Hey there. I started doing a particular workout regimen at my local college's gym, which involved quite a bit of swimming. I started noticing that most of the guys on the swim team had the type of build I'm going for- especially in the shoulders, upper back, and chest.
I was thinking of working in some new strokes and was wondering what you guys think leads to this physique- freestyle? butterfly? I know they do a combination, but I imagine you seasoned swimmers out there must know which are the best for these muscle groups.
Thoughts?
Former Member
Anyone have any answer to this?
"Alright, and now for the more subjective question- since I don't want to be working out five days a week, how often will usually build/maintain a swimmer's physique, would you say, if you're already fairly close? Once a week hardcore? Twice at normal intensity? Three times?"
Thanks
Former Member
This is great advice. Swimming one stroke solely is B-O-R-I-N-G. Even if you stink at the stroke, diversifying your workout will improve your best stroke, I think anyway. The one exception might be ***, which is sort of an island unto itself, a nearly impossible stroke to master, especially if you learned it as a kid in the 70s.
Well, I don't know. My *** stroke was so bad that I just gave up doing it altogether for a couple of years. I've been working with the newest T.I. dvd on *** stroke and it's really improved, to the point where it's only 5-10 seconds slower per length than my front crawl, instead of about 20-30 seconds slower. Timing is everything in this stroke. I still wouldn't say I'm good at it, but I suck a whole lot less and occasionally it feels smooth and effortless.
I agree about it using the most muscles of all the strokes. I feel the abdominals being used just after the catch, to pull my body over my hands, the chest and shoulder muscles pushing the hands forward, the quads, hamstrings and glute at the end of the stroke in the kick. Last year when I blew the dust off my commuting bike and started riding to work I was pleasantly surprised at how much easier the steepest hills on my route home were, considering I'd been doing almost no cycling but more *** stroke.
As for any stroke transforming a person's body, I'm not so sure. Elite competitive swimmers probably would look a bit that way even if they didn't swim. There is only so much you can do with the body your genes have given you.
Former Member
The stroke that you can continue doing and keeps you coming back to the pool, is the best stroke for staying in shape.
Former Member
Anyone have any answer to this?
"Alright, and now for the more subjective question- since I don't want to be working out five days a week, how often will usually build/maintain a swimmer's physique, would you say, if you're already fairly close? Once a week hardcore? Twice at normal intensity? Three times?"
Thanks
To mis-quote from a previous thread:
You know you're not a swimmer when..............
Once a week hardcore?
Twice at normal intensity?
Three times? At "no"? intensity.This could be a whole new poll.........
Former Member
i've been swimming for 4-5 years now.
during my second year of swimming, my freestyle was so bad that my breaststroke was faster than it in the 100.
my free time was 1:21
and my *** was 1:18 lol
i'm faster now though :thhbbb:
As for any stroke transforming a person's body, I'm not so sure. Elite competitive swimmers probably would look a bit that way even if they didn't swim. There is only so much you can do with the body your genes have given you.
I just watched an episode of Penn & Teller addressing body-type and fitness myth issues that talked about this. It left me wondering if anyone's done any kind of study on body types that are genetically best suited to each stroke. I'm sure there would be a variation but there might be some kind of pattern as well.
Swim enough breaststroke and you'll look like Stud's avatar,swim too much breaststroke and you'll look like my avatar.
Former Member
Coach Silvia more than likely did. He was always talking body types in his speeches. He would always refer to me when he gave his talks in Canada. He would get me to stand up and explain my body type.
I was so embarrassed I can not even remember what he said about my body type.
Here is an article www.staps.uhp-nancy.fr/.../crawl_stroke.htm
I just watched an episode of Penn & Teller addressing body-type and fitness myth issues that talked about this. It left me wondering if anyone's done any kind of study on body types that are genetically best suited to each stroke. I'm sure there would be a variation but there might be some kind of pattern as well.
USA Swimming did a study around the 2000 olympics about body types and stroke specialities... it's pretty interesting, and if i'm remembering correctly, it seems to correlate to masters swimmers too...
(i know it works for me personally...)
www.usaswimming.org/.../DesktopDefault.aspx
Former Member
Really?? More muscels to do the breaststroke than fly or back?? Are you sure??
My coach says *** takes more muscles into action. Fly its just that some of the smallest muscles in your shoulders and arms are having to life such huge loads for there sizes, hence the tired feeling.
