|
Post by samantha711 on Jun 24, 2005 13:07:35 GMT -5
I've recently become bored with my workout routine at the gym. Always the same thing, treadmill/bike then lifting. It seems for years!! So, I've started a new routine of "Swim". What I do is for one hour each night, 4-5 times a week I go to the gym where we have a 25 meter pool. For 45 minutes I do non-stop laps, all different (vigorous) stroke, backstroke, sidestroke, breast stroke. The last 15 minutes I grab the side of the pool and do different kicking exercises.
My question is, I guess I want to know what benefits I am deriving from this? I'm so used to huffing & puffing on the treadmill that the swimming doesn’t seem to be giving me a workout. I am tired afterwards though. And am I working my muscles enough? About how many calories can I burn in an hour?
Would someone who knows the benefits of swimming please clue me in?? Thanks, Suze
|
|
|
Post by Vince on Jun 24, 2005 18:34:37 GMT -5
Hey Sue,
Swimming is arguably the best total body workout there is. Is is zero impact and works every muscle in your body.
I was in a special operations group in the Marines, and we did alot of amphibious operations. The unit I was in specialized in boat raids... you know, those little black rubber zodiak boats. Well, they tried to make good swimmers out of all of the soldiers, so they had us doing lots of swimming exercises and drills. Like you said, just swimming doesnt seem to create the same burn that some other exercises do. Thats why I like these swimming drills, they make a crazy burn. Just make sure when you do them that you are close enough to the edge of the pool to grab it if you start to cramp up or cant go on.
- Tread water for 5 minutes - 1 minute break - Tread water with your arms extended above the water, using your legs only. Do not let your hands go below the water. - 1 minute break - Tread water using your arms only. Keep your feet crossed and your toes sticking out of the water if possible.
You will find the above simple exercises will create quite an overall body burn in a very short time. As your cardio and conditioning improves, extend the length of the rounds.
|
|
|
Post by fogster on Jun 24, 2005 18:57:08 GMT -5
Like Vince said, it is a VERY good way to get in shape. EXTREMELY small risk of injury.
|
|
|
Post by samantha711 on Jun 24, 2005 19:57:56 GMT -5
Thanks guys and whilst I'm on the subject....What is it that makes some of us so buoyant? I'm talking buoyant, as in I have always been able to float on my back on top of the water without moving a muscle so high on the surface that all of the top skin on my body & my toes are out of the water? I am like a frickin human log, what's up with that?? I can do this for an unlimited amount of time, I don't even need a raft..lol People ask me to do it just cause it looks so weird..If anyone knows why I'm like this, cool!
|
|
|
Post by Vince on Jun 25, 2005 5:49:22 GMT -5
LOL, you've got me "stumped" there Sue!
Some people would probably say body fat %, but I don't think that is it. I've seen people with a high bodyfat % that float like you and other fat people sink, and the same goes for people with low bodyfat %'s.
I have done some SCUBA diving and we have to adjust our suites for our personal bouyancy. If we sink we have to inflate our vests a bit with air... if we rise to the top we have to add some weights.
|
|
|
Post by ArmyOfOne on Jul 27, 2005 2:28:01 GMT -5
the answer to Samantha's question is three fold. Firstly, a woman has less bone density overall, which is less solid ma*s in her body. Secondly, there is much less muscle in a womans body. Muscle weighs 3 times as much as fat and doesn't have anywhere near the bouyancy of fat. And thirdly, women have immensely higher body fat percentages than men. So a man with a high percentage will not float as well as a woman with a similar percentage. And since most women have very high fat percentages, low bone density, and low muscle density they float considerable better......No comparison.
---Ultraman
|
|
|
Post by ArmyOfOne on Jul 29, 2005 2:34:16 GMT -5
an interesting note on training while swimming: Speedo makes a glove that you wear on your hands which has webbed fingers and a velcro wrist. this piece of equipment is excellent to supplement various strokes and resistance training in the pool.
|
|
|
Post by ericjohn on Jan 21, 2006 21:00:48 GMT -5
Love the "swim". I don;t remember not being able to swim as my gandfather was a swimming instructor at the YMCA. My whole family swims from gandparents to new babies. It is an awsome work out and something you can do as a family sport or jsut for fun.
|
|