Swimming Calories?? Anyone help with calculators?

kwaters7

Ok - here goes.. I did 4+ hours cardio but removed the expenditure update as the swimming estimates seem real high.

This one gets me, you cant use a HRM and the categories are for things like "Breast stroke, general". I don't wanna over-estimate my calories but there are huge variations in terms of speed between swimmers and energy expenditure even on the same stroke.

Now, I can do a 2k in the pool about 15 mins faster than I used to be able to but there's no breakdowns for speed (as you get with running etc). The MFP estimates seem high, could it be because i keep steady breathing throughout and don't get the sense of exertion from a weight bearing exercise - eg running on a cold morning. I guess you don't get an indicator from sweat levels either...

So - anyone out there know a good site that breaks it down (speed, distance etc) and can give a fairly accurate estimation?

Thanks in advance

lbragg

Are you sure you can't use your heart rate monitor in the pool? I went swimming with a friend a few weeks ago and she wore hers. Aside from hearing the beeping while you're under water, it worked just fine...

ShastaAngel

I found this one... do not know how accurate it is, though.

http://www.nutristrategy.com/activitylist3.htm

Hermit4Hire

I wear my cheap polar F4 in the pool. Anything that is "water resistant" can handle around 10-20' depth.

I'm not going to guess on some generic sliding scale calculator, I can speak only from my own experience. I am a triathlete and swim train regularly (usually in the ocean though), and if I'm in my 70%-80% heart rate threshold, I burn 8-10 calories per minute, 80-90%, I'm closer to the 10-12 calorie per minute. During a race, I am closer to 12-15 per minute (stupid anxiety!)

This probably doesn't help you at all, but for 15 minutes at a good aggressive stroke, you could be somewhere between 120-150 calories (not knowing anything about you of course!) and being conservative too so not to overestimate, or 5-600 per hour???

Spend that 2 cents carefully.

Good luck...

kwaters7

Thanks guys. Yeah my HRM works to 30m - just assumed it wouldnt work under water. The chances of me wearing the band across my chest in a public pool in Glasgow are slim and none tho...

@ SashtaAngel I checked the rec and the site seems better than most. Thanks!
@Hermit4Hire - Great insight!