swimmers?

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nboot1
nboot1 Posts: 41 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was sick of the eliptical, and I have always heard that swimming is a great work out. I decided to give it a try last week, I am IN LOVE with swimming now, I don't want to do anything else. I look forward to my work outs now :) My question is: will swimming tone my whole body or will i have to keep doing weights (which I hate!)?
P.S I am pretty close to my ideal wieght, would like to lose another 10 or so- but would love to tone more NOT bulk up

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  • alaliberte
    alaliberte Posts: 205
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    I've been swimming forever. I would say that YOGA gives you more of an all-over workout.

    But, swimming gives a good workout as far as cardio and upper body. I wouldn't let that be my only workout. It is fun, though! I'm glad you enjoy it so much.
  • JMPerlin
    JMPerlin Posts: 287 Member
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    I only get to swim 10 minutes at a time in my neighborhood pool, I love it but I would make sure I do something else as well. It might be different if I was able to swim longer but that is just the way it is for me.
  • kzcortes
    kzcortes Posts: 208 Member
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    Swimming will get you lean and tone but make sure you're doing a variety of strokes. When you're doing laps in the pool do one lap freestyle then breaststroke then side stroke, for example.
  • chatter27
    chatter27 Posts: 121
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    Swimming is a great workout, but it is more of a cardio workout. I would still lift weights. When I was in high school doing it(I won't tell you how long ago that was) we were made to weight train with swim practice.__
  • bobbymathews
    bobbymathews Posts: 11 Member
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    i'm in the same boat ... love to swim, and would frankly rather be swimming laps than just about anything. it's definitely good cardio, and i think the poster above me said it's a great upper-body workout. he's right -- i'm already noticing new shape in my shoulders and chest.

    that said, i still hit the elliptical, the weight room, and a yoga class once a week. the pool is what i hit every day, though.

    today's workout was a bear: 1,000 calories burned on the elliptical, and then an hour swimming hard (1,066 calories). my shoulders hate me right now, but it'll be worth it.

    good luck!
  • nboot1
    nboot1 Posts: 41 Member
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    Swimming will get you lean and tone but make sure you're doing a variety of strokes. When you're doing laps in the pool do one lap freestyle then breaststroke then side stroke, for example.
    I can only do the breaststroke :( I tought myself how to swim and that is the only way I know how. I have tried on my back and freestyle- I look and feel like I am drowning!
    My legs and butt are very toned, I do pilates for my abs, but my arms need work- I want them thinned and toned.
  • raeleek
    raeleek Posts: 414 Member
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    I swam all throughout school and got in great shape and now I'm picking it back up again! It is great for burning calories. When I first started swimming I lost a good amount of weight but I didn't get too toned. I did have to lift 3 times a week. The swimming will keep calories at bay but the weights will help you look more cut.
  • sgarrard01
    sgarrard01 Posts: 213 Member
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    If you want to track swim performance, get a 'pool mate' ! i never go without mine!
  • ANiceIdea
    ANiceIdea Posts: 3 Member
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    I did three years of water polo and and swim team and when I was in water polo we got in our strength in the pool here are some of the various 'exercises' we did....
    -we used to empty water jugs over our heads in the deep end (the giant 20/30? gallon ones that you receive from water companies) you had to lift it over your head while 'egg-beating' a.k.a fancy doggy paddling
    -tread laps whilst holding metal foldable chairs over our heads elbows out
    - than the hell on earth 'up and outs' coach lines us up on the edge of the pool blows his whistle we jump in sprint (fast swimming) to the other end were we pull ourself out (there was a foot and a half gutter that we were not allowed to use as a step, and no knees so it's a pull up) and then we did push ups jumped back in and and went 20+ more times until kids started throwing up
    -also used the goals to 'egg beat' till we got our belly buttons out of the water and then had to trace the goal with are finger tips

    Long story short that was a brief glimpse at the best shape of my life and though it is not always practical it did teach me some more low impact ideas, such as doggy paddling with your hands out of the water and slowly progressing till your arms are out all the way out , eventually adding weights, etc. .......Now when I was just in swim we did visit the weight room a lot as well as ran a lot of bleachers -_- so my advice if your just swimming would be stick with some weights or add some intensity to your schedule

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