Hey all. I've been doing a lot of exercise lately across a wide variety of disciplines. One of the things, in fact the main one, I'm trying to achieve is a swimmer's physique - nothing new there, I suppose :)
I'm fairly close but am really uncertain about one thing. I tend to be smaller than I want rather than heavier- it's a real struggle to build the upper body I'm looking for as opposed to, say, losing fat. I'm just naturally thin.
For my latest regimen to build up chest, back and shoulders, I thought I would do sprinting pyramids in the pool, increasing max every week. So it would go like this:
Monday - *** - sprint 1 lap, rest, sprint 2 laps, rest, sprint 3, etc. up until say 5, then back down
Wed - Same with Back
Fri - Same with IM, except the numbers represent the multiple of 100 I'll be sprinting.
Following week, up the highest number I go.
Anyway, I'm early on in the program, but already I'm doubtful if this will get the results. I based this whole idea on watching college and Olympic swimmers and figured, hey, they're training for sprint swimming, so that's what I'll strengthen. But I also know they dryland quite a bit. For me, that would essentially be weights.
The thing that got me doubting the program above was looking at photos of Olympic swimmers through the ages. The guys in the 70s almost look rail thin compared to the guys today. The only thing separating them, I have to imagine, is what they did outside the pool, as swimming is, well, swimming :).
So if you were in my shoes, what would you do to build up like one of these pro level swimmers - weights, or sprint swimming? I can do both, obviously, but I'd rather not waste precious time in the pool if it won't really advance what I'm after.
Lastly, not to sound like a jerk here, but if you have a really solid opinion on this, please include a pic so I can see how your ideas worked for you. I'm fairly well along in my training and would want to rely on advice from someone who has really clearly and effectively implemented it.
Thanks so much all!
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Former Member
BigBrother,
Sounds like you are a hard gainer. Your goals and your physiology are at odds and based on your previous comments I don't think it really matters what you do, your goal is going to have to be a very long term goal, and swimming is probably not going to provide the musculature that you are looking for.
If you want to research the diet and training that has worked for hard gainers and try to replace the lifting with swimming, it might work, but I doubt it. Your best bet is to find a lifting routine that is upper body focused, lift heavy no more than 3x/week and manage your diet toward for weight gain.
Good luck
Qbrain, very good advice.
I guess it all brings me back though to my fundamental question, which is really at the heart of everything. Does swimming (of the sprint variety), done concurrently with weights/dryland, lead to different muscular building than weights alone?
All the evidence I've observed seems to point to yes:
1. Swimmers alone don't have the build.
2. Lifters alone don't have the build.
3. The athletes who do both seem to have it.
That's about all I got :). I can't substantiate it, but it seems like both activities simultaneously lead to a particular result you don't get with either alone.
So now, on to finding the right balance of the two, and the right diet. So close! I was able to get to as high as 165, but with some added fat along with muscle, before cutting back down to 145 on P90X. If I can retain the current BF% (~6%) and gain back up to 155, I think I'll be as good as done.
Thanks a lot all, and if you do still have any further advice, chime in!!
BigBrother,
Sounds like you are a hard gainer. Your goals and your physiology are at odds and based on your previous comments I don't think it really matters what you do, your goal is going to have to be a very long term goal, and swimming is probably not going to provide the musculature that you are looking for.
If you want to research the diet and training that has worked for hard gainers and try to replace the lifting with swimming, it might work, but I doubt it. Your best bet is to find a lifting routine that is upper body focused, lift heavy no more than 3x/week and manage your diet toward for weight gain.
Good luck
Qbrain, very good advice.
I guess it all brings me back though to my fundamental question, which is really at the heart of everything. Does swimming (of the sprint variety), done concurrently with weights/dryland, lead to different muscular building than weights alone?
All the evidence I've observed seems to point to yes:
1. Swimmers alone don't have the build.
2. Lifters alone don't have the build.
3. The athletes who do both seem to have it.
That's about all I got :). I can't substantiate it, but it seems like both activities simultaneously lead to a particular result you don't get with either alone.
So now, on to finding the right balance of the two, and the right diet. So close! I was able to get to as high as 165, but with some added fat along with muscle, before cutting back down to 145 on P90X. If I can retain the current BF% (~6%) and gain back up to 155, I think I'll be as good as done.
Thanks a lot all, and if you do still have any further advice, chime in!!
