If I only swim but don't do any other exercises, what will I be missing? Not much, I suppose? I can still have a good physique and it sure does more to my health than if running is my only exercise? Comments?
swimming alone didn't do it for me. but once I started biking 30-40 minutes a day, I got that little extra I needed to start losing weight.
swimming is like any other exercise. after awhile your body will get use to the activity and adapt.
when I was rowing, I had to row longer and longer to get the same effect. to the point that I had to row 7500m or 30 minutes, wher I started at just 10 minutes.
I must be in the minority, as I am the complete opposite. It obviously varies from person to person. I can drop weight, and keep it off swimming much faster than I can cross training--and cross training takes way more time than swimming does. It feels like I'm working harder cross training with little results than I am swimming with fast results.
Interesting. Well, must be individual variation, as well as differences in age, body type, yardage. To be fair, I don't do a lot of yardage, which probably accounts for swimming being fairly inadequate for weight control. If I did 5000+ every day, perhaps I'd feel differently. But I'm not convinced.
I likewise find swimming to be a huge time drain. I can walk out my door and run. With swimming, I have to drive to pool and swim longer to get the same bang for my buck.
I agree with Jazz. Too many people don't lift at all, and have too little muscle as they age.
Just to clarify, weight training is not the same thing as weight-bearing and can result in orthopedic problems of its own.
Weight-bearing (from an online source):
"Weight-bearing exercises, which have been shown to increase bone density, include walking, running, hiking, dancing, gymnastics, and soccer.
If you have osteoporosis, walk 30 to 40 minutes four to five times each week. Make it an aerobic activity—using a treadmill, stepper, or stairs—but avoid risky activities that could cause falls.
If you have osteopenia or normal bone density, any weight-bearing aerobic activity is fine. Do it 30 to 40 minutes four to five times each week."
This is the most important point. Weight training is the best thing for bone density. Weight training also does much better than swimming at preventing the loss of muscle mass that comes with age. So, get in the weight room!
Actually, during my 8 year hiatus from land-based activities where I became fat like Dom DeLouise I swam my *** off six days a week. I think you body adjusts to not bearing any weight and compensates by forcing you to eat more fried chicken and drink more beer.
Actually, during my 8 year hiatus from land-based activities where I became fat like Dom DeLouise I swam my *** off six days a week. I think you body adjusts to not bearing any weight and compensates by forcing you to eat more fried chicken and drink more beer.
I'm glad you've given up lard and beer. It won't be so painful to see me drinking it on Saturday night.
Yeah, based on personal observation, there are a lot more svelte tris, runners and cyclists than swimmers. When I get too fat, I'll become a tricked out, top of the line wetsuit, triathlete.
I think it depends what your overall goals are. If you want to swim to get fast(er), for swimming in meets, etc...then swimming alone may be enough. I'm sure there's enough people who only swim and get by fine with that.
That said, when I was just swimming, my weight eventually stagnated, then I slowly started to gain weight as I got older and my metabolism slowed. Since I've added in weights and running, my metabolism got kick-started, and I dropped a good deal of weight. I've gotten tons of comments on how I look, so I must be doing something right. That said, I'm not really faster in the pool, my times (practice) are similar to what they were. But my goals are more overall body condition and health.
Despite the bad rap that running gets (bangs the joints, etc.) there is something magical about it - when I run, my HDL goes up into the 70s. When I stopped doing triathlons and just swam, my diet actually improved, but my LDLs jumped to 150 and my HDL dropped to 57 (Strangely enough my triglycerides were only 33).
My friend who is a doc thinks my LDLs may have jumped up because of a medicine I was taking for a medical condition. I got the horrible reading in mid-June and am due to go back in October to see if it has improved. I am no longer on the medicine and am now running in addition to swimming. I'm hopeful I will see an improvement in the cholesterol readings.
I'm glad you've given up lard and beer.
Only the lard was given-up.
Ooh, let me be very clear, swimming didn't make me gain one ounce of weight. Had I not been swimming I might have fully blown up, liposuction style. I truly believe my weight gain was not due to swimming. But, I think I got in a rut by only swimming, which I came out of when I went back to doing a more well-rounded workout routine. I also think running is the magic wand to weight loss, just jiggles right off.
Swimming is good but is not a complete fitness regimen. For example, it is not weight-bearing, which both men and women need to be conscious of (and do something about) as they age to prevent bone loss.
Many things complement swimming nicely. A step class, dance, running, hiking, backpacking, biking - a long list. At my age - late fifties - I consciously climb stairs instead of riding the elevator, and I do flexibility and mobility exercises.
If I only swim but don't do any other exercises, what will I be missing? Not much, I suppose? I can still have a good physique and it sure does more to my health than if running is my only exercise? Comments?
Swimming is good but is not a complete fitness regimen. For example, it is not weight-bearing, which both men and women need to be conscious of (and do something about) as they age to prevent bone loss.
This is the most important point. Weight training is the best thing for bone density. Weight training also does much better than swimming at preventing the loss of muscle mass that comes with age. So, get in the weight room!
