Swimming benefits

3 watchers

Jambomo Apr 2012 5:27pm, 4 Apr 2012 3,210 posts	0 Jambomo Ok this might be a totally idiotic question BUT i'm asking it anyway. I really enjoy going swimming but I was wondering (after reading somewhere that it was not so great in terms of losing weight) what kind of benefits should I be looking to get out of it? i.e should I see it as additional cardio exercise that will help me get fitter, should I view it as exercises that will tone me up or none of the above? I guess I want to check so I know what other exercise I should do around swimming and running - I want to lose weight/gain fitness/tone up as I go along. Sadly the gyms don't seem to do swimming plans so I can't really ask them the best way to get the benefit of swimming. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks guys.
halfpint Apr 2012 5:33pm, 4 Apr 2012 11,756 posts	0 halfpint In my completely unprofessional opinion swimming is great! You probably aren't going to get huge calorie burn but every little helps. It's low impact so presumaly good for recovery and it does tone you up. I've noticed a difference in my arms since I started doing crawl regularly. I'd throw some cycling in there and get yourself signed up for some triathlons
Jambomo Apr 2012 5:44pm, 4 Apr 2012 3,211 posts	0 Jambomo Lol, I'd need a bike for that!
JenL Apr 2012 5:55pm, 4 Apr 2012 21,381 posts	0 JenL Swimming regularly leads to better stamina and flexibility generally and better upper body strength, I find, especially if you can do both breast stroke and front crawl. By "regularly" I mean 2 or 3 times a week - after all, once a year is "regular" isn't it?
Scottynbn Apr 2012 6:21pm, 4 Apr 2012 2,722 posts	0 Scottynbn Mo, I can lend you a bike I don`t swim much, my front crawl is awful-to-non-existent but this morning I concentrated on breast stroke. 1km later I felt great, like I had a low-impact work-out with cardio benefits. I think, even if it`s not your first-choice exercise (at best it`s number 3 for me) it complements the other stuff.
Bikermouse Apr 2012 6:46pm, 4 Apr 2012 45 posts	0 Bikermouse There are plenty of free swim training programmes available on the net. Swim4fittness - zoggs.com have some good ones based at levels from beginner to advanced and beyond with sessions geared for pregnancy or later life etc. I swim 2 - 3 times a week and find it one hell of a hard workout swimming 2.2k in an hr with drills and speed work etc. I certainly have developed quite a bit of muscle from swimming front crawl and fly. I also think that swimming burns a fair few kcals. Bit like running, if you go out for an hr and only run a mile you wont burn as many kcals as if you run 10 miles in that hr. There are more variebles though. If you have a fair propotion of fat on your body you will burn more when you run but less when you swim as oppose to someone with less fat. As far as I can tell swimming vs running very little in it in terms of calories burnt.
Jambomo Apr 2012 6:52pm, 4 Apr 2012 3,212 posts	0 Jambomo Thanks everyone - I'll have a look at the swim4fitness site.