Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

Former Member — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:24:19 GMT

In 1964 I started the marathon swim race season at 255lbs and ended the season at 187lbs. I swam approx 300 miles racing and trained about 300 miles during the season. Never did any running that year. I just stepped on the scale this morning 250 lbs. My avatar picture is a photo from 1954, 212lbs at the British Empire Games.

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

joshua — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:18:12 GMT

Getting ripped is mostly diet (about 70% by many estimates) and somewhat genetic. (Of course bodybuilders are notorious for steroid ingestion, which is also a factor.) Also, as one gets older it becomes more difficult to get ripped. The term "ripped" itself is not always clear - ripped like Arnold back in the day or ripped like Clarence Bass? Regardless, if your goal is bb then swimming is not the optimal aerobic choice for you for the reasons already mentioned.

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

pendaluft — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:32:35 GMT

I'll see if I can find it, but in summary: Swimming led to cravings for more fat and carbs Weight training led to protein and carbs Running led to no particular cravings, for food, which lasted beyond the next meal The hypothesis was that the body responds to the demands of the exercise environment, and being in cool water for an extended period creates the perceived 'need' for fat while running makes the body 'want' to be lighter... Implications being if you want to lose weight, beware those cravings after swimming and conversely if you need to maintain weight you may need to eat after running but might not feel like it. Bear in mind that these are statistical trends and individually we might not experience anything like these cravings... That's the way it works for me: If I run in the early morning (which I hate to do) I lose my appetite for a prolonged time. If I swim in the early morning (which I love) I am hungry all morning no matter what I eat (I start looking for lunch at 9:30a). When I life weights (which I don't mind) its somewhere in between.

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

Former Member — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:01:16 GMT

lastly, regarding studies showing swimming increases desire for fat and carbs.... I'd love to see those studies. I bet many types of strenuous exercise increase hunger in general... I'll see if I can find it, but in summary: Swimming led to cravings for more fat and carbs Weight training led to protein and carbs Running led to no particular cravings, for food, which lasted beyond the next meal The hypothesis was that the body responds to the demands of the exercise environment, and being in cool water for an extended period creates the perceived 'need' for fat while running makes the body 'want' to be lighter... Implications being if you want to lose weight, beware those cravings after swimming and conversely if you need to maintain weight you may need to eat after running but might not feel like it. Bear in mind that these are statistical trends and individually we might not experience anything like these cravings...

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

__steve__ — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 02:52:10 GMT

Someday being fat will be the goal

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

jswim — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 02:40:52 GMT

Forget swimming. Try the new Tug Toner instead: Tug Toner - YouTube Tug toner......Sweeet!

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

Former Member — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:19:11 GMT

Ricky Berens looked pretty ripped here www.huffingtonpost.com/.../ricky-berens-splits-swims_n_245780.html

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

Former Member — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:23:40 GMT

If you really want to put on size, you'd be much better off doing a decent bodybuilding routine.

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

Former Member — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:29:54 GMT

Forget swimming. Try the new Tug Toner instead: Tug Toner - YouTube

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

Former Member — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:08:50 GMT

You just need to choose the right parents! On concerning the highest levels of competition of sports: You put it well good sir; and unfortunately I find this all too true, especially for swimming. (and i'm not strictly referring to genetics)

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

Elaine Krugman — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 08:34:50 GMT

Ricky Berens looked pretty ripped here www.huffingtonpost.com/.../ricky-berens-splits-swims_n_245780.html :mooning: :lmao:

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

Former Member — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:58:20 GMT

Ever since I joined a club with a pool I've stayed away from the treadmill. I did some search on a bodybuilding forum and read that swimming is not very effective in burning fat. I'd like to say it is, at least if done a certain way. So the real question is, what is the best way to swim freestyle and butterfly to get ripped? You certainly can get ripped swimming....this type of ripped... But not that type of ripped... Swimming can help you 'get ripped' by shedding fat, adding muscle tone, and in my opinion improve overall muscle 'physique'. Sometimes I see huge, muscular ripped guys at the gym that obviously have giant muscles and are strong, but their chest/6 pack(many swimmers have 8) and overall muscle structure and shape is just funny looking to me. I don't know how to describe it, its like their muscles grew too big too fast or are out of proportion because of lack of variety of exercise or something I dont know but it makes me proud to be a swimmer!

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

orca1946 — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 03:01:51 GMT

You just need to choose the right parents!

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

Celestial — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 01:19:19 GMT

Ooops, you're right it was 100yards not m - don't know how that got in there. I totally agree with all you've said, I was just being sarcastic. And Ryan does weights.

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

Former Member — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:44:55 GMT

Well, my son is 18, lives on Krispy Kreme donuts and is a ***-stroker who avoids weights, does not run at all. And he is totally ripped, with an 8 pack. His butterfly is sub par, he barely breaks a minute on the 100m ***, but yes, he looks nice. Might just be genetics tho. Ryan Lochte ate at McDonalds every day at Beijing and won a gold medal in the 200 backstroke, 2 bronzes in the IMs, and a gold in the 200 free relay. He did well in *spite* of eating an unbalanced diet (no veggies whole grains/ eating lots of high fat/sodium/simple carbs). If "ripped" here means has lots of visible muscle mass, much of it is genetic. But muscle mass does not equal speed. And having an 8 pack doesn't mean having a strong core for swimming.... the rectus abdominus (what people usually think core means, just the abs) is great for flexing the spine forward but unless your back muscles/lats can balance your abs (because muscles work in groups because they can only contract in 1 direction, something has to bring the body part back to the original position), That said, the metabolism of young people is dramatically different than that of adults... I'm sure many people remember their days of the pizza diet in college, and how those eating habits caught up with them in their 30s... I think the 100 M breaststroke there is in yards or else he'd be one of the top 10 in the world, Kitajima won in 2008 with a 58 something. lastly, regarding studies showing swimming increases desire for fat and carbs.... I'd love to see those studies. I bet many types of strenuous exercise increase hunger in general... I'd like to see the OP clarify as to when they're saying "ripped", whether they're seeking to burn fat, increase muscle mass, and/or swim faster. 3 VERY different things.

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

That Guy — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:30:23 GMT

he barely breaks a minute on the 100m *** ..........

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

Celestial — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:40:44 GMT

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

Former Member — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 08:47:06 GMT

diet I think diet does have a lot to do with it (to state the obvious). Studies have shown that swimming tends to encourage cravings for fat and carbs. If you can resist those cravings and eat sensibly, you will lose fat through a balanced training programme. As has been said, you will not get huge muscles from swimming.

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

Former Member — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:54:58 GMT

Define ripped... As far as building muscle mass goes, most of that takes place OUT of the water, with dryland training. Unless your stroke is really really inefficient, you're not going to be getting enough resistance in the water to build muscle mass. Dr. G. John Mullen wrote an excellent post last week about swimmers and bodybuilding. But as he so eloquently put it, just because you wear a speedo doesn't mean you can swim. www.swimmingscience.net/.../swimmers-vs-body-builders.html Depends on what your goal is... the fastest swimmers are muscular, but they're generally not as jacked up as say, a football player or a boxer. To go fast you want to have a powerful power output (not necessarily super high strength, but you want "explosive" power to be able to maximally multiple times, every stroke for the duration of your race), If you're looking to do bodybuilding, focus on dryland activities. I would suggest poking around the forums of strength/conditioning coaches with an actual background in swimming. These include G. John Mullen of swimmingscience.net, Todd Sayce from saycoperformance, Allen Pike from Pike Athletics, and Chris Ritter of rittersp.com. As far as fat burning goes, running is a more efficient way to burn fat, assuming you're going at the appropriate intensities and durations. Since swimming involves so many more muscles, oftentimes people sustain the intensity of exercises necessary to go into the aerobic fat burning zone. Also, your body moves the subcutaneous fat layer near your skin in the water to keep you warm. But if your joints can't put up with running for an extended period of time then biking is another good way to get your cardio going. Decide what your prime goals are... you don't need to be visibly bulging with muscle to go fast, and unless your technique is solid being too muscly can be detrimental to your speed in the water.

RE: Can Swimming Get You Ripped?

__steve__ — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:29:14 GMT

diet