Swim exercises

NelliR86

Hello fellow MFP's I want to burn more calories and heard swimming is a good way. However... I can't swim are there any exercises I can do in the water without actually swimming? Like some in the shallow end?

Thanks, Nell

Derf_Smeggle

Why do you want to burn more calories?

NelliR86

Just to lose weight. When I work out the most I burn is like 60 cal so I don't think that's enough for one day so something like swimming can help me burn more in a shorter amount of time

JessM822

You burn very few calories swimming actually. Probably better off running or cycling to be honest. I swim 2,200 yards on average and only burn 400 calories or so. You can run in waist deep water. I see people doing that all the time but don't know what the calorie burn is like.

Hearts_2015

NelliR86 wrote: »

Hello fellow MFP's I want to burn more calories and heard swimming is a good way. However... I can't swim are there any exercises I can do in the water without actually swimming? Like some in the shallow end?

Thanks, Nell

@NelliR86
Aqua workouts are great! Swimming is an excellent way to get in shape, really strengthens the muscles. Have you considered taking lessons at the Y or a place near you? Are you planning on using a pool at home or do you belong to a gym with a pool? A place such as the Y will have lots of equipment to use for workouts. Walking in the water is a good starting place in the shallow, if classes are available I highly suggest joining one or two. Water is easy on the joints and it doesn't take much and you get some hard work in.

I love to run in the water, it's one of my favorite things I can let my mind go and run for miles.. it feels so freeing. I've never had an interest in running outdoors but love doing it in the pool.

Share your pool situation and I'll see what I can dig up on the Web in regards to workouts you can do on your own if you don't have a Y pool available for classes.

biejen

Hey Nell! I think swimming is a great way to get active. Personally, I never feel as good (exhausted good) from running or biking as I do after a swim. It's low-impact, which is a relief to a lot of people, but it's surprisingly hard work!

I've taught adult swim lessons before, and there's great news about them...
-they exist!
-your instructor or other people at the pool aren't going to judge you for not knowing how to swim (which may or may not be a concern)
-after learning the basics, most problems in form fix themselves because these generally make swimming harder. As you become more comfortable in water, quirks tend to work themselves out, and you can progress on your own.

Here's a really great resource for getting started on your own if you can't find a friend to teach you or if lessons are too pricy: http://ruthkazez.com/Zeroto1milePreamble/pre-zero.html

Additionally, here is some general information about calorie burning while swimming: http://www.active.com/triathlon/articles/how-many-calories-does-swimming-burn

Truthfully, I don't know much about shallow water exercises, but if you have access to a pool with a section around 4.5 or 5 feet (where you can choose to stand or not), treading water is a great way to tire yourself out. Tread for as long as you can, and try mini challenges like keeping your hands out of the water for 10 seconds, back in for 10 seconds, hands above your head for 10 seconds, etc. You can look up YouTube videos for form, but even if you do it wrong or just use flutter kicks to tread, you'll still be tiring yourself out and burning calories because it's dang hard!

Marshmella

That was so nice of you to post the calories lost by swimming I always wondered but never really bothered to look it up

heybales

To get a best estimate of calorie burn if you do start to enjoy and do laps.

http://www.swimmingcalculator.com/swim_calories_calculator.php

NelliR86

@NelliR86
Aqua workouts are great! Swimming is an excellent way to get in shape, really strengthens the muscles. Have you considered taking lessons at the Y or a place near you? Are you planning on using a pool at home or do you belong to a gym with a pool? A place such as the Y will have lots of equipment to use for workouts. Walking in the water is a good starting place in the shallow, if classes are available I highly suggest joining one or two. Water is easy on the joints and it doesn't take much and you get some hard work in.

I love to run in the water, it's one of my favorite things I can let my mind go and run for miles.. it feels so freeing. I've never had an interest in running outdoors but love doing it in the pool.

Share your pool situation and I'll see what I can dig up on the Web in regards to workouts you can do on your own if you don't have a Y pool available for classes. [/quote]

Wow you are awesome!! I was thinking of starting at home (apartment pool) with maybe treading in the water but I never thought about going to the Y, if there is one nearby. Thank you for all the info!!

NelliR86

JessM822 wrote: »

You burn very few calories swimming actually. Probably better off running or cycling to be honest. I swim 2,200 yards on average and only burn 400 calories or so. You can run in waist deep water. I see people doing that all the time but don't know what the calorie burn is like.

400 calories is a lot more than the 65 I burn just working out at home. For a start 400 is way over the amount I need.

Tweaking_Time

JessM822 wrote: »

You burn very few calories swimming actually. Probably better off running or cycling to be honest. I swim 2,200 yards on average and only burn 400 calories or so. You can run in waist deep water. I see people doing that all the time but don't know what the calorie burn is like.

ditto above.

I run, cycle and swim (training for Sprint Triathlon) ... and swimming, although it is a good total body workout, burns the fewest calories per hour of the 3.

Nussbary

NelliR86 wrote: »

Hello fellow MFP's I want to burn more calories and heard swimming is a good way. However... I can't swim are there any exercises I can do in the water without actually swimming? Like some in the shallow end?

Thanks, Nell

Beyond the calorie conversation... if you do want to become more comfortable in the water: Kick, kick kick! your legs are the biggest muscles, and getting a kickboard will help you with your comfort level. This will also help you get stronger with treading water and then eventually your roll and stroke. but first try kicking the entire length, then 2 lengths, then after a while progress to sprinting a portion of your lengths.

Remember this will work your abs too! the further out in front of you you hold the board, the more of your core you will engage and therefore strengthen.

deannalfisher

I'd recommend searching your area for a swim instructor - check gyms, YMCA, local schools (mine do adult swim lessons)

but yeah, swimming is a relatively low calorie burn workout, but a whole body one - I'm always so hungry after swimming, you would think I had burned 1000cal when its more like 200 (something to do with your body trying to equalize temp with water temp which expends more energy)

NelliR86

Beyond the calorie conversation... if you do want to become more comfortable in the water: Kick, kick kick! your legs are the biggest muscles, and getting a kickboard will help you with your comfort level. This will also help you get stronger with treading water and then eventually your roll and stroke. but first try kicking the entire length, then 2 lengths, then after a while progress to sprinting a portion of your lengths.

Remember this will work your abs too! the further out in front of you you hold the board, the more of your core you will engage and therefore strengthen. [/quote]

Oh cool! Thanks for the info. Yeah I would love to be more comfortable in the water and working out my legs and abs would be awesome. So I will definitely get a kick board so I can start practicing.

NelliR86

deannalfisher wrote: »

I'd recommend searching your area for a swim instructor - check gyms, YMCA, local schools (mine do adult swim lessons)

but yeah, swimming is a relatively low calorie burn workout, but a whole body one - I'm always so hungry after swimming, you would think I had burned 1000cal when its more like 200 (something to do with your body trying to equalize temp with water temp which expends more energy)

Yeah as I mentioned before, with my at home workouts I'm only burning like 65 calories after 30 mins so 200 calories is a big step up for me, plus it's a whole body workout which is great. So I will start checking local places.

Derf_Smeggle

NelliR86 wrote: »

Just to lose weight. When I work out the most I burn is like 60 cal so I don't think that's enough for one day so something like swimming can help me burn more in a shorter amount of time

So, the reason I asked why is because for weight loss eating habits trump exercise.

Don't get me wrong, exercise is awesome for your health! I think you should find an activity that you enjoy doing. However, don't do it to "lose weight faster ".

Set your MFP weekly weight loss goal. Eat to hit your calorie target. Track accurately and precisely. Lose weight.

Directly regarding water exercise, I agree that local Y's are great resources in the states.

DaniMerc72

There are water aerobics classes at the Y or other gyms with pools that you do in the deep end, and you wear a flotation belt kind of thing to keep you afloat. I want to try one, because they look so fun!

deannalfisher

NelliR86 wrote: »

deannalfisher wrote: »

I'd recommend searching your area for a swim instructor - check gyms, YMCA, local schools (mine do adult swim lessons)

but yeah, swimming is a relatively low calorie burn workout, but a whole body one - I'm always so hungry after swimming, you would think I had burned 1000cal when its more like 200 (something to do with your body trying to equalize temp with water temp which expends more energy)

Yeah as I mentioned before, with my at home workouts I'm only burning like 65 calories after 30 mins so 200 calories is a big step up for me, plus it's a whole body workout which is great. So I will start checking local places.

could you do anything at home to up the calorie burn? (I'm a huge fan of fitness blender via you tube) - something else to consider

gillidovew

danihunter37 wrote: »

There are water aerobics classes at the Y or other gyms with pools that you do in the deep end, and you wear a flotation belt kind of thing to keep you afloat. I want to try one, because they look so fun!

Definitely look for one of these. As they are run by an

instructor they tell you what to do, some of the exercises have light weights and the variety of exercise will give an all over workout and keep it from feeling monotonous, often to music. I swim but often see these classes going on in the pool and everyone always looks to be really enjoying themselves

deannalfisher

bonus of the water aerobics classes (if you are a triathlete), they sometimes do a good impersonation of an open water swim with current

CarolPre

I used to do the Aqua-aerobics class when I belonged to my local Y and I loved them. Good workout.

NelliR86

could you do anything at home to up the calorie burn? (I'm a huge fan of fitness blender via you tube) - something else to consider[/quote]

Yeah probably, swimming seemed like a new adventure that I would like to try. I am trying to get away from regular workouts, so like aerobics maybe.

cecekay19

Swimming was my gateway to more intense workouts. I am not a strong swimmer but I did learn how to do a couple of survival strokes. If you can float, do the survival backstroke and you can get a lot of mileage out of it. Here is a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXpgGezjvZA

If you pull up your arms and knees as much as you can (think like making water angels instead of snow angels), it's like doing jumping jacks in the water.

That said there are other things you can do in the pool. Use the side of the pool to do supine bicycle and other kinds of kicks, push yourself up and out of the water, do splits in the water, lunges, twisting jumps in the water... lots of things you can do.

Alidecker

deannalfisher wrote: »

I'd recommend searching your area for a swim instructor - check gyms, YMCA, local schools (mine do adult swim lessons)

but yeah, swimming is a relatively low calorie burn workout, but a whole body one - I'm always so hungry after swimming, you would think I had burned 1000cal when its more like 200 (something to do with your body trying to equalize temp with water temp which expends more energy)

I am so hungry after swimming too, it's the only exercise that makes me want to eat all the food.

Okiludy

I love swimming and it's by far the best cardio workout I do. If you can not swim you can get lessons. Most pools I have been to offer them and it is not odd to see fit adults learning. Swimming for me is one of the few things I think everyone should learn if not physically challenged to do so.

@Alidecker Hell ya about eating after swimming.

Hearts_2015

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snowflake954

I've been swimming 22 yrs, along with acqua-gym. If you love the water. You love the water. There are people at my pool who are regulars and wouldn't miss a workout. Swimming has advantages over other exercises besides the calorie burn, and like anything else, it depends on how much you push yourself. I do yoga and gym too, plus lots of walking. I'm 63, and not triathelete material, but I do OK and I'm consistent. Do what you enjoy doing, because it makes all the difference in fitness. I second looking into classes.