Hey Swimmers!!

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  • kimleroy
    kimleroy Posts: 50 Member
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    Swimming is a fantastic work out!! I was a competitive swimmer in high school and that put me in incredible shape (granted I swam about 25 hours a week, plus lifting and running). I've been getting back into it the past couple months and I love it. Right now I'm just doing it once a week as a change of pace from my normal workout, but the calorie burn from it is fantastic! Love love love it.
  • Rockstar_JILL
    Rockstar_JILL Posts: 514 Member
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    I was a swimmer all my teen years...competitively, then I lifeguarded for 2 summers...then as I hit 40, I learned to love swimming all over again...I still believe it is the best exercise there is! and you dont' notice the sweating! You are in water! ;)
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    I'm in the pool twice a week for an hour each time. One thing I do recommend is that you attend a class in aquatic fitness---at least, at first. I found that when I did lap swimming, i would just la-la along at a leisurely pace. I enjoyed it, because I have always loved the water but didn't get much of a workout. I see lots of obese people cruising along at a leisurely pace, doing lap swimming and at least they are doing something. But to really kick yourself into high gear, you need to have an instructor barking out orders---they will push you to a much better workout (and it doesn't hurt that your are competing with your classmates :wink: ). At our pool, there are four different fitness levels for beginners all the way to "Aquatic Boot Camp" (I watched one day, it is brutal). I would imagine most public pools have something similar. I recently "graduated" to regular "aquacize"---I was really worn out after but unless you get pushed a bit, you will never get more fit. It is great--they work all of the muscle groups in your body.
  • pucenavel
    pucenavel Posts: 972 Member
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    I have been a swimmer since I joined swim team in high school. I was never a great swimmer, but I am a good swimmer.

    I would have to say that swimming is like anything else. You get out what you put in. Walking & running are related the same way swimming leisurely and swimming intensively are. Most people can walk without getting fatigued, but anyone who is not a runner will tire quickly from running. Most people (at least those that can swim) can casually side stroke or breast stroke across a pool, back and forth, making slow turns at the wall, but only conditioned swimmers can sustain a strong freestyle stroke for long periods of time.

    When I started running a few years ago, I was already a good swimmer and could easily swim 2000 yds in around 35 minutes. I couldn't run 100 yards without being so winded I couldn't talk and completely rubbery in the legs. So, to say that swimming is "a better workout" should be taken with a grain of salt. An hour of "regular intensity" swimming for me burns about 500-600 calories (based on HR). The same hour done at the "equivalent intensity" for running is 600-700 and 700+ for cycling. But, I am a better swimming than I am a runner or a cycler - I've been doing it a lot longer and I'm just more efficient in the water than on land.

    Impact wise, it is certainly less damaging on the body than running, but only if you are doing it right. Swimming with bad form can be just as bad as running with bad form. My shoulders take a beating, but I swim about 3-4 miles in a single workout one day a week. Personally, I think cycling is better on my joints than either running or swimming.

    Technique is critical - just as it is with running, cycling, weight lifting, and a whole bunch of other activities. If you can, find a Masters club or another "team" environment where you can get a little coaching and structured workouts.

    Oh, and take the time to learn flip turns - it's worth it.
  • pucenavel
    pucenavel Posts: 972 Member
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    oh, and...


    Open Water Rules!! :tongue:
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    ...There are lots of benefits to it though! Whole body workout with zero impact on your joints being the major one...

    This!

    Although there's no reason to have to choose only one exercise. OP - You mentioned running and lifting, too. Why not do all three? In fact, my heavy lifting has improved my running times. And swimming would be a great way to supplement your running while giving your joints a rest. :flowerforyou:
  • Raythomas1
    Raythomas1 Posts: 68
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    I love/hate swimming. I love doing it, but I hate doing it properly because I hate water in my ears! >:(
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    I love/hate swimming. I love doing it, but I hate doing it properly because I hate water in my ears! >:(

    I feel the same way about getting it in my eyes. :smile:
  • Kimbles67
    Kimbles67 Posts: 13 Member
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    I love swimming. I use it as part of cross training. I run, cycle and I do fitness classes. I was swimming a mile twice/three times a week but cut back due to half marathon training. The beauty of swimming is that you can have a full on workout even after a hard run session the day before and its easy on the joints.

    I did my first open water swim last year and loved it and will continue with those as well as pool swimming.
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
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    Swimming is a big part of my routine. Degenerative osteoarthritis in many joints eliminates any aerobic exercise that involves impact on the feet or sitting for a more than 15 minutes.
    But I can swim a lot and do. 5km last night.(>1500 kcal, doubled my food calories for the day) The most on one day is 7.3km.

    Persistence is key. The first time I swam for fitness, about a decade ago, I only managed 6 laps. Now I do 110.

    The best part about swimming is you don't feel yourself sweating :bigsmile:
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    Swimming is a big part of my routine. Degenerative osteoarthritis in many joints eliminates any aerobic exercise that involves impact on the feet or sitting for a more than 15 minutes.
    But I can swim a lot and do. 5km last night.(>1500 kcal, doubled my food calories for the day) The most on one day is 7.3km.

    Persistence is key. The first time I swam for fitness, about a decade ago, I only managed 6 laps. Now I do 110.

    The best part about swimming is you don't feel yourself sweating :bigsmile:

    That's the best part of exercising in the water for me. Since I do not sweat, exercise has always been a problem because I overheat and get heat stroke very easily. But in the water, I am totally comfortable and never have to worry that I'll pass out from overheating. :smile:
  • pucenavel
    pucenavel Posts: 972 Member
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    Swimming is a big part of my routine. Degenerative osteoarthritis in many joints eliminates any aerobic exercise that involves impact on the feet or sitting for a more than 15 minutes.
    But I can swim a lot and do. 5km last night.(>1500 kcal, doubled my food calories for the day) The most on one day is 7.3km.

    Persistence is key. The first time I swam for fitness, about a decade ago, I only managed 6 laps. Now I do 110.

    The best part about swimming is you don't feel yourself sweating :bigsmile:

    That's the best part of exercising in the water for me. Since I do not sweat, exercise has always been a problem because I overheat and get heat stroke very easily. But in the water, I am totally comfortable and never have to worry that I'll pass out from overheating. :smile:

    Stay away from warm pools. Heating system went haywire when I was in high school. We were swimming in 90 degree water. I've never puked that much in my life.

    Anything over 83 is too hot. 72 is about perfect for me. Cold when you get in; refreshing when you get out.

    I'll swim open water down to about 65 before I break out the wet suit.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    Options
    Swimming is a big part of my routine. Degenerative osteoarthritis in many joints eliminates any aerobic exercise that involves impact on the feet or sitting for a more than 15 minutes.
    But I can swim a lot and do. 5km last night.(>1500 kcal, doubled my food calories for the day) The most on one day is 7.3km.

    Persistence is key. The first time I swam for fitness, about a decade ago, I only managed 6 laps. Now I do 110.

    The best part about swimming is you don't feel yourself sweating :bigsmile:

    That's the best part of exercising in the water for me. Since I do not sweat, exercise has always been a problem because I overheat and get heat stroke very easily. But in the water, I am totally comfortable and never have to worry that I'll pass out from overheating. :smile:

    Stay away from warm pools. Heating system went haywire when I was in high school. We were swimming in 90 degree water. I've never puked that much in my life.

    Anything over 83 is too hot. 72 is about perfect for me. Cold when you get in; refreshing when you get out.

    I'll swim open water down to about 65 before I break out the wet suit.

    Yes--we have a warm pool at our pool complex (they keep it at 89-90 degrees). The kids and old people like it but it is far too warm for me (plus it is too shallow to do much in anyway). They keep the main pool at 80 and I even find that a bit warm if I am working really hard. They lower the temp when they have swim meets to 78-79 and I prefer the lower temperature, but then the older folks complain. :tongue:
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
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    Anything over 83 is too hot. 72 is about perfect for me. Cold when you get in; refreshing when you get out.


    My Y is typically 84 degrees. But it doesn't feel that warm.
    My wife does a water class every week day. One is for Arthritis the other is a deep water. She wear wet suit shorts and a long sleeve wet suit swim top plus a neoprene swim cap. If she doesn't, she is cold all day.

    I can feel the heat when I lift my head out for kick board laps :)

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