I usually run for exercise, but I am thinking of incorporating swimming several times a week into my workout schedule. For anyone who swims, do you find that swimming is a good form of exercise--for both muscle definition and a calorie-burning workout? Also, for how long do you swim, and how should I feel while swimming (out of breath, or should I swim at a medium to slow pace)
Any general swimming techniques, tips, and personal experiences would be helpful! And I want to know why swimming is not generally recommended as an exercise to prevent osteoporosis.
I'm hooked on swimming as my second sport...I used to do it just i liked tris but as i started going to masters workouts and getting more proficient all of the strokes, i've ditched the bike from sept to april and just swim and run (and lift a couple of times a week). What i really like is that i can do an easy run to recover from a hard run, but then hammer my butt off in the pool that same day.
As others have said, the key to being able to get a workout in swimming is to learn the strokes. Once you get some efficiency, you can swim longer and it makes the effort of going the pool worth the time. Learning all of the strokes also prevents boredom and gets you more balanced. Once you learn the strokes make sure you actually work on the clock. I think swimming gets a bad rap as a workout because it's so easy to get your HR down so if you spend too much time hanging out on the wall taking alot of rest between sets, you won't get that great of a workout.
I was surprised that my first masters workout was very much like a track workout where every set was done on an interval and i remember being a bit freaked that you only got 10 secs rest between intervals... But, then i realized that 10 secs in the pool is equivalent to about 1:00 rest during a set of 800s on the track. i also started learning that being a runner, i tend to recover just a bit faster than non-running swimmers in my lane :-).
Like other runners, i really suck at kicking and it's even harder if i've done a decent run on the same day as a hard swim workout. But, i think swimming, and kicking have helped with core strength and helped pervent running injuries cause i'm not getting injured as much as i used to and i'm still running 50-60 miles per week.
I think the best part about being able to have swimming as a workout is that if i *do* get hurt, i've got something to channel that competive drive into so i as i recover, i'm not walllowing in my sweat on the elliptical.
so, dive in, i think you'll be happy witht he results.
I'm hooked on swimming as my second sport...I used to do it just i liked tris but as i started going to masters workouts and getting more proficient all of the strokes, i've ditched the bike from sept to april and just swim and run (and lift a couple of times a week). What i really like is that i can do an easy run to recover from a hard run, but then hammer my butt off in the pool that same day.
As others have said, the key to being able to get a workout in swimming is to learn the strokes. Once you get some efficiency, you can swim longer and it makes the effort of going the pool worth the time. Learning all of the strokes also prevents boredom and gets you more balanced. Once you learn the strokes make sure you actually work on the clock. I think swimming gets a bad rap as a workout because it's so easy to get your HR down so if you spend too much time hanging out on the wall taking alot of rest between sets, you won't get that great of a workout.
I was surprised that my first masters workout was very much like a track workout where every set was done on an interval and i remember being a bit freaked that you only got 10 secs rest between intervals... But, then i realized that 10 secs in the pool is equivalent to about 1:00 rest during a set of 800s on the track. i also started learning that being a runner, i tend to recover just a bit faster than non-running swimmers in my lane :-).
Like other runners, i really suck at kicking and it's even harder if i've done a decent run on the same day as a hard swim workout. But, i think swimming, and kicking have helped with core strength and helped pervent running injuries cause i'm not getting injured as much as i used to and i'm still running 50-60 miles per week.
I think the best part about being able to have swimming as a workout is that if i *do* get hurt, i've got something to channel that competive drive into so i as i recover, i'm not walllowing in my sweat on the elliptical.
so, dive in, i think you'll be happy witht he results.
