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?
Former Member
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)
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...
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.
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.
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.
