Am I going about this swimming thing wrong

I am a 32 year old woman and I’ve been swimming more often in the last few months. I swim 3 to 5 times a week, covering between 1.5k to 3k in each session. I mainly swim freestyle and sometimes add pull and kick sets using paddles and fins, along with IM sets. One thing I skip is taking breaks. I jump into the pool and just keep going until I’m finished. Putting on fins and paddles takes some time, but once they are on, I push off from the wall and go. I’m not training for anything specific, just trying to improve my time. I track my time from the moment I get in the water until I touch the wall on my last lap. This summer, I was around a 2:20 per 100m pace, and last week I swam 3K at 1:53 per 100m. I know interval training is suggested and I sometimes experiment with different speeds, but I feel like resting would be wasting precious seconds. Convince me I’m wrong

As a competitive swimmer, I say taking breaks is really important if you want to get better. When I train, I usually take about a minute or two between sets and around 10 seconds within the set. For example, if I’m doing 6 times 200m without a break, I take a 10 second pause after each 200 before moving on. I really recommend doing interval training, like 6 times 200m with a set interval. Just make sure to take longer breaks between sets if you want to improve

Well, you might be wrong, or maybe every competitive training program is wrong too

Zahari said:
Well, you might be wrong, or maybe every competitive training program is wrong too

You make a good point. I guess I don’t really feel like I need a break. But maybe that means I should push myself harder. Or does that not matter

@Marley
I grew up swimming and now I run too. My running is like your swimming. I do it to enjoy the outdoors and love being on trails. I stay around zones 2 to 3 during my runs, gradually getting a bit faster, but no huge improvements. I’m content with that. If you’re happy with your swimming, that’s what matters. But don’t lie about your training. If you aim to race and want serious improvement, look up some sets online and start doing them. I won’t be running sprints on a track because I don’t want to, but that’s a direct comparison. If you never feel the need to rest, you probably aren’t swimming fast enough. Try doing 8 sprints of 50m or 50 yards with enough rest to give you around 20 seconds. You’ll feel it after the third one, I promise

@Azar
Thanks for that comparison. I’m not really into racing, but I do compete with myself constantly. The 50m fly really tires me out, while I consider the 50m backstroke as a recovery. I will look into some training plans that involve more sprint work

@Marley
I did a 50 fly in a medley relay last weekend because no one else on my small team could do it, and wow, it was tough. Even as an older swimmer, fly is still hard

@Marley
You don’t feel the need to break because you are probably going very slowly. I’m not trying to be condescending—I’m a beginner too and still much slower compared to competitive swimmers. Try swimming at around a 1:30 pace or faster and see if you still feel you don’t need breaks. You definitely will. If you can’t hold 1:30 for even one 100m, then you’ll need to spend more time on your technique

@Marley
If you feel like you don’t need a break, it might mean you aren’t pushing yourself enough during your interval swims. The only way to get faster is to swim faster. The more you do it in different ways, the faster your baseline pace will be. Try swimming a length as fast as you can. If you aren’t feeling like you need a break, then keep trying until you do. You want to work on varying your speeds

@Marley
If you want to improve, there are better ways. As others mentioned, intervals with rest are key. Swimming is tough and even tougher alone. One of the best things you can do is train with people who are a little faster than you. If possible, join a masters program for your workouts

My people We totally understand each other
I get into the water and stop when I’m done. I usually swim 3000 meters in about an hour. Why take a break I don’t see a reason. I’ve worked hard to reach this point. I’m not racing or training, just focusing on my form and breathing. I’m not sure if I’m doing it right, but I’m still afloat. I’m getting older and I’m not great, but I won’t stop

@Hadden
Same here. I don’t stop. I mix endless intervals within my 3000 and slow down to recover while still swimming. I just don’t like to stop

@Hadden
Three thousand meters in an hour is impressive

When it comes to swimming, taking breaks to maintain your technique is more crucial than in other sports

Tanner said:
When it comes to swimming, taking breaks to maintain your technique is more crucial than in other sports

Exactly. I like to swim nonstop, but if my arms get tired or my form starts fading, I take a quick break to recover

It all depends on your goals. If you want to keep going nonstop, that’s fine. But if you aim to get faster over a distance or improve your pace over time, you will need to do sets that push you beyond your current speed and then let you recover to reach those goals. Marathon runners don’t run marathons every day, tour de France cyclists don’t ride long stages every month, and competitive swimmers don’t usually swim nonstop

@Brogan
Thanks for the insight. I realize I don’t really know what my goal is right now

Two thoughts if you want to build endurance, swim longer distances. If you want to get faster, swim shorter distances at quicker paces with rest breaks. You need to activate those fast twitch muscles. Usually, you start with endurance, then speed, and then try to combine them

Mix it up Some days, swim nonstop. Other days, follow a workout plan that includes breaks. Try to swim progressively faster on shorter intervals. Speed training for shorter distances can help make your long distance swims quicker. Just like sprinting in running or cycling

I swim for about half an hour to 45 minutes, three to four days a week. I don’t take breaks. I swim about a mile in almost 45 minutes. I’ve been swimming for life. I just enjoy it. My pace is around 2:05 per 100 yards and I’m 70 years old