean quality. As your looking to improve technique not aerobic capacity.

Exactly. Even if I asked the question, I understand nobody can't say what the right amount is for me.
Right now I only go swimming once or twice in a week, one hour each time. I think that's to little (for me) to improve (much), even if I try to be focused on technique training.

[westyswoods]

There is a general consensus that 3x per week is minimum. I tend to agree with this, although there is so much more than times per wk and or hours in the pool.

Previously mentioned is the quality, not hours of practice which will give that improvement most of us are looking for. In my journey this has been one of the hugh pieces which needed to be learned and is still a work in progress.

Practice with a purpose and understanding what that needs to be is of critical importance for my improvement. My ability to hold that mindfulness has been very difficult. It is getting much better compared to where I started. This has in no way been an easy path for someone whose mind is constantly moving to the unknown.

After my first TI Clinic, Coach Mike told us beginning forty to fifty minutes would most likely be our maximum for focus and learning. I found it to be more like 30 minutes. If one has a coach on deck the whole dynamics will change.

Swim Silent and Be Well
Westy