We often see in the media the extensive routine of swimmers in preparation for the most demanding competitions. Although it is not possible for everyone to exercise 10 or 12 hours each day, we can 'copy' certain details, such as the best time of day to train with lifeguard training online.
The first thing to clarify is that each organism has its internal functioning and its own biological clock. Therefore, what we will tell you next will not exactly apply to all swimmers who read this article.
Similarly, in amateur sports other very important factors count. Among them are the study or workday, the nearby facilities, and the professional advice that is nearby.
Beyond this, it's always good to know what the best do in a sport and what its fundamentals are. By knowing, for example, at what time of day the stars train, perhaps we can extrapolate their routine to our days to get the most out of them.
Michael Phelps routine
If we talk about swimming, high performance, and success, Michael Phelps is surely the first name that comes to mind. On several occasions, the media have echoed the extraordinary sports and food routine of this athlete, which caught the attention of specialists and the general public.
Like most swimmers, Phelps covered an impressive number of meters in each session, in his case, more than 6,000, multiplied by two daily sessions. To this, he added strength work (sometimes he trained with an eight-kilo ballast belt).
Keenan Robinson, one of Phelps's trainers, said in an interview that the aerobic part is essential, since it allows him to gain resistance and, in turn, keep the level of body fat low.
This is, of course, a fundamental issue for a top-level swimmer. Of course, anaerobic exercises and isometric muscle work were also part of his routine.
To accomplish all of this, he did not focus his training on a particular time of day, but instead began early in the morning and finished late at night. According to his own words, he accumulated 75 training sessions in just 24 days.
The time of day when Mireia Belmonte trains
The Spanish Olympic champion has exposed her routine on more than one occasion. The time of day when her activity starts is early in the morning. She does 45 minutes of cardio work (mainly running, rowing and cycling) on an empty stomach, then, yes, eat breakfast and start the other stage of her training.
The day continues with about two and a half hours in the pool in which the work of technique, speed, resistance, and other qualities that you want to improve are varied. To complete the first half of the day, Mireia does a CrossFit session.
Finally, the afternoon is left for a new session in the pool that is completed with cardio work. The final touch is a cryotherapy session (although not every day) and, from time to time, also strength training in the gym or mountain runs. Truly amazing!
After analyzing these two cases, to which we could also add the experience of Katie Ledecky (American multiple Olympic champions in Rio 2016, who performs nine swimming sessions a week with peaks of up to 75 kilometers, plus cardio and strength work), we can set some common parameters.
First, everyone agrees on the importance of cardio work, which both Phelps and Belmonte do in the morning as a wake-up. Then, generally, they continue with a few hours in the pool, which are also repeated in the afternoon.
In addition, both use strength exercises as a compliment. In addition, they also add other disciplines, such as CrossFit, running, or personalized coordination exercises. From what they themselves say, this is done at the end of the morning or in the afternoon.
In short, choosing the ideal time of day can be fundamental in plans as rigorous and specific as the ones carried out by elite swimmers. However, if you do not have the possibility to train for so many hours, try to find the best time so that your work session is as effective as possible. And don't forget about food and rest!
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