How much swimming is good enough?

RuchikaPal

I just turned to swimming for my regular workout and hoping it will aid me in inch loss.

The thing is I'm an average swimmer and I resumed swimming After a gap of 10 years. So in still trying to build up my stamina.
My local pool is quite small. The lenght is about 15.5 metres :noway: :grumble:

I started off with doing 10 laps ...Then 15.. 20.. Today I did 24 Laps... Obviously I'm aiming for more...
But how much do you think is the minimum required if I want to see a significant change!

My weight is about 69 kgs and 5'2" height.

Also, these laps are not continuos, I stop after every second lap....

any suggestions? MAy be any exercises I should do while in pool?
Anything you guys can suggest... :flowerforyou:

vismal

How much swimming is good enough is an impossible answer. Calories control weight loss, so enough swimming to burn enough calories so that between swimming and your diet you are taking in fewer calories then you burn in a day is the only real answer. To be more specific we'd need to know how much you are eating and how many calories you burn swimming...

FoxyLifter

Cardio is good to increase a calorie deficit, but only up to a certain point. You said that you want to lose inches. Well, if you mean that you want to maximize fat loss and minimize muscle loss, you'll need to eat at a slightly moderate deficit, eat about 1g of protein per pound of LBM (lean body mass, which is your body weight minus fat), and regularly perform some resistance training (such as progressive heavy lifting, Starting Strength or StrongLifts would be a good place to start).

Cc215

If 24 laps is the most you can do right now - that is enough. But keep on adding more each time you go.

I started out (again) like that. Each time I went I added another 4 (minimum) lengths, or more if I could. Until I'd built up to swimming for half an hour. Then I worked on stopping less often, stop after 3, then after 4 on so on.

This was 3 months ago. I now swim anywhere between 30 minutes and 60 minutes at a time. I stop when I need to - but that's usually no more than twice in half an hour, and usually just catch my breath and go again.

Just keep going - and adding a bit more each time. You'll get there.

As for the weight loss - that's mostly down to diet. Swimming will just help you to get to the deficit you want.

BITEME_GRRR

First off CONGRATS....swimming is a great full body resistance and cardio workout!!!!

Keep at it. Go to 100 laps do what you gotta do.
Calculate your Caloric intake using a good calculator such as IIFYM.com
Keep swimming.

I recently went swimming after a large hiatus as well and was sore everywhere! and being sore is a great sign it means I used muscles I don't normally use.
Keep at it. Join a YMCA or something if you want a longer pool.

IHateThinkingOfAUsername

as long as you get your heart pumping and you're breathing faster it's all good. You're doing all the right things - pushing yourself more each time you go. Keep it up.

(My gym's pool is only 14m)

CLM1227

I do this for weight loss, too!

I have never actually been a swimmer. In fact, I've had swimmers comment on my head position while free-styling it. I hate my face in the water and have only learned to swim with my head in the water THIS SUMMER.

Even so, 5-6 years ago, I lost 20lbs one summer from only swimming 20 laps/day in a small pool. Resting after ever lap, not all free-style, none proper-style. As another commenter said, it all depends on what you can do and what you eat.

Unlike what another commenter said, it is a great resistance & cardio workout - a lot like rowing. Rowing, too.

AquaticQuests

Swim as long and hard as you would if you were jogging!
It's easier to 'cheat' in the pool and convince yourself your doing serious work when that isn't the case!
I lost my weight swimming started at around 24 lengths in a 25m pool. Slowly built it up and now swim 96 per session IM!
All the best!
For overall body tone, I don't know another form of cardio that beats it!

gelendestrasse

When I had access to a pool I was swimming twice a week, at least 1000m, and lifting twice a week. Swimming will help with your core and stamina. But the lifting will build muscle.

Now I'm riding a bicycle 2 -3 times a week and hopefully will find a decent gym.

ttcbelieve

swimming is great. Try to build up to swimming more laps before resting. Breaststroke works starting out...goodluck...you cant go wrong

FitOldMomma

I began swimming last October weighing nearly 300 pounds. I could hardly make it one length of the 20 yard pool!

Each time I tried a bit harder. My stamina is now excellent.

This morning I swam one mile of front crawl (70 lengths in the 25 yrd pool), followed by 60 minutes of water exercises wearing buoyancy ankle wraps, water gloves, and buoyancy belt in the deep pool. I end my workouts by doing stretches and squats in the water.

My workouts are now 2 hours and 15 minutes, 4 days a week. I feel it is just right for me now. I could try to increase my swim pace, but I'm happy with what I accomplish.

YouTube has tons of different water workout videos, check them out.

AquaticQuests

There is an active swimmer's group here in the forums!
I invite you to join!

60sPanda

I second AquaticQuests invite - come join us swimmers group.

When I wanted to lose weight I started swimming - I could just manage 1 length of crawl before stopping, but kept going and swam a 5km charity event 6 months later (in 1 hour 59 mins). By watching my food and swimming most days the weight fell off (42 pounds in 6 months).

Its still my main form of exercise and I would be lost without it. Just keep going and going - maybe next time swim 3 lengths, rest, 2 lengths rest. Eventually you will do like I did and just decide not to stop at all and see how far you can go.

Kalikel

However much you can or wish to do. Your stamina will increase with time.

Swimming is the best! Works the heart, tones the muscles and is easy on the joints.

I don't get a high like runners say they get, but do get a kind of hum and hate the days when I can't swim. I just don't feel right and have all these little aches after a couple days of it.

Weights are nice. I use weights. You can buy expensive ones in barbell shapes or to wear around wrists/ankles. If you swim at the Y, they usually have a bunch of kinds of weights, so you can try them all and see what you like. You don't have to buy them, though. An empty 16 or 20 Oz plastic bottle (like pop or Gatorade come in) will work fine, too. Anything that floats will work as a weight.

I wish there more Olympic-sized pools. (Really Olympic-sized, not the "We call it 'Olympic size' because it's big, but if you want to be fussy and technical, no it isn't, it's much smaller" kind.). Maybe if swimming takes off, they'll dig more of those.

cw106

keep on doing what you are doing.
i only recently returned to swimming too. have increased from 500 metres to 2000 metres per session in 2 months.
it will come in its own sweet time.
i also have pool envy as gym pool is only 12.8 m. makes it easier to just do another couple of lengths each session.
enjoy...

RuchikaPal

Thank guy for all the wonderful advice!!! :flowerforyou:

lrwest68

Try Doing HIITS( High Intensity Interval Training Sets) to maximize your heart rate. Swim as hard as you can for 30 seconds, then, at a slower pace for 1-2 minutes to recover. Google "HIITS and swimming" and you will find lots of workout recommendations. My trainer told me to warm-up for 5 minutes, do HIITS for 20, and 5 minute cool down--of course, you will need to work-up to that time because HIITS are hard work! Good luck