Swimming for Cardio

[user178944]

How good is swimming for cardio? I have a pool and it's hot in the summer, so I was thinking of just doing 3 sets of as manyh laps as possible at full speed, right now it's about 3X5 laps.

[user178944]

bump

[Josiah]

Swimming is one of the best forms of cardio, just a slew of reasons why.

Calories burned, hard to say. Depends a lot on your intensitity and stroke used. Standard crawl at a decent clip, you are prob hitting 700+ cal/hour. Up that for Fly, lil lower for Back, etc

Most people tend to swim based on distance, for instance 4x400(meters). Using 1 stroke for every 100 meters. In my case it would go Fly, Breast, Free, Back.

Fly requires a TON of upper body strength though and would be far more intense if you are unable to, or just starting using that stroke.

[psychowolverine]

swimming is a great full body workout.. When I had a pool, I did laps for long periods of time.. Id say swim for time and not lap counts. Try to get more laps in a certain amount of time each swim.

[user178944]

Today was my new PR, I hit eight laps

So I should just try to hit more and more everytime I swim?

Should I do it in sets or just straight up as many laps as I can?

[psychowolverine]

Today was my new PR, I hit eight laps

So I should just try to hit more and more everytime I swim?

Should I do it in sets or just straight up as many laps as I can?

I would increase whenever possible and swim nonstop instead of trying to make sets out of it

[RU4A69]

How good is swimming for cardio? I have a pool and it's hot in the summer, so I was thinking of just doing 3 sets of as manyh laps as possible at full speed, right now it's about 3X5 laps.

It is a FANTASTIC form of cardio.

[alam]

I absolutely love swimming. Easy on the joints, fun, and you don't quite notice the sweat comin off you.

One thing about it, though - it'll make you VERY hungry

[Atheimetal]

Don't forget about running in a pool! I always used to love to do that when I had the chance, on top of swimming.

I wish I had a pool now to run in, regular running isn't friendly to my knee.

[user178944]

I would increase whenever possible and swim nonstop instead of trying to make sets out of it

Sounds good to me...That is what I did today, I hit 8 laps.

It is a FANTASTIC form of cardio.

Just what I wanted to hear.

I absolutely love swimming. Easy on the joints, fun, and you don't quite notice the sweat comin off you.

One thing about it, though - it'll make you VERY hungry

I was sooo hungry after I finished. And I love how you don't see the sweat

Don't forget about running in a pool! I always used to love to do that when I had the chance, on top of swimming.

I wish I had a pool now to run in, regular running isn't friendly to my knee.

I dunno about doing that...Not enough room, I don't think.

[vegasdsm]

swimming is great for cardio..

im surprised no-one else has mentioned this, but when you are under water, the pressure on your body (chest) is much more than when you are doing cardio on land..

air pressure on earth is ~14.7psi... in water, its (IIRC) ~20psi

more pressure on yoru body means it is more difficult to breath as well as circulate blood through the body creating more of a workout for your CNS...

cheers.... n good luck..

p.s. kinda like training in high elevation where the air is thinner, although that could be a ****ty analogy..

[user178944]

swimming is great for cardio..

im surprised no-one else has mentioned this, but when you are under water, the pressure on your body (chest) is much more than when you are doing cardio on land..

air pressure on earth is ~14.7psi... in water, its (IIRC) ~20psi

more pressure on yoru body means it is more difficult to breath as well as circulate blood through the body creating more of a workout for your CNS...

cheers.... n good luck..

p.s. kinda like training in high elevation where the air is thinner, although that could be a ****ty analogy..

LOl on the P.S. but thanks for the post, that is very true and interesting, I'll keep at it then!

[mstafford]

I started swimming competitively at a young age. It is great for cardio and overall body workout, (you can really work your shoulder and back)

I agree with what was said above go for time or distance not some much reps

this site helps work you up to a mile swim (1650 yards).

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/...mWorkouts.html

I would suggest not doing butterfly unless you have been properly coached on it. Standard crawl will bring you great results.

[Dark_MadMax]

How good is swimming for cardio? I have a pool and it's hot in the summer, so I was thinking of just doing 3 sets of as manyh laps as possible at full speed, right now it's about 3X5 laps.

I wouldnt really concentrate on " full speed: - if you are a newbie full speed usually means bad form which results in fast tiring. Do increasing amount of laps and monitor time. -Your goal to do more laps in less time . But hit consecutuve laps amount first (say 800m for start) . Also do specific swim workouts to work on tecnhique (and for variety)

[vhackler]

i've not posted before, but have extensive experience as i was a comptetive swimmer for about 9 years. swimming burns a lot of calories and is a complete body workout. i am currently working to cut body fat (i turned into a fata$$ in the last couple years), and am using swimming for my cardio for a minimum of 5 times a week for about a mile at a time (takes about 40 minutes for me). but there will come a point, where swimming is a hinderance for me, as well as for you. let me explain:

there are two types of workout one can do withswimming and they have two very different effects.

1. intervals - just like any other interval, do a sprint (25 yds, 50 yds, 100 yds) and rest for a short period of time and repeat. this is great for quick fat loss without too much pain. fo), i find it the best fat burner out there, because i use my entire body, especially my upper body (i'm very top heavy. one day i'll post some before and after pics and you all will see what i mean) i find it more effective than doing intervals on a treadmill or eliptical because i have a large upper body and swimming allows me to use that mass in an interval type exercise.

2. pace swimming - endurance/calorie burn - try doing 50-60% for longer periods of time. for a decent swimmer this will be 200-400 with rest periods, and the advanced swimmer going a mile or more at a time.. this increases overall cardiovascular health as well as burns a significant number of calories if you want to reduce your bodyfat. the problem is, that when you get down to 13-15% bodyfat, swimming is a hinderance, as swmming in water signifactly lower than your body temperature has the tendancy to bring a mild onset of hypothermia which prompts the body to put on a thin layer of bodyfat over the muscle tissue (several studies out there support this).

Overall, swimming for fat loss works to a point, but after a while, it can get in the way. there is a swimmer body type out there that is actually quite easy to recognize, and if you're looking for that (it looks great), then the only way to get it is to swim. but for those of you who have already reached the point in your transformation where you're looking for that final cut, swimming could actually get in your way of that. for me, i love to swim. i'm still a bit overweight and swimming will get me to my goal if i continue to do it. i hope one day to post on the fat to fit pages to show what swimming and weight lifing have done for me. until then, good luck folks and feel free to send me any messages regarding swimming.

folks, this is just my experience and education as a competition swimmer. i've no formal education and training besides what my swim coach gave me. take it for what its worth

[Attacus]

Today was my new PR, I hit eight laps

So I should just try to hit more and more everytime I swim?

Should I do it in sets or just straight up as many laps as I can?

Pushing yourself on sprints is great, but hardly enough of a workout to be considered cardio if you're doing 8 laps of a backyard pool 3 times. I would recommend setting a goal distance, that you try and hit without stopping and pacing yourself. Start with lets say 1 km, and see how fast you can get yourself to do it. Or you could set a time limit, say 45 minutes, and see how much distance you can cover in that time. Bottom line though, 3 sprints is not enough.

[illriginalized]

Huge bump, but after looking at this thread, I decided after a light (10 minutes) session on the treadmill I would go ahead and swim some laps in my pool. I did two sets of 4 laps, after 4 laps I felt like I did a good 15 minutes worth of running, my heart rate was up faster than what the treadmill can produce. Then after my laps I did some butterfly movements with my arms and palms open as if I was working out chest and back of shoulders and also did high knees. I'm not gonna lie, I was pumped. Chest and shoulders were definitely getting hit nicely, same with upper back and my lower abs were burnning from the high knees.

I think I'm going to replace running with swimming laps. Swimming is much more enjoyable than running, imo.

[DavefromSB]

This is another "im suprised no ones mentioned this" but besides being an excelent for of exercise its 0 impact....

[drifthappy]

I should really start taking advantage of my pool.

[Tyciol]

Another thing about swimming, if you do the kind where you put your face into the water:

It forces you to take large breaths at an established rythm, you can't do the rapid short breath thing since your face is in water half the time.

It also has much better arm RoM than running. Opening your arm pits would make interesting breathing.

Not so much for the leg RoM, but for the most part your legs nearly full extended at the knee and hip so perhaps it helps glutes on the way up, hip flexors on the way down?

[DrStriation]

How's it going man

[YolandaMason]

Swimming is average cardio, but throw in the possibility of drowning and you've got a hell of a workout....

[lukej517]

i've not posted before, but have extensive experience as i was a comptetive swimmer for about 9 years. swimming burns a lot of calories and is a complete body workout. i am currently working to cut body fat (i turned into a fata$$ in the last couple years), and am using swimming for my cardio for a minimum of 5 times a week for about a mile at a time (takes about 40 minutes for me). but there will come a point, where swimming is a hinderance for me, as well as for you. let me explain:

there are two types of workout one can do withswimming and they have two very different effects.

1. intervals - just like any other interval, do a sprint (25 yds, 50 yds, 100 yds) and rest for a short period of time and repeat. this is great for quick fat loss without too much pain. fo), i find it the best fat burner out there, because i use my entire body, especially my upper body (i'm very top heavy. one day i'll post some before and after pics and you all will see what i mean) i find it more effective than doing intervals on a treadmill or eliptical because i have a large upper body and swimming allows me to use that mass in an interval type exercise.

2. pace swimming - endurance/calorie burn - try doing 50-60% for longer periods of time. for a decent swimmer this will be 200-400 with rest periods, and the advanced swimmer going a mile or more at a time.. this increases overall cardiovascular health as well as burns a significant number of calories if you want to reduce your bodyfat. the problem is, that when you get down to 13-15% bodyfat, swimming is a hinderance, as swmming in water signifactly lower than your body temperature has the tendancy to bring a mild onset of hypothermia which prompts the body to put on a thin layer of bodyfat over the muscle tissue (several studies out there support this).

Overall, swimming for fat loss works to a point, but after a while, it can get in the way. there is a swimmer body type out there that is actually quite easy to recognize, and if you're looking for that (it looks great), then the only way to get it is to swim. but for those of you who have already reached the point in your transformation where you're looking for that final cut, swimming could actually get in your way of that. for me, i love to swim. i'm still a bit overweight and swimming will get me to my goal if i continue to do it. i hope one day to post on the fat to fit pages to show what swimming and weight lifing have done for me. until then, good luck folks and feel free to send me any messages regarding swimming.

A) So does the mild hypothermic fat layer that you discussed only happen when endurance swimming since you addressed it only in that section or regardless of the type of swimming you're doing?

B) How cold does the water need to be for that to take place? When you get in a 70-75 degree pool the water doesn't necessarily feel cold, but that's still 20+ degrees lower than your body temp.

C) Any idea on what would happen to someone with a body type like mine? Currently 140 at about 11-12% body fat and looking to bulk up. I know bulking will add some fat but I'd like to return to that percentage once I put on some muscle, maybe even get down to about 10%, but I'm really getting into the idea of swimming for my cardio.