Swimming practice is 8 times a week. Is our coach making us practice too much?

Question

I belong to a competitive swim team that, for the past few years, practices 8 times a week. That's Monday-Saturday for 2.5 hours, then twice on Sundays. Sundays are in the morning for 2 hours and then again in the late afternoon for 2.5 hours. I often wonder how much practice we need, or is it good to get that much. I do skip once a week or so if my parents let me, but most of my team mates do the 8 times. By the way, our team members range from about 8 years old to high school ages. I'm 14 myself. I was wondering what is the average most competitive swim teams practice, and is 8 times a week the norm or too much. Thanks.

By the way, this is 365 days a year, including Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, etc. There is no off season for him, and I am not kidding. He has two kids of his own on the team, so maybe that drives him. What's weird is I think I'm the only one who thinks or questions it might be a bit much.

Answer 1

yyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssss he is!

Answer 2

NO it is definitley not. If you were a younger swimmer, then maybe it would be, but at your age you can handle it. Over the past few weeks, here's what my high school team's schedule was like over Winter Break: M,T,W,Th,F 2x2hr practice, and a 3 hr practice on Sat. We got Sundays off and Christmas and New Year's Day off. It seems like a lot, and if you're working hard you should feel sore (it seems like you've been ditching, so you might be a little less sore), but you do improve, and once you get into taper your hard work will be rewarded.

P.S. For the younger kids on the team, 8 a week is probably a bit much. And also, how much you practice depens on what part of the season you're in. Towards the beginning, you may be just getting into shape, so you'll go a bit less, and when you're tapering for the end of season, you'll do less, but in the middle of season you'll be doing more.

Answer 3

I practice 6 times a week for 2 hours at a time.

Answer 4

No. Turst me it's worth it. If you didn't practice that much you'd lose your consistancy. I was on the Varsity team during the high school girls fall season, we swam for two hours before school and two and half after school. Plus saturdays, thats eleven practices a week! I never missed a practice. Two weeks after it was over I could hardly do what I did during the season. If you can't handle all eight practices right off then skipping is okay if the coach permits it, try slowly easing into 8 times a week. Your times will definitly reflect all your hard work. People who don't swim don't understand how much effort it takes. It really is possibly the hardest sport. You have to think over whether you really like it ecause you either really like it and totally commit yourself, or you don't like it and maybe you are just wasting your time. You decide. I may be alone here but I think if you have something, a sport orwomething, that you can just work really hard at, you are a more balanced person.

Answer 5

I was fortunate enough to play on junior olympics. That was
extra when I was 14 I was in euro college. That is up to our
leaders if they want to place you in an on the job school. Now
I do sports announcement, sponsorships, insurance, schools,
scholarship, and design. Safety is my work. That is what I
realized was their intent, to make doubly sure I had significant
safety training. Swimming is a good sport, we did 4-6 hours
a week for precision, racing and diving. I never made the team
for adult Olympians though I am still on reserves for team games, and get to compete with sponsors. The team attitude is
what they had to see up to starters. You will make it. Eat some fruit for extra tempered energies. Just a pie or something.
http://www.sportsafety.com

Answer 6

Heck, there's only 7 days in a week! I think you're definetly over training. I could understand if they were only short sessions, say an hour but two and a half hours each time?!? Do olympic swimmers even train that much? I think at 14 you should be out there having fun, not being forced to train your @ss off.

Answer 7

Way too much! In the summer we only practice 5 times a week!

Answer 8

mmm... I think it depends what level you are at, I am assuming its rather high! 8 times is not too much however the only thing i would ask myself is where are you going to go next? I am a swimming coach myself and I do not like to encourage my swimmers to do that much because i think to help keep their interest in the sport they need to build into that many hours a week.

Answer 9

It all depends on where are you now on his training plan, and when is competition going to start , and when did you start your training. Usually this heavy and full schedule trainings are used when competition is very close and you need to gain form within a very short time. If so, your trainings are very useful only for that competition as this form will end fast as you gain it fast. But if your competition is not even close, someone should speak to your coach about that and see what is his point about that training plan.

Answer 10

that is on the high side, but our sons (who swam competitively) practiced twice a day for 6 days... and one swam for Varsity - 6:30am in pool for 1-1/2 hrs and back in at 4:30 for 1-1/2 to 2 hrs and meets on weekends...

Answer 11

one of my friends swims 6 morning practices mon-sat. then night practices 5 nights mon-fri. the rest of my friends and i swim 6 night practices and 1 morning practices. but you are about my friends age and we can hardly stand the practices so it would be good to take a day of a week of for you and your health and mental health.