Swimming Myths

The reduction of fat is not easy because it is the last place your body goes when it needs energy. We have known for years that performing resistance exercise / weight training, in addition to swimming or other cardio work, helps the body reduce fat stores. The following article supports that contention. Swimming or other aerobic work coupled with weight training is the best way to lose fat. Coach T. www.sciencedaily.com/.../080205121740.htm

Don't know about any moral superiority. However, my 50 fly and 50 free races were WAAAAAAAAAAAY easier to swim than the 500 and 1650 free. And a 5K lake swim is the toughest of all IMO. In my most recent meet: Sprints: No pain Distance: Pain Myth: You can't be a sprinter and distance. I broke the GA records in the 50 FR and 1650 FR this past weekend. Excellent versatility! But, taking pity on the poor sprinters... I'm sure most here would agree that 50's are less PAINFUL but not necessarily EASIER to do well. In fact, my main problem with 50s is that 1-2 mistakes can make such a huge difference in a race, whereas in races of 200+ that is less likely to occur. In other words, 50s and even 100s are less "forgiving" races, meaning you probably need greater mental focus at race time. In longer races you can rely on training to cover sloppy, unfocused races. (Of course, even better is to be both focused and fit.) And training for speed is not easy either. I have reluctantly included 50s in my races simply as a way to improve my 100s. I find that improving longer races can be easier -- just up the yardage -- while improving speed can be difficult. (Poking fun at sprinters is probably a holdover of my college career when they used to get out 30 min before the distance folk, with whom I often trained. Plus their pre-race "pump-up" rituals are sometimes just so weird, it makes them easy targets!)

what you eat, in addition to exercise, will impact weight loss. I dropped 70 lbs while swimming a pursuing a low carb diet, and have kept it off for 5 years now. Trying to crank out 5k yards on 20g to 30g of carbs a day was not fun. I was going to say Art...I know that's the easy logic, cut out the spuds etc, but how the hell do you swim with any strength.? Kudos!

I was going to say Art...I know that's the easy logic, cut out the spuds etc, but how the hell do you swim with any strength.? Kudos! Myth: The body treats all carbs the same. Skip the bread and processed starches. Keep the spuds and grains. Eat more fruits and veggies. Monitor protien and fats. The weight will fall off.

Ande truer words have never been spoken. There was a trotting stud horse who could not keep stride if he was not with a broodmare before he raced. They used him to service a mare a coople of hours before he raced. Then he would go out and keep stride and win his race.

Ande truer words have never been spoken. There was a trotting stud horse who could not keep stride if he was not with a broodmare before he raced. They used him to service a mare a coople of hours before he raced. Then he would go out and keep stride and win his race. Mr Ed? :dedhorse:

The harder you kick, the faster you'll go. usually true, depends on the event 25, 50 & 100 yes the more effeciently you kick You should always wait a half-hour after eating before hitting the pool. myth Drafting can help you lower your time. Drafting WILL ... if you do it right Only nerdy non-swimmers wear nose clips. cool swimmers do too Morning is the best time to swim. NOW is the best time to swim If you want to be a speedier swimmer, build a lot of muscle. some muscle is good too much isn't Re: Swimming Myths The harder you kick, the faster you'll go. You should always wait a half-hour after eating before hitting the pool. Drafting can help you lower your time. Only nerdy non-swimmers wear nose clips. Morning is the best time to swim. If you want to be a speedier swimmer, build a lot of muscle.

Myth: Sprinters are lazy. Distance swimmers are morally superior. Don't know about any moral superiority. However, my 50 fly and 50 free races were WAAAAAAAAAAAY easier to swim than the 500 and 1650 free. And a 5K lake swim is the toughest of all IMO. In my most recent meet: Sprints: No pain Distance: Pain Myth: You can't be a sprinter and distance. I broke the GA records in the 50 FR and 1650 FR this past weekend. I don't think all people who use fins are lazy anymore. It's actually quite hard to really use them when assigned in sets. We did 9x100 Long Course Meters. 3 on 1:15/ 3 on 1:30 / 3 on 1:10 at the end of practice. It was one of the hardest sets I've done. :whiteflag:

Here are the answers... 1. False. Kicking accounts for only about one-third of forward propulsion, and in the process, it uses your largest and most oxygen-thirsty muscles. Thus, super-hard leg work doesn't have much payoff and will probably tire you out quickly, slowing you down in the long run. Sprinters may want to kick harder than distance swimmers, but if you're swimming a short distance, build to a hard kick instead of working your legs the whole way, advises Jane Katz, author of The All-American Aquatic Handbook: Your Passport to Lifetime Fitness (Allyn & Bacon, 1996). But if you train your legs during practice with a lot of fast kicking, don't you build some endurance that will help you kick harder and longer in races? Or, as with SDKs, don't you become a better, more efficient kicker so that you go fast without as much effort? I always eat before I swim. No problem. Screw mornings. Myth: Good swimmers are all tall. Rank heightism. Myth: Yoga is good cross training for swimming. No, only if you're inflexible like Tall Paul in his tutu. Otherwise, spin, run, lift, do core work, etc. (Can you tell I went to a yoga class today? What a waste of time -- FOR ME folks.)

But if you train your legs during practice with a lot of fast kicking, don't you build some endurance that will help you kick harder and longer in races? Or, as with SDKs, don't you become a better, more efficient kicker so that you go fast without as much effort? That's what I would say. But the same article (see the link) also claims underwater swimming is a waste of time, so SDKs are no good too. Hypoxic sets are also deemed worthless, joining the weight-lifting, kicking, and SDKs. Hmmm, apparently my swimming IQ really really sucks. I'll muddle along somehow.