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How has swimming affected you?
mmmpork
Posts: 133 Member
This year I started swimming laps for serious and I'm curious, for those of you that swim regularly, when did you start noticing your body changing, and how do think swimming has transformed your body?
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It's made it so I can't buy structured jackets off the rack. I can change the water bottle at work (5 gallons-40 lbs) with ease. My joints don't hurt.
As far as getting more photogenic or something? Not so much. I think that's more about diet.0 -
I've been swimming more than 10 years now but I did notice a change a first. It probably took a year or more but it changed my shape some, for the better. It also definitely improved my endurance and helped with joint pain. Like Noel said, I'm no more photogenic though!0
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I've lost a lot of body hair.
That is why I wear a cap.
My endurance is high. Resting heart rate is more than 20BPM lower than it was 4 years ago.
Back/core strength is up there too. I can go weeks without lifting weights and go in an do 65# dumbbell one arm bent rows and 130# seated cable rows.0 -
Sorry didn't mean to imply anything about photogenic. I just meant physiologically and also general shaping (like some folks mentioned broader shoulders). I'm just starting out so curious what I have to look forward to
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Amazing upper body strength. If your body fat is low enough, nice ab development. My behind is rounder, but my stroke is kinda kicktastic.
A really low heart rate. (Even at my size, my resting rate is 64)0 -
I certainly got a more excercised looking body fairly quickly (some upper arm muscles, some upper bum muscles, tighter tummy ) but that comes and goes nowadays depending on how much swimming I am doing (I am at the more modest end of the spectrum of swimmers here, and ofcourse nowadays my technique is better so swimming is 'easier').
If I don't swim I feel less fit, more stressed, my plantar fasciitis returns, my upper back Is more tense and my knees hurt more. My heart rate fitness indicators are good. Not exceptional but enough to keep my doctor happy.
I've been eating a bit too much this year, so nowadays any 'more 'excercised looking body' is pretty much wishful thinking. Except the arm muscles. Presumably it is hiding there under the comfort eating curves!
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I have put most of my weight that I lost back on so can't see a difference at the moment (unfortunately that was mainly due to the 2 months no swimming thanks to my sternum injury). However, even though I am heavier again there is definately more muscle in there as I don't look the same now as I did pre-swimming when I was the same weight. I personally don't see the muscles, but friends who have watched me swim in sponsored events have commented that they can really see all my back muscles when I do crawl - I love that as back muscles are my favourite
I must also add that (like many others above) I generally feel so much fitter, have a better resting heart rate, have fewer joint problems and so on. Feels good and I wouldn't stop swimming for anything.0 -
I have some history with shoulder injury so before I start lifting any weights of significance I want to spend at least a couple of weeks focusing on my shoulders. Today was the first day I did any lifting with my shoulders and they were in much better shape than I anticipated them being. I attribute this to the past couple of weeks in the pool as well as the drop in my resting and active/peak heart rate.0
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@mmmpork My swimming has improved my overall health. It helped in my weight loss, improved my cardiovascular health. One big thing I noticed is how it helped my running. The control required for breathing in swimming plus the improved cardiovascular system has improved my breathing-endurance when running. I have always been a spidery armed man so no big arm strength improvements but shoulders and back definitely.0
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Over my adult life, have gone through several cycles of being IN the swim zone for years at a time that then being OUT of the zone for similar lengths of time. I can tell you that generally, when I'm swimming regularly:
* I typically weigh 30-50 lbs less when I'm swimming than when I'm not
* my legs and joints are stronger (and now in my mid=-50s, I can REALLY tell the difference in my knees, ankles and shoulders)
* I have a waist
* My legs look GREAT!
* I have a collar bone
* my watches and rings are loose instead of tight
* I sleep better
* I sing better--as a professionally trained mezzo, swimming and singing are all about proper posture, breathing, and control of the diaphragm
* I eat better-- sort of a positive reinforcement cycle there. I'm more conscious of nutrition and aware of how what I eat makes me feel both physcially and mentally when I'm swimming regularly; and when I'm swimming regularly, I WANT to eat better so that I can swim better!
* Psychologically, it makes me feel better about myself.
But other than that, can't think of a thing.0 -
Almost the same as above, except for the singing ! I am a 60 year old woman with a fat composition of 22.3%. I attribute that to a combination of swimming and healthy eating.0
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I have gained so much confidence since I really learned how to swim. I am even thinking of taking up Karate, which is another step in my own personal development.0
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@ImaWaterBender Yes. You should take Karate. Karate is awesome. Then you should study Ballet. You'll have a Bene Gesserit level of control over your body and you will love it.0
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I restarted swimming same time I started calorie counting (remember diet is 80% and exercise 20%)!
Changes:
Over 5-6 months I lost 33 pounds (15 kilos)
Not only did the weight go, but due to swimming it went away in good places.
Waistline, butt, thighs, gut all got smaller, and tighter/ more toned.
Arms got toned and shoulders, back etc much stronger
Less body hair for some reason!
Breath control is amazing - if I sing or blow a trumpet, I can hold a continuous note for what feels like forever!
Most folks think I go to the gym due to my physique, when all I really do is swim!
Over the long term (ie years) I think my body has adjusted to long swims, and they have less of an impact then they first did (having done it for awhile), and mixing it up with sprints/interval training tends to kick start the gains!0 -
Thanks for all the great responses! This is really inspiring to read 0
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In another recent thread, someone remarked that they enjoy the smell of chlorine. Mark me down for that.
Way back (20 years?) when I was actively homebrewing beer, I compared a friend's very good IPA to pool water. He was very offended/confused until I was able to convince him this was a positive attribute for me. At the time, his (very excellent) beer had a unique chlorine tint to it and it made me love it, even though it had been decades since I had been seriously swimming.
Anyhow, that's a long term effect of swimming. Even though it had been decades since I'd been swimming, that association was very positive. Now my aura of chlorine is, to me, a sign that I've been using my time well.0 -
My waist has been relocated My husband appreciates this because he's a hip guy. I've been able to continue my running once a week, even upping mileage slowly because my strength and cardio can keep up. My core is wicked strong. I can now do 12 boy pushups (before swimming, I could barely get up from one). My clothes continue to fit after losing 22 pounds.
It's wreaking havoc on my hair and nails though. I keep my nails as short as a man. And as for my hair, well, I get it cut regularly. All worth it though.0 -
I'm a competitive swimmer who trains three times a week. Still just as weak and unfit as I was 18 months ago when I got back into it unfortunately!! I've resigned myself to being someone who's never going to have muscles!0
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@emmab0902 What??? Girl, you dropped how many seconds off your PB in the 400m? With a broken finger? You swam how many races at that event? Those are the achievements of a strong and fit person.
I am just saying that because I really admire and respect you and think you are a superb all around athlete and I wish you could see that you are too.0 -
I've lost 138 pounds, adopted a primal lifestyle, and have put off a total knee replacement !! Swimming 3X a week anchors all of that !!0
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