Swimming

[Zahri]

This summer i've taken up swimming to get a workout, and only starting and being as out of shape as i am, i've only been able to manage 25 laps a day without feeling too sick to continue (no idea why sick... not tired at all, just kind of nauseous...)And more recently worked up to 30 laps..

Anyways, my pool is 30 feet long, and counting me doing 25-30 laps (a lap for me being to one edge then back), would that be a good enough workout to initiate some noticeable loss over a decent time? or should i work for more?

 

[ExodusinFlames]

Work it of course, but don't push yourself further than your body will allow. Thats a good way to develop problems with your insides later in life

 

[Berethond]

If you're doing the most you can, then that should be plenty.
i wouldn't be caught dead in a swimming pool myself, but that's a story for a different thread.
(Run along to bed, little children. Grandpa's tired.)

 

[Zahri]

huh... I am amazed, i actually saw this topic, my topic, top the chart thing while watching a ZP review. ;D

Anyways, got it o.o different swim methods and some dance dance revolution to mix it up.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Well, I'm not sure about just general workout, but the point of a lot of exercise regimens is to push one's self at least a little. Not to the point of actual nausea, of course, but working yourself up from 25 laps (especially in a 10 yard-long pool) would be a good idea.

No swimming within 30 minutes of eating.

Wrong. No swimming while eating. Or, alternately, no swimming competition speed after eating really heavy stuff.

 

[Vivaldi]

Im a competative swimmer, and I do 2 1/2 hours a day in the pool after school, plus morning practice of 1 1/2 hours before school.

I do a lot of swimming.

It is great excersise, and great for your heart and if you do not feel like you are stressing yourself too much, then definetly go for it. Dont increase your workout too fast or you might strain your shoulders or legs. Also, try and breathe on both sides if you are doing Freestyle (Crawlstroke) so you do not overdevelop one side of your body.

Advance at a leisurely rate, see how long you can go without feeling weird, and then stop a little bit. Try and record it and get maybe one or two laps more every now and then. Dont advance too quicky, you might hurt yourself. Swimming looks friendly but it can be painfull Doing as much as your body tells you to do is enough, but dont be afraid to push your body a little every now and then.

Stretching is good too, before and after, but more after.

If you have any questions, ask away. It is part of my life like breathing so please, Im more than happy to talk about it

 

[Rigs83]

It takes way more time to lose weight than it does to pack it on. You have to remember that you are making a Lifestyle change not just exercising to fit into a prom dress. Just jabbing ya, but you should keep at it and with time you will lose the weight and gain strength.

You might feel nausea because your lungs are not taking in enough oxygen. A simple exercise that deep sea divers do is to submerge your face under water(this triggers yours body to slow it's metabolism to not waste the remaining oxygen) and hold your breath for as long as you can. You will notice almost immediately that the next time you do it you can hold your breath longer because your lungs are learning to expand more thus taken in more oxygen. This little exercise may aid you in other exercises by strengthening your solar plexus and enlarging your lungs.
Second don't hog out after you exercise. A single Big Mac can destroy all your hard work. fruits and vegetables are your friend, protein rich products (lean meats) will help you heal and build up muscle but don't over do it.
Finally keep at as long as you can, and I mean not for a summer but for life. You don't stop or you will regress and gain back all the weight unless you severely cut you calorie intake to compensate.

 

[Ultrajoe]

As an avid swimmer and shark hybrid, swimming for fitness is not something you just do. Different strokes vary your results greatly, working different muscle groups and body systems. If you wanted pure fitness out of the endeavour then it comes down to how much time you have. Is there a local olympic pool? I prefer to talk in laps as 50-meter bites.

1) Cardio: Freestyle with three strokes to a breath to start, using tumbleturns to add an extra bit of strain to your workout. This is a great start to anyone doing casual swimming as it prepares you for any further, intense swims. Move up to 4 strokes to a breath if this starts to become easy, and when you can do 5 full, proper strokes to a breath you'll be kicking ass. A longer pool helps this. You'll notice results fairly quickly, and by fairly quickly I mean 'gradually over a few weeks'.

2) Weight-loss: Breastroke, actually. Anyone who doubts the power of this stroke has never really tried to pull their weight through the water with any semblance of power. This works for short pools and if you love to feel the burn then this is the stroke to get your heart going, add in tumble turns and 30 of these suckers going full force should make you sleep like a baby.

Steer clear of butterfly unless you think it's a cool thing to know, because it's a *****.

Really, I don't think a 30ft pool can do you much good, the break in routine so frequently will play havoc with your stroke (and hence potential benefit) and pace, break up your rhythym and breathing, and so many turns so quickly will tire you out before you've done any real work.

Start with a 750m swim in an olympic pool (50m), just freestyle, and learn your limits. From there just go for broke. I swim 2k regularly, in both pools and the ocean, and it becomes a second way of walking, you can get into rythm beyond the strain and aches, and it leaves you feeling like a champion. Nothing like it, really, I put it up with parkour and martial arts as things that are just cool to learn. And no, being able to paddle in your home pool is not swimming in the proper sense, any more than shadow boxing is karate or stepping over potholes is freerunning.

 

[Zahri]

Another weird thing, during these nauseous periods, i found it helps to go to the deep end of my pool, lift my legs out of the water and place them on the edge, and do the equivalent of situps, just vertically o.o it feels weird but i find myself feeling much better afterwards xD

And it could be that i had a subway footlong about an hour beforehand <.<

 

[TyphoidMary]

You might want to figure out the length of an Olympic sized pool (since standard laps are based more on that than on home pools), and base your lap count on that more than the length of yours. And swimming is good for you, but it's best to add some dry land exercise, and maybe some kind of change in diet to lose weight.

 

[JC175]

This summer i've taken up swimming to get a workout, and only starting and being as out of shape as i am, i've only been able to manage 25 laps a day without feeling too sick to continue (no idea why sick... not tired at all, just kind of nauseous...)And more recently worked up to 30 laps..

Anyways, my pool is 30 feet long, and counting me doing 25-30 laps (a lap for me being to one edge then back), would that be a good enough workout to initiate some noticeable loss over a decent time? or should i work for more?

Wait, 30 feet? That's like, 10 metres long (I converted roughly in my head), which isn't a lot.

If you're serious about swimming, find an olympic sized local pool (50 metres long) and slowly build your way up. Keep in mind that swimming is an endurance sport, so take your time and don't push yourself too hard. It might help to have a lesson or two as well, because making sure you have the right, smooth technique and core stability does wonders for the amount of laps you can swim.

If you get up to the fitness level, try swimming about 20 laps two, maybe three times a week and it should work wonders for you.

 

[Ultrajoe]

You might want to figure out the length of an Olympic sized pool (since standard laps are based more on that than on home pools), and base your lap count on that more than the length of yours. And swimming is good for you, but it's best to add some dry land exercise, and maybe some kind of change in diet to lose weight.

Combine swimming with riding and you become a ninja. Really.

 

[megapenguinx]

It's going take time to lose weight. You won't start seeing results of that first week until about 3 weeks later. Those laps will be fine to start you off, but you will want to gradually add on more bit by bit (just be careful not to overdue it, only you know what your body can take). By the end of summer if you stay on your workout regime, you should be crazy in shape (like abs and such).

 

[Major_Sam]

I used to swim competively and used to swim about 5km (not sure about miles sorry) a day but I wouldn't expect you to do that much. But I would swim a much as you can until you get tired and keep pushing yourself but not to a point you are going to pass out. Maybe increase the number of laps you do every week or depending how you feel. It is really up to you to decide how much is too much or not enough.

 

[Bored Tomatoe]

I can't stand swimming pools, The water makes me break out in a blotchy rash.

 

[CuddlyCombine]

I do a triathalon workout (swim, cycle, run) frequently to keep in shape, and swimming is probably my forte, considering I've been doing it over the last ten years. I can't really give any advice that hasn't already been given, seeing that we've got some damn experienced guys up there; however, as has been said, don't strain yourself, because injuries (especially early on in training) will wreck your progress. You'd be surprised at how quickly muscle atrophies; straining your arm or shoulder may have you sitting on the poolside for a week and a half but it could easily put you back a month in progress.

So yeah, take it easy and have patience!

 

[Aviator Ombre]

You should email Phelps.

 

[Ultrajoe]

You should email Phelps.

I still reckon the Thorpedo had more style. Even if he is a peacock.

 

[Zahri]

The few posts here about working up, that's been my plan already. if i see good results by the beggining of the school year, i may try for the swim team but we'll see.

I've been mixing it up with different strokes yes, but i have no idea what they'd be called xD And as to mixing it up, i'll toss in some Stepmania.

DDR WAS my forte... then i got lazy T.T i miss being able to do Max 300 on heavy mode...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPr1jKEKLYw

 

[DonPauliani]

Work it of course, but don't push yourself further than your body will allow. Thats a good way to develop problems with your insides later in life

Oh I disagree, there's nothing more fun than tendinitis after achieving the body of Adonis. Just ask Gerard Butler. ha. ha. ha.