Are high yardage/slow aerobic swims a good method? Even the best method?
Sorry, I'm sure this topic has been covered numerous times. I've been away from the forums and the pool for a while. And I've packed on some pounds.
I just got back in the pool the other day after a 6-9 month layoff and have no immediate ambition to compete again. I'm thinking a realistic goal is to complete a 5k this summer and just focus on getting back in shape and not worry so much about the clock and sets and such. Figure I will get too frustrated and just want to swim just to swim for now.
When I was training and competing for a few years in Masters I never got too far above 2000 yards but would do hard sets (for me) of 15x100, etc.. Would I actually lose more weight if I instead swam 3-4k yards of just lap swimming?
....Also, I just read in my swimmer that Leslie Livingston has given up weights and dryland. Isn't that a complete 180?
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Former Member
That's not correct. I merely reduced my weights/gym time from 3 to 2 days per week and added in one more swim. I also use fins/paddles/chutes/bungees in the pool, which is essentially in water strength training. I did gave up bikram yoga; I gave up running and spinning long ago. I don't have Swimmer in front of me. The gist of what I said is that most cross training doesn't make you swim faster and can prevent you from really punching quality pool workouts.
Don't worry, no one would call me anything but a jacked sprinter. Sadly, I look nothing like the skinny runner I used to be pre masters swimming. :weightlifter:
If you really want to lose weight, run. If you can't run and want to swim, I think high intensity swimming burns more calories overall. Don't do the same workouts at the same speed; vary the intensity so your body doesn't adapt and burn fewer calories.
I can't run with bad legs and I hate it anyway. I enjoy the water. I had always used the competition as the motivation but am looking for a new kind of inspiration. My first workout today was 500 yards in board shorts - no clock, no flip turns, took a couple of rest breaks when I felt like it. And it actually felt pretty good. Tommorow I will go for 750. That is where I am at. My past history shows that if I stick with it I will soon become bored and start doing sets again but I am worried that will make me too frustrated. I was hoping maybe I could justify the slow high yardage angle if the benefits were just as good.
That's not correct. I merely reduced my weights/gym time from 3 to 2 days per week and added in one more swim. I also use fins/paddles/chutes/bungees in the pool, which is essentially in water strength training. I did gave up bikram yoga; I gave up running and spinning long ago. I don't have Swimmer in front of me. The gist of what I said is that most cross training doesn't make you swim faster and can prevent you from really punching quality pool workouts.
Don't worry, no one would call me anything but a jacked sprinter. Sadly, I look nothing like the skinny runner I used to be pre masters swimming. :weightlifter:
If you really want to lose weight, run. If you can't run and want to swim, I think high intensity swimming burns more calories overall. Don't do the same workouts at the same speed; vary the intensity so your body doesn't adapt and burn fewer calories.
I can't run with bad legs and I hate it anyway. I enjoy the water. I had always used the competition as the motivation but am looking for a new kind of inspiration. My first workout today was 500 yards in board shorts - no clock, no flip turns, took a couple of rest breaks when I felt like it. And it actually felt pretty good. Tommorow I will go for 750. That is where I am at. My past history shows that if I stick with it I will soon become bored and start doing sets again but I am worried that will make me too frustrated. I was hoping maybe I could justify the slow high yardage angle if the benefits were just as good.
