Swimming and excercise question?

tobitude
tobitude Posts: 89 Member
edited September 28 in Fitness and Exercise
I have been doing swimming as excercise because it is very easy for me and It is not as hard on my knees. I have heard alot about needing to change it up so your body does not get in a rut, but sometimes it is hard for me to do too much walking or bike riding as I am still really heavy and it is hard on my knees.

I started out doing only 7 laps and 6 sets of those each and have been increasing the laps weekly to keep each set of laps at the 10 min mark each and this week I added a 7th set of 10 laps each.

My question is if I am increasing the amount of laps each week or two is that gonna be enough to keep my body from getting used to it ?

Just wanted to hear some other opinions on this because I don't wanna be in a rut but kind of stuck with swimming due to my knees until I lose more weight.

Thanks!!

Replies

  • navywife33
    navywife33 Posts: 31
    What kind of laps are you doing? My old swim coach use to tell us in order to tone your entire body you needed to do different kinds of laps and increase and change as you go. I remember him teaching me (and I still do this)... I'll warm up alternating free style and breast stroke for about 4 laps (so 2 each). Then 1 day I'll do free style for about 10 min and breast stroke for 10 min. Then the next day I'll do the same warm up then breast stroke first then free style 2nd. The 3rd day I'll do back stroke and breast then the following day I'd do free style and back stroke. Increasing the amount of laps is good... it increases your stamina but it'll keep working the same muscles, that's what needs to be changed.

    When I'm in the pool I also do 'pool push ups'. I put my hands on the steps, cross my ankles and lay flat. Then I do push ups and when I push up I arch my back like a cat using my abs, then crunch my abs as I'm going down with the push up. I do that for about 5-7 minutes. I also do 'pool stoops'. I sit on the steps, put my hands on the steps and push up and down that way, again with the ankles crossed using my abs to get my feet out of the water and back in as I push up and down. I do those between changing my lap style. So I warm up, lap style #1, arm exercises/ab exercises, lap style #2 then I float and get a tan :)
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