Okay, so I have been reading all over the web and have gotten many many different answers. Is swimming good for weight loss? I mean, swimming fast and varied laps for an hour or more a day? Swimming is probably the only sport I have real endurance in, and I was hoping that it's good for weight loss, since I really should lose at least 100 pounds. Or, is it better to split the workout into dryland exercises and swimming? Anyone have any opinions?
I would split it up....Just so you don't get bored with your routine. Try and build muscle mass too, as that will help you drop lbs by burning more calories when you do cardio, and even at rest.
Well I don't really know if it's good for loosing weight (even if I think physical activity of any kind could hurt on that matter) but it's a quite complete sport that can help you building an harmonious muscular mass, and you barely can hurt yourself swimming. Due to health problems, it is the only sport (with aquagym) that I have ever practiced, and since I am not swimming anymore I have gainned more weight than I would have liked.
well swimming may assist you loosing weight but it is also really important or could be more important to watch your diet.
swimming as allays been said here to be the best sporting activity for you for fitness and losing weight / toning body its to do with the range of movement x the resistance of the water... i would love to swim again but im far too self concious now and well people are horrid at them places >..> well here anyway.
swimming is great exercise, but try not to kick off the walls when swimming laps, make your legs and arms do the work.
I'd say yes. Low impact (joint wise) workout with the resistance of the water. Especailly if you have that much weight to loose. But you do need to change your diet as well Personally I was at my thinnest while swimming.
It's a good whole body workout. The only limiting factor for weight loss is that people don't normally swim for 30+ minutes non-stop, where with treadmill, biking or running, you're more likely to workout for a longer period of time.
Thanks everyone! I plan on changing my diet too, but I know that a more effective way to lose weight is exercising and dieting, rather than just one. I haven't swum laps in a few years but I used to be able to swim laps nonstop for 45 min or more, so I'm hoping that will some practice I can get back in the groove of things.
During the summer I loose weight because I'm in the pool 4-5 times a week for at least 1-2 hours. All I'm doing is haning out with people and having a good time doing it. In my opinion, its the best way to loose wieght and not even know it.
I think it's a great way to lose some weight. In fact I might think about that this summer... With a pool in the backyard it's convenient and a great way to stay cool too!
I certainly swim as the cardio component of my exercise routine. Swimming constantly for half an hour or so is a good workout - I do 40 or 42 lengths or 1000 / 1050m. (I do push off the wall at each end though! :lol I do front crawl and back crawl with a bit of breast stroke thrown in so that I'm not using the same muscles the same way the whole time. That way I have avoided some of the neck and shoulder problems I was having when I started out. I don't think swimming really builds muscle mass as quickly as doing some resistance training. But if you do both, you'll build muscle, and then use those larger muscles to swim (and do everything else you do) which burns more calories. Good luck. It's TOTALLY worth it. I'm down 45lbs since last July, and I feel great. And I get lots of compliments about how great I look! :icon_bigg
