Swimming as a calorie burner?

But, if you were to be swimming in high school or college (which you might be) then you would burn plenty of calories, swimming upwards of 5,000 yards or meters and doing that pretty fast. There are plenty of masters swimmers doing workouts exactly as you described. The fast lanes on my team typically get in on average 5,000 yards in our one hour and 20 minute workouts. I sure as heck feel like I'm burning plenty of calories! And I know from the USMS "Go the Distance" event there are lots of masters swimmers doing way more yardage than I am.

I know for sure I've gained weight since I started swimming almost 20 months ago. I was running before and weighed less and my shoulders were, well, obviously, much less broad. I don't swim as much as some of the aquaholics around here because of my labrum issue. But I still swim 4-5x a week with a few of them easy workouts of an hour focusing on drills and technique or aerobic lite sprinting. No way would that burn enough calories for me, and I hate to diet. So I have to run or cycle and weight lift to supplement my swimming. But I was definitely thinner when I was a runner. (Or maybe I'm just getting old and my metabolism is slowing down...:eek: ) So I disagree with that svelte (S)he-Man! Of course, (S)he-Man was training much more than me with that 1.5 hours 6x a week. I guess that would kill a lot of calories. Engine building seems to burn a lot more calories than limited sprint workouts. Don't you like running, Kristina? Or just too sad about the no swimming thing? :( Hang in there. Hope your eyes are better! :)

Not to brag (or perhaps to) I have fantastic genetics! My mom eats whatever she wants (always has) and is rail thin. My dad eats everything in sight (usually in mass quantities while forgettting to breathe) and is pretty thin, too ... I also eat a lot because I work out ... I use to be skinny too when I was younger (remember the JimCroceMan Pics...LOL!!).....Maybe you will be luckier than me and be able to stay skinny forever and still eat anything you want (ALA the good genetics and such).....but if you do then I will have to hate you then LOL! Newmastersswimmer

I have lost about 30 lbs over the last 3 years of swimming only. I did crank it up from 4 days per week to 6. It was slow and steady, the right way to do it. Recently I added cycling to work my legs some. As a distance swimmer a two beat kick does nothing for the legs(my trouble spot) and managed another 5 pounds there. Running is too painful the next day due to a bad back. Adding weightlifting is a great idea and will burn more fat. The one thing I had to remember through all of this was that even though I was not really losing pounds fast I was losing inches and that is what counts. Muscle weighs more than fat and looks alot better. So who cares what you weigh, its the inches that count. More streamline in the water. Donna Good point Donna about the inches and not the fat. Congrats also for losing the weight.....For me, I noticed more weight loss when I also cross trained....I'm hoping my new resurgence of spin classes will help me out again like it did before?? I also plan on doing some high rep type weight workouts a couple of times a week too if I can fit it in. And then of course I will have to .....gulp...diet....Thats a hard one to say!! Newmastersswimmer

You can get into shape onf 1500 yards 3 x a week. You have to do it hard and intense though. Eating right will accentuate this. If you are going to try it I suggest working out before you eat..that way your meal after the swim satisfies the hunger. If you eat beofre the swim, you 'll burn it off and then be hungry again, which leads you into "Little Debbie Land" etc.

Swimming as compared to running would take a lot longer to be equivalent in calorie burning. Two reasons: you are horizontal so there isn't that much gravitational stress on your heart, and also you use smaller muscles (arms) than when running (legs). But, on the long run (oops), if you had to choose, swimming would probably be better for you, as there is no pounding on your knees, ankles and so forth. I am facing this dilemma right now: how to lose weight with just swimming. I am maintaing my present weight but would like to lose some 10 lbs and then more later on. I will probably go the weight lifting way as that is an efficient calorie burner. But, if you were to be swimming in high school or college (which you might be) then you would burn plenty of calories, swimming upwards of 5,000 yards or meters and doing that pretty fast. People will post here that swimming has made them lose lots of weight but they will going from a baseline where they are "heavy" to begin with and have lots of excess fat to burn off. I am speaking for myself, weighing presently around 215, and having weighed 20 lbs less when playing a mean singles game of tennis everyday for about two hours. If I were you I would complement my swimming with either running, weights or cycling to add up to a reasonable caloric burn. billy fanstone

Swimming as compared to running would take a lot longer to be equivalent in calorie burning. Two reasons: you are horizontal so there isn't that much gravitational stress on your heart, and also you use smaller muscles (arms) than when running (legs). But, on the long run (oops) if you had to choose, swimming would probably be better for you as there is no pounding on your kneeds, ankles and so forth. I am facing this dilema right now. How to lose weight with just swimming. I am maintaing my present weight but would like to lose some 10 lbs and then more later on. I will probably go the weight lifting way as that is an efficient calorie burner. But, if you were to be swimming in high school or college (which you might be) then you would burn plenty of calories, swimming upwards of 5,000 yards or meters and doing that pretty fast. People will post here that swimming has made them lose lots of weight but they will going from a baseline where they are "heavy" to begin with and have lots of excess fat to burn off. I am speaking for myself, weighing presently around 215, and having weighed 20 lbs less when playing a mean singles game of tennis everyday for about two hours. I would complement my swimming with either running, weights or cycling to add up to a reasonable caloric burn. billy fanstone Billy; For me Table Tennis has proven to be a good way to burn calories if you like raquet, but not the stresses on your knees etc..

It depends how far, how fast and temperature of the water. I have lost weight faster by being sick for a 3 weeks. went from 235lbs to 182lbs after eating bad fish in Egypt.

I have a big sweet tooth and am a chocoholic ... *thinks he can persuade Heather to learn Breaststroke with a big bar of Cadbury's*

Masters Swimming + Weightlifting = My All-Time Favorite Combination I lost weight on this - went from a size 6/8 to 2/4 - age 35. I did not drop weight by running. I think intensity and motivation (or lack thereof) may have been a factor. :thhbbb: :2cents: Swimming as compared to running would take a lot longer to be equivalent in calorie burning. I am facing this dilemma right now: how to lose weight with just swimming. I am maintaing my present weight but would like to lose some 10 lbs and then more later on. I will probably go the weight lifting way as that is an efficient calorie burner. But, if you were to be swimming in high school or college (which you might be) then you would burn plenty of calories, swimming upwards of 5,000 yards or meters and doing that pretty fast. People will post here that swimming has made them lose lots of weight but they will going from a baseline where they are "heavy" to begin with and have lots of excess fat to burn off. If I were you I would complement my swimming with either running, weights or cycling to add up to a reasonable caloric burn. billy fanstone