Too much swimming?

[Anonymous]

MY DS9 is in year round club swimming with 5 practices a week. He also in a summer swim team just for fun that has three practices a week (only 45 minutes each) with two swim meets a week. The summer swim team doesn't amount to that much swimming overall. But, he also pursues private instruction from his summer swim coaches and, if he can, his club swimming coaches. Basically, he sweet talks them into some stroke technique help.

He's self-motivated because he wants to make state cuts in his club swimming, as well as make the next level up swim group.

We just have him in swimming for exercise. We're not concerned or interested in state cuts or the next level up swim group.

The summer swim team only runs through the end of June so this doubling up on swim is short term.

Should we be concerned about any overuse injuries? I'm not a swimmer so I don't know what to look for here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: MY DS9 is in year round club swimming with 5 practices a week. He also in a summer swim team just for fun that has three practices a week (only 45 minutes each) with two swim meets a week. The summer swim team doesn't amount to that much swimming overall. But, he also pursues private instruction from his summer swim coaches and, if he can, his club swimming coaches. Basically, he sweet talks them into some stroke technique help.

He's self-motivated because he wants to make state cuts in his club swimming, as well as make the next level up swim group.

We just have him in swimming for exercise. We're not concerned or interested in state cuts or the next level up swim group.

The summer swim team only runs through the end of June so this doubling up on swim is short term.

Should we be concerned about any overuse injuries? I'm not a swimmer so I don't know what to look for here.

I don’t think you should be too worried. The practices are appropriately short. Overuse typically set in in tweens/teens who are doing 2 hour practices and a lot of yardage. The symptoms are pain. Don’t swim through pain in shoulders/knees or back (if too much kick board)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: MY DS9 is in year round club swimming with 5 practices a week. He also in a summer swim team just for fun that has three practices a week (only 45 minutes each) with two swim meets a week. The summer swim team doesn't amount to that much swimming overall. But, he also pursues private instruction from his summer swim coaches and, if he can, his club swimming coaches. Basically, he sweet talks them into some stroke technique help.

He's self-motivated because he wants to make state cuts in his club swimming, as well as make the next level up swim group.

We just have him in swimming for exercise. We're not concerned or interested in state cuts or the next level up swim group.

The summer swim team only runs through the end of June so this doubling up on swim is short term.

Should we be concerned about any overuse injuries? I'm not a swimmer so I don't know what to look for here.

I don’t think you should be too worried. The practices are appropriately short. Overuse typically set in in tweens/teens who are doing 2 hour practices and a lot of yardage. The symptoms are pain. Don’t swim through pain in shoulders/knees or back (if too much kick board)

OP here. I should have mentioned that the club swim is typically 1.5 hours/ 2 hours long per practice but that often includes some dryland so the yardage should be less.

I'll be on the look out for pain but won't worry about it otherwise!

[Anonymous]

What club? I am surprised they let a 9 year old swim 5 days a week. Most limit to 3-4 at that age, even for the top swimmers making state cuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: MY DS9 is in year round club swimming with 5 practices a week. He also in a summer swim team just for fun that has three practices a week (only 45 minutes each) with two swim meets a week. The summer swim team doesn't amount to that much swimming overall. But, he also pursues private instruction from his summer swim coaches and, if he can, his club swimming coaches. Basically, he sweet talks them into some stroke technique help.

He's self-motivated because he wants to make state cuts in his club swimming, as well as make the next level up swim group.

We just have him in swimming for exercise. We're not concerned or interested in state cuts or the next level up swim group.

The summer swim team only runs through the end of June so this doubling up on swim is short term.

Should we be concerned about any overuse injuries? I'm not a swimmer so I don't know what to look for here.

I don’t think you should be too worried. The practices are appropriately short. Overuse typically set in in tweens/teens who are doing 2 hour practices and a lot of yardage. The symptoms are pain. Don’t swim through pain in shoulders/knees or back (if too much kick board)

OP here. I should have mentioned that the club swim is typically 1.5 hours/ 2 hours long per practice but that often includes some dryland so the yardage should be less.

I'll be on the look out for pain but won't worry about it otherwise!

Yeah that is too much for a 9 year old. I would cut back his club practices. A good club team would not allow that at 9.

[Anonymous]

OP here. His club swim practices are Monday - Friday and last between 1.5 to 2 hours a practice. If he makes it to the next level group, there are six practices a week for the 9/10s age group. Yes, it's insane and we are relaxed about him missing a practice or two a week.

We live in an extremely competitive area but what area isn't competitive these days, though? I didn't expect it to get so crazy so young. Silly me.

[Anonymous]

This sounds like too much for 9. There may not be shoulder issues now, but there very well might be in a few years at which time your son will only be 12 years old... not even puberty yet which is when a lot of things change. I wouldn't be allowing more than 3-4 practices per week at that age and I would be mixing in one other sport at a time of your son is interested (e.g. a team sport that doesn't have to be treated as the primary sport but is good for cross training and preventing overuse injuries). I would also be making sure that the practices spend a lot of time on stroke technique as opposed to yardage.

Swimming is a grind. I can't imagine practicing 5+ days a week from age 9 onward. Sounds like a recipe for burnout.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like too much for 9. There may not be shoulder issues now, but there very well might be in a few years at which time your son will only be 12 years old... not even puberty yet which is when a lot of things change. I wouldn't be allowing more than 3-4 practices per week at that age and I would be mixing in one other sport at a time of your son is interested (e.g. a team sport that doesn't have to be treated as the primary sport but is good for cross training and preventing overuse injuries). I would also be making sure that the practices spend a lot of time on stroke technique as opposed to yardage.

Swimming is a grind. I can't imagine practicing 5+ days a week from age 9 onward. Sounds like a recipe for burnout.

PP here. I should add that I swam all the way through college (D1). I saw many many young swimmers burn out from training so hard at a younger age. I had just joined a winter team that practiced one or two times per week at 9.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like too much for 9. There may not be shoulder issues now, but there very well might be in a few years at which time your son will only be 12 years old... not even puberty yet which is when a lot of things change. I wouldn't be allowing more than 3-4 practices per week at that age and I would be mixing in one other sport at a time of your son is interested (e.g. a team sport that doesn't have to be treated as the primary sport but is good for cross training and preventing overuse injuries). I would also be making sure that the practices spend a lot of time on stroke technique as opposed to yardage.

Swimming is a grind. I can't imagine practicing 5+ days a week from age 9 onward. Sounds like a recipe for burnout.

PP here. I should add that I swam all the way through college (D1). I saw many many young swimmers burn out from training so hard at a younger age. I had just joined a winter team that practiced one or two times per week at 9.

Agreed. Summer swim is not your problem. Does your club offer 5 practices and require 3? If so, go to 3 only, particularly while also doing summer swim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like too much for 9. There may not be shoulder issues now, but there very well might be in a few years at which time your son will only be 12 years old... not even puberty yet which is when a lot of things change. I wouldn't be allowing more than 3-4 practices per week at that age and I would be mixing in one other sport at a time of your son is interested (e.g. a team sport that doesn't have to be treated as the primary sport but is good for cross training and preventing overuse injuries). I would also be making sure that the practices spend a lot of time on stroke technique as opposed to yardage.

Swimming is a grind. I can't imagine practicing 5+ days a week from age 9 onward. Sounds like a recipe for burnout.

PP here. I should add that I swam all the way through college (D1). I saw many many young swimmers burn out from training so hard at a younger age. I had just joined a winter team that practiced one or two times per week at 9.

OP here. Those are good thoughts. I think we'll scale him back. He's definitely going to burn himself out. He typically does the soccer/baseball/basketball rotation too and will naturally drop some swim practices to accommodate it. We're just overdoing it for the summer.

[Anonymous]

I would look for a new club. A club that allows that volume at 9-10 is not looking out for the long term development and health of its swimmers. Sounds like they are also not very knowledgeable about the sport or the physiology of young athletes.

[Anonymous]

This is too much for a 9-year old. 8 practices a week plus two meets plus private coaching sessions?

If this is something your kid really loves, explain that it's important to stay healthy and develop overall as an athlete and as a person.

Cap the number of practices (maybe no more five a week) and/or consider not sending a kid swimming year-round to summer swim practices. If year-round swim is a priority, tell the summer swim coach your kid won't be doing the summer practices, just the meets. Or, have your kid pick and choose an appropriate number of weekly practices and meets from what is offered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What club? I am surprised they let a 9 year old swim 5 days a week. Most limit to 3-4 at that age, even for the top swimmers making state cuts.

Agree. At 9 most are fewer days per week and a 9 or 10 month program, so normally it wouldn't overlap with summer swim. The overlap usually starts in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. His club swim practices are Monday - Friday and last between 1.5 to 2 hours a practice. If he makes it to the next level group, there are six practices a week for the 9/10s age group. Yes, it's insane and we are relaxed about him missing a practice or two a week.

We live in an extremely competitive area but what area isn't competitive these days, though? I didn't expect it to get so crazy so young. Silly me.

It isn't supposed to be that crazy that young. The good programs do not allow it. It is a money grab that will lead to burn out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is too much for a 9-year old. 8 practices a week plus two meets plus private coaching sessions?

If this is something your kid really loves, explain that it's important to stay healthy and develop overall as an athlete and as a person.

Cap the number of practices (maybe no more five a week) and/or consider not sending a kid swimming year-round to summer swim practices. If year-round swim is a priority, tell the summer swim coach your kid won't be doing the summer practices, just the meets. Or, have your kid pick and choose an appropriate number of weekly practices and meets from what is offered.

For a 9 year old this is totally backwards. Summer swim is fun and a kid who loves swimming should not miss it. It is a break from the winter program which should coincide with the school year at that age. Agree with others that the problem here is the winter team schedule.