Is swimming a good alternative to running?

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poppyj77
poppyj77 Posts: 4
in Fitness and Exercise
I live in the Canary Islands where it is seriously hot all year round, which makes running really uncomfortable.. I have access to a pool and love to swim, but I was wondering if swimming is as good a cardio workout as running is? Is it a good substitute?

Thankyou for your help! :)

Replies

  • squirmmonster
    squirmmonster Posts: 98 Member
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    It can be, if you learn to do it right. You'll probably need to take a basic swimming class on various swimming strokes. Some are very challenging. The doggy paddle, probably isn't one of them, though.

    Basis of judgment: Took life guarding courses during my youth. I was always an incredibly strong swimmer and I think the butterfly stroke about killed me all the time.
  • loliblullama
    loliblullama Posts: 140 Member
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    Also interested in this actually.
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
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    Depends what you mean by "substitute."

    As a cardio workout, yes, you will get as much or more (depending on pace) health benefit and calorie burn from swimming as you would from running.

    It's not a great training substitute if you're doing it to improve your running performance.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    It's better. Do it.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
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    Definitely better! Especially good if you want to increase your lung capacity as you have to take a full breath, hold it and exhale explosively to take another breath - good yoga!
  • drgndancer
    drgndancer Posts: 426 Member
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    Swimming and running top the calories and cardiovascular fitness workout regime. You'll get arguments about which is "better", but no one questions that they're both really good. That said, they aren't "substitutes" for each other. If you want to get good at one, you have to practice that one. If you want to get good at both you have to practice both.
  • super_monty
    super_monty Posts: 419 Member
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    It's better for the joints over the years that's for certain.
  • banshishi
    banshishi Posts: 197
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    swimming is excellent exercise, however it doesnt help much in the way of bone density, because its so low impact..but it has has many if not more benefits than running. I lost most of the initial 90lbs i lost a few years ago by swimming, but it was kinda at intervals, front crawl for a number of lengths, then breastroke, back to front crawl. etc, (shame I was such a Dumbarse and gave it up! )
  • julieh391
    julieh391 Posts: 683 Member
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    Absolutely!
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    It's better for the joints over the years that's for certain.

    BZZT! Wrong. That running is bad for your joints is a myth that has been scientifically debunked. Here is just one of many articles about this.

    http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3858&PageNum=&CategoryID=
  • super_monty
    super_monty Posts: 419 Member
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    do both in moderation and lift heavy!
  • super_monty
    super_monty Posts: 419 Member
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    It's better for the joints over the years that's for certain.

    BZZT! Wrong. That running is bad for your joints is a myth that has been scientifically debunked. Here is just one of many articles about this.

    http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3858&PageNum=&CategoryID=

    Not sure I believe an article on the 'running times' if I have a big running week my left knee is sore if I swim a lot its not simple as that.

    Another article more well rounded.

    http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/2427-5-experts-answer-running-bad-knees.html
  • junipearl
    junipearl Posts: 326 Member
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    swimming is excellent cardio and is way easier on the joints than running. =)
  • CrimsonBrons
    CrimsonBrons Posts: 15
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    Great on the joints, but it will take you longer to burn the same number of calories, simply based on the fact that (in general) the intensity level is lower. Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get a good workout.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I live in the Canary Islands where it is seriously hot all year round, which makes running really uncomfortable.. I have access to a pool and love to swim, but I was wondering if swimming is as good a cardio workout as running is? Is it a good substitute?

    Thankyou for your help! :)

    Swimming is wonderful cardio, so long as you are actually swimming and not just casually floating in the pool.
  • ukulele2010
    ukulele2010 Posts: 126 Member
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    Swimming and running are both great - and as someone else mentioned if by alternative you mean cardiovascular equivalent I would think they are close - if alternative you mean you can train in the pool and then run a marathon - probably not. I do find that running makes me work more consistently at a higher level than swimming. That is, with swimming if I do not concentrate on what I am doing I might coast a bit. I do not coast in running because it is either running or not running (walking...). And, I believe there is some evidence that swimming makes you hungrier for the same amount of calories consumed than other activities (like running). Don't ask me for the evidence - I'm not certain...
  • drgndancer
    drgndancer Posts: 426 Member
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    Not sure I believe an article on the 'running times' if I have a big running week my left knee is sore if I swim a lot its not simple as that.

    "That which does not kill me makes me stronger" :-) Running is harder on the joints, but because of that it strengthens them. If you don't pay attention to your body, try to do too much too fast, or sometimes if you just get unlucky, it can also injure them. In the main running is good for the joints. It makes them much stronger and more able to handle day to day life. If you get an injury from running, obviously that's a different matter. The vast majority of runners won't get a serious or permanent injury from the sport though, so in general it's good for the joints.
  • super_monty
    super_monty Posts: 419 Member
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    Not sure I believe an article on the 'running times' if I have a big running week my left knee is sore if I swim a lot its not simple as that.

    "That which does not kill me makes me stronger" :-) Running is harder on the joints, but because of that it strengthens them. If you don't pay attention to your body, try to do too much too fast, or sometimes if you just get unlucky, it can also injure them. In the main running is good for the joints. It makes them much stronger and more able to handle day to day life. If you get an injury from running, obviously that's a different matter. The vast majority of runners won't get a serious or permanent injury from the sport though, so in general it's good for the joints.

    Running has made my joints stronger in the short term for sure. I did have some very bad problems with my left knee and struggled to walk, running and strength have had helped repair. But in the long term I am still concerned about wear and tear.

    For every positive report there is a negative one, at the end of the day I still think its all about moderation.

    If I sprint for prolonged periods of time my knee still gives way.

    I love running and wont pack it in. I find interval running on a tread mill does me just fine, running on concrete out side is just too painful.
  • sharfisher
    sharfisher Posts: 48 Member
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    A doctor in my running club said 1km swim = 5 km run. I don't know his basis for saying that, but based on how I feel after both I'd say it's a reasonable estimate.

    In terms of comparable calorie burn, I just check my heart rate after 10 min. of swimming to see if I'm in the ballpark of 70-85% of maximum. Again just a loose guideline.

    Weightbearing exercise is important for women re. bone density so swimming is great but doesn't cover everything off!

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