Different Strokes

Originally posted by hofffam Breastroke swum quickly consumes more energy than freestyle or backstroke because breastroke is essentially accelerating and decelerating over and over. However - many people choose breastroke to swim easy because it is easier to breathe. In that case I bet breastroke is less tiresome and consumes less energy. True that... but then if the person can sustain an easy breaststroke longer than freestyle or a fast breaststroke, let's say, s/he can burn more calories than if s/he tried to swim faster than conditioning/fitness allowed. But then I'm no expert in the calorie consumption aspect of these different strokes, since my goals usually have more to do w/ distance and improving speed and form than with calorie burning, which is more just an added bonus. I look to running for comparison: If a person strolls on the treadmill at 20 mins/mile pace for 30 minutes, and the person at the next treadmill is running at 6 min/mile pace for the same amount of time, the six-min. miler is of course burning more calories. But if the strolling person attempted six min. pace, s/he might get frustrated and gasping for air before that pace had any chance to do its work. So the person would do better at first to either increase his/her walking time or to slightly increase the walking pace or alternate it with very light running, then gradually replace the walking with running, then running faster. Similarly, when I first began swimming, I'd gradually incorporate faster swimming, alternating freestyle and breaststroke until I could do a mile all freestyle.

Breastroke swum quickly consumes more energy than freestyle or backstroke because breastroke is essentially accelerating and decelerating over and over. However - many people choose breastroke to swim easy because it is easier to breathe. In that case I bet breastroke is less tiresome and consumes less energy.

Originally posted by SwimsWithAFist And here's the most unfortunate stats for many of us: Swimming, general: 300 calories in 30 min. Eating, general: 400 calories in 30 min. I am fairly certain I could down 400 calories in much less time than 30 minutes, sigh. But good point. For me, weight management is 99% what goes in my mount.

IQ, Here's the only "stat" that matters. You will consume more calories doing something you enjoy than doing something you hate. We're all grown-ups. We are all swimming because we want to. I guarantee you that once swimming for fitness becomes a chore instead of a joy, you will find some reason, excuse, etc. for doing less of it. With a time horizon of "lifetime fitness plan" instead of "breaking this personal record at next Feb's Championship," your perspective on your "training" almost has to change radically, or you'll burn yourself out before you wear out even one swim suit or pair of goggles. So...find the stroke you like. It does not matter if it is ***, fly, back, free, IM, sidestroke or dogpaddle (but I'm betting the last one will get real tiresome real fast), and do most of your swimming in that stroke. Dabble with the others to the extent you find them enjoyable. Find a group of congenial swimmers to share your workout (and cameraderie, etc. etc.) If you are interested in competition, swim the races you really like or intrigue you, and dabble in other strokes and events to the extent you enjoy the experience. Keep it fun; do what pleases you (not your coach, your teammates, your family, or your fond remembrances of the swimmer you used to be). The longevity of your swimming over this time period will more than exceed the amount of work you do in program with a shorter time frame. Matt

Originally posted by hofffam However - many people choose breastroke to swim easy because it is easier to breathe. In that case I bet breastroke is less tiresome and consumes less energy. I wish you could have seen me laughing on the floor, tears stremaing down my face, while I resisted the urge to pee my pants, all because you think breaststroke is "less tiresome." And "easier to breathe?" Hello???? Backstroke!!!!!!! Boy, that was the funniest thing I read all day.

according to www.caloriesperhour.com, dependant on weight Swimming - butterfly, general 399 calories in 30 min Swimming - backstroke, general 254 calories in 30 min Swimming - breaststroke, general 363 calories in 30 min Swimming - freestyle, moderate 254 calories in 30 min

And here's the most unfortunate stats for many of us: Swimming, general: 300 calories in 30 min. Eating, general: 400 calories in 30 min.

Originally posted by hofffam Breastroke swum quickly consumes more energy than freestyle or backstroke because breastroke is essentially accelerating and decelerating over and over. I think breaststroke requires more energy because of the higher drag due to the less streamlined positions in breaststroke and depending on style the amount of energy used in vertical movements. Although there would be some energy expended on accelerating the swimmer's mass the dominant underlying cause is the drag causing the deceleration. Since drag increases in proportion to the cube of speed you will burn a lot more energy swimming a given distance faster than slower. Of course the "best" way to burn a lot of calories is to be very inefficient.

Originally posted by LindsayNB I think breaststroke requires more energy because of the higher drag due to the less streamlined positions in breaststroke and depending on style the amount of energy used in vertical movements. Although there would be some energy expended on accelerating the swimmer's mass the dominant underlying cause is the drag causing the deceleration. Since drag increases in proportion to the cube of speed you will burn a lot more energy swimming a given distance faster than slower. Of course the "best" way to burn a lot of calories is to be very inefficient. I don't have Maglischo's book in front of me - but what I remember reading is that the energy cost of breastroke is high because of the constant need to accelerate right after a deceleration. The higher drag of breastroke is surely a factor in the deceleration. Maglischo charts the velocity variation for all the strokes and the charts for *** and fly vary the most. So I agree with you that drag is a major factor. The drag causes the swimmer to slow down, which requires power (and energy) to accelerate (until the next deceleration).

First of all, words of wisdom from Matt. You are perfectly right, doing the stroke we like is a better guarantee for durability. Originally posted by Jeff Commings I wish you could have seen me laughing on the floor, tears stremaing down my face, while I resisted the urge to pee my pants, all because you think breaststroke is "less tiresome." And "easier to breathe?" Hello???? Backstroke!!!!!!! Boy, that was the funniest thing I read all day. I think hofffam has a point. I swim recreational lane swim, in several pools. I notice that there are roughly about 5% of good swimmers. 15% of knowledgable swimmers and 80% of swimmers doing laps without caring about technique. Among these 80%, the majority swim a relax breaststroke. When I see a few swimming FS, their form is rather bad. Rarely I see someone swimming Backstroke, when this happens, the form is terrible (almost sitting in the water). So if breaststroke is hard, how come most of the recreational swimmers choose this stroke? In my opinion, breastroke is popular among the recreational swimmers because its movement is the closest to real life. People do a lot of movement with arms in front and not too far extended overhead. Even if a sloppy breaststroke is slow, people still adopt it because their muscles are familiar with the movement. For example, when opening a window or taking something from a shelf, I guess most of people won't do a backstroke/freestyle like movement. If you throw a non-swimmer in a pool, I bet you the first reflex he/she will have is to try to move in a breaststroke-like position.