Swimming for Weight Loss/back pain

I have more than 20 years of experience in personal training and swimming instruction. I am not an M.D., so it is important to check with him/her first before trying anything new! You might try doing a variety of different movement patterns in the water so that you don't overwork any one joint or muscle group and can do enough activity to burn some calories. By experimenting this way, you can establish a routine that is comfortable for you (and figure out what is NOT working for your body). In addition to swimming the strokes you know, you could water walk, side step, walk raising knees, walk kick, lay on noodle (tucked under arm pits) and flutter on back. You could also put on a buoyancy vest and try doing some weightless jogging, cross country skiing and jumping jacks. If you need more help, you might hire a trainer who specializes in water exercise. Good luck!

Best4gotten, if I were you, I would steer clear of swimming tools that place extra stress on joints such as hand paddles and fins. I actually don't use those tools myself because of the stress they place on my shoulders and back and I compete at a fairly high level. I would stick to an aquajogger vest, a kickboard and a noodle and only do what is feeling comfortable.

I'm not a doctor, but I was drawn to the basic problem statement I have highlighted in bold. If this condition has been with you for a year and you still have numbness extending into foot (spinal nerve compression), I would *really* focus on addressing that condition. Swimming can be part of the therapy. Speed in the pool is not a goal right now. Good luck! hi Guys, I need some help / information from expert swimmers. i was a more running/jogging guy myself but last year same time I got slip disk and hav'nt done any exercise since. I used to run 4 km every day which helped me keep my junk food habit. Now since or run almost half of my right leg is numb and pain in my back I cant go to gym :cane: I have gained alot of weight. Last weekend I went to swimming and did laps for one hour (*** stroke) and felt really really good untill I woke up next morning with massive pain in my both knees. Google told me its something called Swimmers knees and its common. I did not gave up and went to swimming next day again and avoid the strong legs movements and used more my arms. It reduced my speed but atleast next morning it was'nt hurting. As I said my main focus is to lose weight or atleast be in good shape by working out with swimming and counting my calories intake, my concern is if what I am doing would acttually benifit me? I mean I hardly push with my legs in *** stroke and its all my arms. I am not good at front crawl but tried it with a pull bouy and it twists my back. Secondly I remember when I was learning to swim our instructor used to give us hand paddlss for front crawl which Used to make it harder and needed more force. Something like this www.akoah.com/.../hi-tech-hand-paddles-speedo-11.jpg I was wondering if something like that exist for *** stroke as well and if I should use it to do more workout in less time. please help me I have spent 1 year in total stress and swimming seems like the only thing helping me here and I dont wana giveup. Any other tips tricks would be highly appriciated. best Regards

What's your resistance to flutter kick? Relax and try to work on extending your body and learning to streamline when you swim. I'd personally try aqua aerobics or jogging. there is also a simple stretch that I was given for sciatic pain. Raise your bad knee and pull it across your body. It helps with the pressure. See a doctor and find out what's really the problem.

I think *** stroke might be more demanding on the knees than freestyle

hi, thanks alot for the tips. now I have started doing aqua jogging as well and feel much much better than before, I dont know "How" but my foot numbness has reduced in last couple of days. :bliss: What about the hand paddels for *** stroke? should I use them to put more effort into the workout or something like that just does not exist?. I heard about some finger paddels for *** stroke but the same website says

Hey, Thanks ViveBene and norascats for the help. Yes I have my appointment with the doc on this friday again probably he is going to take another MRI to see the progress. He is not very keen for surgery and warned me to avoid it because here in Germany its paid by Health insurance and Docs love to do it. I had physiotherapy sessions last year and that seems like worked for me to reduce the pain alot. About the numbness I was told by my doc that it will take alot of time to heal (in last Oct) and back then I could not even move my last to fingers of my right foot. but now its like numbness in patchesand its getting better day by day but the main concern was the overall fitness. I mean I cant expect the back to heal that quickly if I keep on putting more and more weight on it. Apart from that life just sucks when you are used to do some workout daily and then you stop at once. I am 27 but the stress of having this back problem makes me feel like I am old enough to LIVE WITH IT. Any ways thanks a lot guys for help I really appriciate that. I hope to stick with the swimming for atleast this summer. Regards

Swim to stay flexible & use calories. Try to eat better . Go see a real Dr. - We are just a bunch of swimmers with ideas !

Thanks aquajock & orca1946 for reply, Yes aquajock you are right, My muscles are not as strong as I thought, I tried 100 m of back stroke after norascats advice to try flutter kick and it totally knocked me out with heart pounding like its outside. and I have started getting calf cramps once a day during swimming that's why I have to swim near the wall Just in Case :P I asked my doctor about the cramps and he said its because of numbness some muscles were not being used and they are becoming weak and asked me to avoid hand paddles and fins for now. apart from that its just FANTASTIC, I don't know whats swimming doing to me but I don't have that stressful nights anymore and I sleep like a baby and in office I just can not wait for the time to pass so that I can run to swimming pool :D:bliss: @orca1946 Yes I am regularly going to the Doc and he is going to do another MRI this month and then he will tell me about the progress. I am not a pro at face reading But from his Straight German Looks I don't think he wants to go for the surgery :P . One Last question please, I only do 1 hour swimming everyday and in just 1 week it feels like its not enough I mean I don't feel that tired anymore as I did in first couple of days nor I am that much hungry after swimming as I used to be though I swim faster than before without stopping. Is it because my body is getting used to it? is it bad as I am doing it for weight loss? I am thinking about combining it with back stroke, 50 m back and 50 m ***. lets see if that works. Any ways thanks guys for listening my :blah: Best Regards