Swimming

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court428
court428 Posts: 34
in Fitness and Exercise
It's starting to get hot, and tomorrow is actually the first day of summer. I am fortunate enough to have a pool in my apartment complex, it is right outside my front door! I'd like to swim for exercise with the heat coming and to add some variety to my workouts. I have no idea how big our pool is, it's not that big really. What should I do? Just get in and swim back and forth? I do not really know all the different swim strokes or anything, but I can swim so that is a good start lol. I just do not want to go out there and then find out I am doing something wrong. Sometimes I hang onto the edge and just kick my feet and I can feel the burn. I just need a little advice if anyone has any suggestions. Thank you.

Replies

  • sapphirerose924
    sapphirerose924 Posts: 2
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    Just time your swimming and try to keep a steady pace. If you want to learn more strokes find a class for adults. The local community center offers one here as does the big swim and scuba shop.

    I wear my heart rate monitor in the pool, so if you have one, you can do that as well.

    Remember to drink water. You will sweat in the pool even if you can't feel it.
  • sherylhs
    sherylhs Posts: 141 Member
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    I walk or jog around my pool. Water jogging is actually in the exercise database. lol Just moving is all you really need to do.
    Have fun!

    ~Sheryl
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    I find that in a smaller pool, breaststroke or even doggy paddle works best. You'll still get resistance and get your heart rate up. I think freestyle and backstroke are too much of a "fast stroke" so you'd be at the other side in no time and not give yourself as much of a work out IMO.

    You could also do water aerobics, though I am not real sure what those consist of, or you could just walk around in the shallow end. The water will provide resistance and will work your leg muscles. Oh and you could also get a paddle board and kick yourself around the pool to work your legs. If the pool is anything like my past apartment's pools, you'll want to go early morning, or later at night to avoid crowds and kids.
  • Sadie98072
    Sadie98072 Posts: 212 Member
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    Can you measure your pool? Is it long enough to do laps in? Id just start out doing as many laps as you can without stopping, then try to beat that amount.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
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    actually swimming laps is one of the best full-body exercises you can do, especially if you were able to learn and perform flip turns (amazing for the core).
  • Learnin2LuvMe
    Learnin2LuvMe Posts: 465 Member
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    When I go swimming,i do a few laps,run around with my son.alot of the times I play volleyball,i can feel every muscle working! Just try to stay moving,even swimming like a dog is a workout..have fun!
  • Swimgoddess
    Swimgoddess Posts: 711 Member
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    Honestly, just do the best you can to get from wall to wall. The cool thing is, the less efficient you are at something, the more calories you'll burn. Heck, I probably burned TONS of calories just doing doggy-paddle 20 lengths when I started out (ok, I was 4... but SUPER skinny!)

    If you're more concerned with not looking silly, ask a more experienced swimmer (in the flesh, hard to help online) to critique what you are doing and ways to improve. If you have some $, hit up your nearest rec center for a private lesson or two from their Red Cross WSI.
  • court428
    court428 Posts: 34
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    thanks for the tips. I also take my kids with me, so I have to always have one eye on them even though they wear floatation things.
  • waterjogger
    waterjogger Posts: 114
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    Do a google search on water aerobics. You Tube has a lot of water aerobics videos you can watch. They have a lot of good ones. You can walk, jog, run, go backwards, kickbox. Anything you do on land can be done in water with a much better workout. When I get into the water, I feel like as long as my arms and legs are moving, and moving quickly, I am getting a workout. Have fun with it-experiment and see what works best for you!:smile: Happy swimming
  • Des92
    Des92 Posts: 309 Member
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    Swimming is so great!! I work at a pool, lifeguarding and teaching, so I swim almost every day. Check out a local pool - attend a couple of aquasize classes and learn some moves, or go swim some laps and ask the lifeguards what you can do to improve yor strokes. Then you can just take home what you learn. Lots of pools also offer adult stroke classes if there is demand, so ask about that if it interests you. My rule when I'm teaching is to try to keep my feet off the bottom as much as possible (unless you are jogging or doing shallow exercises) - if you do some bicycle or eggbeater movements with your legs while keeping your back at about a 45 degree angle (instead of lying flat) and hold a flutterboard in front of your chest, it really works your abs!! If you want any advice on some specific strokes or anything, feel free to message me or add me as a friend =) it might be hard to give pointers online, but I'd do my best!! Hope that helps, have fun!
  • carpediem3
    carpediem3 Posts: 320 Member
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    We have a 24ft round in our back yard, and I just swim all over keeping my feet off the ground most the time. I know I burn A LOT of calories by swimming just for fun with the kids :)

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