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?
I am definitely no expert, but I've gone from 228 to 203 since I started swimming. I usually do a 500 moderate tempo warm-up, and end with an easy 200 cool down. In between I do 5x100, 5x60, 5x40, and then about a dozen or so all out 20 sprints (the pool is 20 yards), with short rest. I try to do 12 laps of breaststroke kicking also. All this is done at anywhere from 80 to 100 % of maximum effort.
While I have not "dieted," I definitely try to control my eating. However, I'm no fanatic. While I still love my bagel and cream cheese or my egg sandwich in the morning (I skip the cheese now, except for Fridays, when I will also occasionally add bacon), I eat a lot more fruit, and I avoid sweets, except for rare occasions. I drink seltzer with lemon instead of cola or ginger ale. Most importantly, I try to eat a big lunch at about 2-2:30, and then for dinner, I don't have full meal, but something lite and healthy (last night, I had a Starbucks fruitbox....a few small pieces of cheese, apple wedges, cranberry raisins, and 4 or 5 multigrain crackers...before I taught my night class).
While I can't recommend this as medically sound, I also drink 4-6 strong cups of coffee per day, and I find it helps suppress my appetite to some extent.
Finally, when I am hit with hunger pangs at any point in the day, I try to reach for something like a handful of blackberries, rather than a bag of potato chips.
I am definitely no expert, but I've gone from 228 to 203 since I started swimming. I usually do a 500 moderate tempo warm-up, and end with an easy 200 cool down. In between I do 5x100, 5x60, 5x40, and then about a dozen or so all out 20 sprints (the pool is 20 yards), with short rest. I try to do 12 laps of breaststroke kicking also. All this is done at anywhere from 80 to 100 % of maximum effort.
While I have not "dieted," I definitely try to control my eating. However, I'm no fanatic. While I still love my bagel and cream cheese or my egg sandwich in the morning (I skip the cheese now, except for Fridays, when I will also occasionally add bacon), I eat a lot more fruit, and I avoid sweets, except for rare occasions. I drink seltzer with lemon instead of cola or ginger ale. Most importantly, I try to eat a big lunch at about 2-2:30, and then for dinner, I don't have full meal, but something lite and healthy (last night, I had a Starbucks fruitbox....a few small pieces of cheese, apple wedges, cranberry raisins, and 4 or 5 multigrain crackers...before I taught my night class).
While I can't recommend this as medically sound, I also drink 4-6 strong cups of coffee per day, and I find it helps suppress my appetite to some extent.
Finally, when I am hit with hunger pangs at any point in the day, I try to reach for something like a handful of blackberries, rather than a bag of potato chips.
