Can I swim instead of lifting weights...

Sure, swimming is great! But eventually you will want to start lifting. If it bores you, try doing Strong Lifts (5x5). It's 3 exercises 3 days a week (5 sets and 5 reps of each).

It's heavy lifting, but it's over quick and you'll see great results.

For more info, just google Strong Lifts 5x5. It's free too!

I dont know, can you?

There is no be all end all to getting into shape. If you prefer swimming to lifting, then you should swim.

at least to start with, I've tried lifting before and it bores me I used to be a awesome surfer/scuba diver when travelling and would like to get back into it this summer.....would swimming help me gain muscle and tone up the way lifting might do?

Thanks

Swimming is awesome exercise. I don't think it will accomplish the same thing as weight lifting but that's okay. You like swimming and don't like weight lifting, so swim. People will try and talk you into it but I wouldn't let it bother me.

I swim 3 mornings a week. I have excellent muscle definition because my BF% is fairly low. I'm not super strong, though.

Water is approx 800x more resistant than air. I swim 4-5 times a week and I am definitely developing more shoulder muscle as a result, as well as toning my abs/increasing core strength and losing fat. But it won't cause muscle growth in the way lifting weights will.

sorry you aren't "developing" muscles you are just uncovering what you have already.

Muscle growth typically requires heavy progressive load lifting and a calorie surplus (unless new to lifting or obese.)

to the OP I understand if you really don't like lifting....you wont stick to it long enough to see results if you don't like it.

Any form of resistence training is a good idea...my sister is very lean doing circut training videos with hand weights and eating at a deficet...probably 19% bf...maybe 20 but she is very lean.

So I guess what I am saying is do what you love for exercise and if you really want to increase strength (even a little) try Jillian Michaels videos such as 30day shred, ripped in 30 etc.

It depends on what kind of body you want. Last week I was in the pool and a young guy in his 20's arrived--speedos and all--and he had a jaw dropping body( muscles, sleek etc). I've seen great bodies at the pool, but this guy was something. Then another, and another arrived. They were a visiting water polo team. So, lifting gives you one thing--but swimming sure can give you another.

trust me those boys lift weights....

ETA: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
this link shows the difference between lifting and not lifting but exercising.

Cardio--whether resisted or not--does not build muscle. This _requires_ a form of progression that is simply not possible when the amount of resistance used remains constant. In other words, there is a period of about 3 weeks when you first start where muscle may enjoy the same benefits from swimming as it would from strength training, but once you've adapted beyond that level, it's just cardio. And you will not promote muscle gain doing that any more than you would with jogging.

OP, I see your concern a lot. It seems many women, for whatever reason, seem more drawn to forms of exercise that have much greater variety in movement than what traditional strength training employs. Unfortunately, it is this same repetitive movement pattern--done under gradually increasing levels of resistance--that promotes muscle growth and strength gains.

I know cardio is no substitute...I'd been told water offered a form of resistance and I'm curious as to how beneficial swimming could be

Okay here is what I want you to think about for water providing resistance. Picture your arm motion for swimming. Then picture how many times you can make that arm motion in a pool without needing rest. What is it, like 1000 times? Okay now pick up a 3 pound weight in both hands and try to see how many times you can make that same arm motion before your shoulders are burning to much to continue. I bet it is no where near 1000 times and that is just a measly 3 pounds.

Water might provide a little bit of resistance but what it also provides is a ton of buoyancy which means you are no longer having to struggle against gravity. Its actually harder to make that arm motion in air than it is in water for that reason. Water resistance does not compare to weight resistance. Weight training for strength you want to pick a resistance where you can only perform something like 8 repetitions, not 1000s of repetitions.

Swimming is good cardio but does not substitute for strength training. I have a routine with dumbbells and exercises in the water to provide a water based strength training. I have been mixing that in with dumb bell, stretchy band, body weight based exercises at home.

If you are trying to maintain muscle mass as you lose, you really should think of including some form of strength training in your routine. Body weight exercises are a great way to build your strength without spending a lot on equipment.

sorry you aren't "developing" muscles you are just uncovering what you have already.

You're wrong. My deltoids have grown since I started swimming regularly. They're not particularly big, but they are bigger than they were. I am aware of the difference between muscle growth and fat loss, and my deltoids have grown.

Water might provide a little bit of resistance but what it also provides is a ton of buoyancy which means you are no longer having to struggle against gravity. Its actually harder to make that arm motion in air than it is in water for that reason.

And crawl involves lifting the arms out of the water and moving them through the air against gravity.

no...you can't gain muscle unless eating at a surplus and doing a progressive load lifting program.

Will it help define the muscle you have....a calorie deficet will do that...by getting rid of the fat over it...but if you aren't doing some form of resistence training and getting enough protien you will lose muscle too...now is swimming resistence training...I would say to a point.

Will it help create a calorie deficet yes...

If you want the results from lifting you have to lift...

Now the question is why do you find it boring? length of time it takes? bored with the number of reps?

the program I do has a total of 5 lifts alternating them 3 days a week, 5 sets of 5 reps takes me 1min per set (most of my time is spent in rest period due to the weight I am lifting but at the start took me maybe 30mins a day.

ETA: Stronglift summary link

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

I'm a dance teacher (ballroom, ballet, latin and freestyle) and I don't like being still....I find weight lifting dull because its on the spot (maybe...just trying to rationalize my crazy brain :huh: )

Perhaps HIITS with weights I do this 4-5 days a week

Michel Phleps lifts! LOL. I'm getting into heavy weight lifting for my sport (Martial Arts). If you want to increase your diving performance weight resistance training will help. Also, unlike swimming, weight resistance increases bone mass. This is important for most women!

BTW, I find it boring too. It just is. When I'm doing drills (perfecting my form hopefully), trying not to get kicked in the head by a black belt, or concentrating on Kata forms(kinda like tai chi) time goes by quickly. With weight lifting, time draaagsss by, even when I'm trying to perfect my form for some reason. It's fairly slow moving so maybe that it? I'm really hyper.

You can do swimming as your primary exercise, but I would also include at least some walking. My grandfather almost made the Olympics as a swimmer and he swore by swimming but he'd complain after walking 100 feet.