Swimming your way thin??

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-29-2005
Swimming your way thin??
3
Mon, 06-27-2005 - 6:37pm

how much should you swim to get a good workout? I normally swim during the summer, but for losing weight and/or toneing my body, about how much is good to start out with? I'm firmilliar with laps and Meters, so what like 500m? I know 1800m is one mile, what do you all think would be a good starting point? I plan on swimming 2 days a week along with going to the gym 3days a week.

Jen
233/228/135

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-21-2004
Mon, 06-27-2005 - 8:56pm
I try to swim at least 3-4 days a week. I usually start off with some stretching in the pool, using the sides and using my own weight for resistance. I get bored with straight laps so I usually alternate laps - one with the regular arms and legs going, one on my back with just my legs going, another where I pull my legs up under me and use my arms to propel - the resistance of the water is like lifting weights. I also tread water in the deep end and do leg pull ups using my abdomen muscles. I find that I work more muscles and get a better workout in the water than I do on land - I have less joint pain, obviously don't feel the sweat, and find that I can go longer. Yay for the pool!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-02-2005
Mon, 06-27-2005 - 10:35pm
i love working out in my pool. it's inground so i have the shallow end to jog, use water weights, and do jumping jacks, then the deep end to do laps, crunches, chin ups on the diving board, etc. you can buy a kit at any pool store that includes weights to use in the water. mine also came with webbed gloves that give you more resistance when doing laps and treading water.
Avatar for jess9802
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-02-2003
Tue, 06-28-2005 - 2:20pm

Hi Jen! I love swimming and used to swim competitively (I curse the day I gave it up). Five hundred meters is a less than a third of a mile. In a standard Olympic size pool, this is 10 laps.

IMO, the important thing with swimming isn't distance so much as it is intensity and duration. It's pretty easy to do a lot of laps, which won't burn many calories. As with running, sprints are going to give you the best results (alternating slow and easy laps with hard, all-out swims). Alternating strokes is good too, because each one works your muscles in a slightly different manner. Do a "medley"--one or two laps of each stroke. If you've never tried the butterfly, you should. It is HARD, but that's good when it comes to building muscle and losing weight. I remember coming home from swim practice and feeling like every muscle in my body was made of rubber. (I also used to get HOT during swim practice--my face would feel like it was on fire, and it wasn't because of the sun! LOL!)

Here's a link to a web page with swim workouts for beginners. Good luck, and enjoy. I can't wait to get back in the pool.

http://www.worldwideaquatics.com/Workouts/beginner.htm