Swimmers

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  • holly1283
    holly1283 Posts: 741 Member
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    Thanks geezer. I appreciated your post! I can swim a mile in under 60 min. but will soon need to mix it up. Good pointers.
  • chrisdavy239
    chrisdavy239 Posts: 21 Member
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    Hi,

    I'm a triathlete as of the last three years and have been training for progressively longer distance triathlons. With your swimming heritage, I'm sure you'd be able to cope with swimming steady after a relatively short number of sessions. I'd definitely urge doing a bit of this sort of steady swimming until you're up to about an hour in the water with little portions of rest but mainly steady swimming.

    After that, the opportunities are endless, but my simple pointer is to join a group. There is likely to be a competition/club team at your local pool that train at particular times. Alternatively, there is likely to be a local triathlon club that run training sessions in a pool nearby. Using club sessions gives you in built variety and there is likely to be some technical coaching available too. Third bonus: great way to meet like minded training partners :-)

    Good luck,

    Chris
  • CallieM15
    CallieM15 Posts: 910 Member
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    Here's a nice short workout I like to do when I can get in a pool:

    Warmup with freestyle
    5 Short sprints (1 to 3 laps) with short breaks in between for water/breath
    8 lap recovery
    3 Longer sprints (4 to 8 laps) with short breaks in between for water/breath
    Warm down (at least 8 laps)
    (Easily repeated)

    This looks like a doable first time back into the pool workout.. Thanks so much!
  • mab33
    mab33 Posts: 242 Member
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    Here's a nice short workout I like to do when I can get in a pool:

    Warmup with freestyle
    5 Short sprints (1 to 3 laps) with short breaks in between for water/breath
    8 lap recovery
    3 Longer sprints (4 to 8 laps) with short breaks in between for water/breath
    Warm down (at least 8 laps)
    (Easily repeated)


    This looks like a doable first time back into the pool workout.. Thanks so much!


    No problem! When you're back in the swing of things varying arms only and legs only laps is great, too :)
  • CallieM15
    CallieM15 Posts: 910 Member
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    Another big question:

    With diet, how would you see swimming work as a weight loss tool?

    As in comparison to running... Etc.

    Do people have experience? I know someone said that they couldnt get off some excess fat without land cardio and weights in thier experience.
  • Bakerchk
    Bakerchk Posts: 424 Member
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    Not sure which exercises would be best, but I will be swimming as well (since I have issues with my foot too). I think I am going to switch it up though. Stationary bike one day, swimming the next, then maybe elipitical. I figure that will keep me entertained. :)

    Best of luck dear!
  • CallieM15
    CallieM15 Posts: 910 Member
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    Not sure which exercises would be best, but I will be swimming as well (since I have issues with my foot too). I think I am going to switch it up though. Stationary bike one day, swimming the next, then maybe elipitical. I figure that will keep me entertained. :)

    Best of luck dear!

    How long have your foot been hurt?
    Im really worried that if I try to run on my ankle ill prolong it healing... I can run fine. I have done 3 mile runs, and hr long runs, without it hurting. Not FAST, but jogs. its afterwards that hurts. Not really the same day, but a day or even up to 4 days after it swells, and bruises. Im hoping with swimming it wont?

    The weird thing is, I ran for 7 days in a row, and the ankle was fine. Then after 7 days, 2 days after (day 9) it swelled, and stayed sore and swollen for 4-6 days with NO CARDIO.
  • tori_grr
    tori_grr Posts: 29 Member
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    I swam in high school and the heavier girls on the team melted off the fat, couple things swimmers after a workout tend to be super hungry and tired. So that being said, after your done make sure you don't pig out and stay somewhat active. I believe you can lose plus tone your body swimming but a lot of people say its just good cardio. I think it depends on how hard you work and what you do after :-)
  • jgthomas78
    jgthomas78 Posts: 81
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    I just opened my backyard pool and swam some laps today. I have been running 3 miles 3x/week at a 10min mile pace, yet swimming back and forth 10 times in my 28 foot long pool had me way out of breath. Interesting how the different excercises affect you so differently
  • strongandhealthy78
    strongandhealthy78 Posts: 90 Member
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    I totally agree, C. Thanks for your perspective!:flowerforyou:
  • dawnkilmurray
    dawnkilmurray Posts: 13
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    I do water aerobics classes three days a week. It is a great workout and no one sees you sweat. I go to the classes early and swim laps and kicks for a 1/2 hour. My endurance is improving and I feel great.
  • torygirl79
    torygirl79 Posts: 307 Member
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    I tend to do intervals with my swimming as well, for 45 minutes. Be careful not to overdo it though if you're not a regular swimmer, it might be easier to just start by making sure you are confident to swim for an extended period of time then build up
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    To get the most burn from your swim, you need the HR higher.

    Hence the intervals mentioned being great.

    Also, pick a stroke that is most in-efficient for you, but that will not hurt shoulders or such.

    When people or walk or jog on treadmill, or Spin bike, how do they make it harder? More tension.

    You can somewhat mimic that by trying to go faster, but sometimes just easier to increase tension, with least efficient stroke, if it doesn't hurt ya.

    To the normal problem of swimming in colder more appropriate water making you hungrier afterwards - always plan a good balanced snack.
  • ishtar13
    ishtar13 Posts: 528 Member
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    Great post, geezer.

    I've never been a competitive swimmer, but I used to swim my PT tests in the Navy as often as I could.

    I've just started back and worked up from 12 minutes to about 28, mostly sidestroke because it's nice and gentle but still works everything.

    With everyone suggesting sprints and other intense stuff, I was starting to feel a little . . . inadequate.

    :P
  • LFiestan
    LFiestan Posts: 176 Member
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    i love swimming, i can only swim in the pool though, i used to be afraid of the water coz i cant swim, till i tried to float at least, and last year i learned how to do the breastroke and freestyle...its the best exercise and at my current weight i can burn up to 500calories for 30 minutes doing breaststroke.

    heres the site where i calculate the calories burned, hope it helps you guys too :
    http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/calories_burned.asp?exercise=37
  • ishtar13
    ishtar13 Posts: 528 Member
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    Another big question:

    With diet, how would you see swimming work as a weight loss tool?

    As in comparison to running... Etc.

    Do people have experience? I know someone said that they couldnt get off some excess fat without land cardio and weights in thier experience.

    When I started swimming regularly in the Navy, I dropped about 20 lbs in a couple of months.
  • scorn1016
    scorn1016 Posts: 21 Member
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    bump
  • kaylapolley
    kaylapolley Posts: 1
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    I have been looking up information on Gyms with pools and the local pools at the schools this week. I am so ready to move on to my next step and include exercise and swimming. I know nothing about training or pool rules or strokes, Maybe I should look online or sign up for a class. Thanks for all the great info and any tips anyone might have !

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