Fat loss and Swimming

Fittsy · June 26th, 2006, 01:15 PM

I'm curious if anyone has received great results fat loss wise from swimming. It is one of the only ways I can work out now due to a hip problem and I have a little gut I want to go away. Any advice out there?

**cracken** · June 28th, 2006, 06:31 PM

I can't guarantee you'll lose weight.

Swimming done properly can be an excellent aerobic workout. Swimming along with a heathy diet is good place for you to start.

Good luck

**bouncer** · July 17th, 2006, 05:02 AM

I'm dropping weight and swimming is a part of my regimen. Anything that gets you moving and elevetes your heart rate and breathing.

Also....watch your food and fluid intake.

**Goose102** · July 17th, 2006, 02:22 PM

As long as you have a good clean diet to go with it!

nitro28 · November 1st, 2006, 09:14 PM

I remember very much so that i lost 11 pounds while on my highschool swim team. We swam for one and a half hours , getting in close to 7,500 yards or more. If you dedicate the hours and go long distances like that your bound to lose weight. Calorie counting is helpful, 1,500 is pretty good for a diet.

**Doughboy** · November 5th, 2006, 10:05 PM

Man I gotta learn how to swim.
Does dough float? Hmm well dumplings do, so I guess so.

**haphakhung** · November 6th, 2006, 04:22 PM

Sorry Guys, I'm not responding, I just trying to bump your post up top to take out the MR. Noodle Crap posts

However, If anybody can offer suggestions to trace the idiot to get rid of him, please conatact a mod.

We don't need fools like him here.

**Doughboy** · November 6th, 2006, 07:04 PM

bumping this to get rid of him again, man we cant have the forums like this.

**timzombie** · November 7th, 2006, 07:39 AM

bumpy bump bum bum de bump

**gYmgIrL** · November 7th, 2006, 10:10 PM

bumpidy doo dah!

**tidalwave** · November 9th, 2006, 01:56 PM

I'm not a fan of running, and I used to be a competitive swimmer, so I've been swimming to get my bodyfat down.

I was kind of shocked when i heard about swimming not being good for weight loss. While most of the material I read on the subject was anecdotal and did not suggest much for causation, there was one study that had a group doing running and a group doing swimming drills. Both groups lost bodyfat in the study. However, for some reason, it was noted that the swimming group didn't lose as much because they tended to consume more calories post-workout than the running group. The article didn't really suggest a reason for this, but the conclusion was that swimming is indeed effective for fat loss. You just might have to be a little more watchful of your food intake.

I've always been a sprinter of sorts, so my swimming workouts have been more anaerobic in nature. My workout consists of 200 meter sets at a moderate pace with just enough rest to let my heart rate begin to settle. Also, for the last 50 or 25 meters, I try to sprint to the end. This seems to be working thus far.

**cracken** · November 15th, 2006, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tidalwave

However, for some reason, it was noted that the swimming group didn't lose as much because they tended to consume more calories post-workout than the running group. The article didn't really suggest a reason for this, but the conclusion was that swimming is indeed effective for fat loss. You just might have to be a little more watchful of your food intake.

When in the water your body burns more calories creating heat. Heat transfers 25 times faster in water than in air. I believe that would be the reason for the swimmers to be more hungry than the runners.

Agreed, you should always be watchful of your food intake.

**ProfGumby** · November 24th, 2006, 05:45 PM

Great topic!

I used to swim all the time. Back in High School our football coach encouraged us to swim all summer and winter as part of our endurance building and cardio programs.

He suggested we swim laps for as long as we could up to 45 minutes when we went.

He held the theory that swimming increased your heart rate and caused your body to work harder to keep itself warm, both good cardio and both good for ramping up metabolism and it was especially friendly on the knees and joints...good workout, less stress.

I liked it because all the pretty young things in bikinis were at the pool all winter long too...that get's a guys heart pumping too!

gb99 · December 13th, 2006, 11:21 PM

I have been swimming for about 3 weeks, combined with modified diet and have lost about 10 lbs.

I would like to lose another 10 or so -- but also would not mind adding some strength.

I am kinda of an older guy, in my 40's, should I be able to add some muscle by swimming, or do I also need to add in weight training as well.

**cracken** · December 14th, 2006, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gb99

I have been swimming for about 3 weeks, combined with modified diet and have lost about 10 lbs.

I would like to lose another 10 or so -- but also would not mind adding some strength.

I am kinda of an older guy, in my 40's, should I be able to add some muscle by swimming, or do I also need to add in weight training as well.

Congrats on the weight loss, keep up the good work.

Swimming is great for cardio, toning & flexibility. But if you want to add muscle you're going have to hit the weights.

BTW, 40's isn't old.

Good luck.

**Saurian** · December 14th, 2006, 02:45 PM

If I had access to a pool, I'd be in it twice a week for, as mentioned, low impact high-return cardio. The only bad thing is that you can't get really warm in the water like you would biking or otherwise, wearing heavy clothing and such.

Richard · December 15th, 2006, 11:06 AM

One of my friends used to swim competitions and stuff (he's 18 and im 18yrs old) , and he has pecs like brad pitt had it "troy" , or pretty close, and he didn't really train weights at all (until a year ago when we both joined a gym, but he had pretty big pecs just from swimming).. so i guess what im trying to say is that; can you increase your pecs while swimming?

**Saurian** · December 15th, 2006, 12:07 PM

If you've been a swimmer for so long, you're body is going to respond to the stress of swimming by building stronger, more efficient, and eventually your muscles will increase in size. Pectorals, shoulders, lats should all get his pretty good.

When I had my membership to a big gym (Aspen Athletic, ugh!) that has a pool, on chest day I would get in the pool and go back and forth in the 3-4 foot section on my knees "swimming" straight up in the water just moving my arms forward, moving backwards. I did this to really finish up hitting my chest/front shoulders with a high intensity/lower resistance and highly unorthodox way to work the muscle. Then, after that I'd do some light swimming around the pool and then go hit the sauna/shower.

I'd also do the reverse on my back day when I was hitting my posterior deltoids. I'd swim straight up moving to the front, only moving my arms from front to back, specifically working to target those pesky rear delts. And it worked! But, with no pool and no reverse flye machine, its hard to keep them built.

**forbodybuilders** · December 17th, 2006, 05:15 PM

as guys say as long as you will be on diet you can lost fats! and if you add some right supp you will lost a lot more fats

gb99 · December 20th, 2006, 09:57 PM

Thanks for the encouragement and the reminder that 40 is not old....

Along the lines of adding more strength, I have added pushups in the morning and some minor weights at night. For the pushups, I am using those handles so I can get full extension down. Is it generally felt that these are worthwhile ? Any other suggestions to get the most out of pushups ?

With the weights, I am alternating days between bench press and curls (starting off slow). For the bench I am starting with 100 lbs on the bar and then dropping 10 lbs for successive sets, finishing 6 sets later with just 50 lbs on the bar. I am able to get 8-10 reps for each of these sets. The main goal with this approach was to see what I could do without getting overly sore. Is this a good approach - or is there something else I should be doing.

Last question on the bench press -- how far apart should my hands be ?

Thanks in advance.