Need Advice on Swimming

Sup Ya'll,

There's been a lot of debate on whether swimming is the best cardio, or if it makes you lose calories but not fat, or that calories are just calories and if you lose them you'll lose weight...and so on. Thing is, for a lot of people running or jogging is just too boring, it's hard to maintain...swimming may or may not be the best cardio, but atleast is fun... and better for your bones, well atleast for me.

Anyhoo...

I've been swimming since I was 5 and consider myself a pretty good swimmer. If there are any professional swimmers here, or anyone that could give me any advice on serious swimming for the purpose of fat loss, can you give me a swimming plan, and the duration? Frontcrawl, breast stroke, maybe not backstroke..but butterfly, whatever style is cool. What I'm looking for is, MAX intensity for swimming.

Thanks Ya'll.

Tom.
 
Just curious to as how old you are? I might be able to come up with something but I'm not sure I started swimming around the same age and I swam 6 years in high school. Swimming is an excellent way to burn calories and as for burning fat I think HIIT would work for swimming too, during high school I would eat like a horse and still lose weight. That was when I was about 280lbs so swimming definately works but it depends on how much time you have also. Age and how much time you are willing to give would be great info:)
 
Ssup D15BT,

I'm 25 years old. When I said I started swimming at 5, I was actually meaning my first experience with the swimming pool at 5, haha. I've been overweight pretty much all my life, but I've still managed to be the swim captain during my high school days for 3 years in a row. Thinking back, maybe nobody in my class knew how to swim, or maybe they just didn't wanna take the responsibility.

Anyhoo, I'll be weight training 3 times a week, and plan to swim a minimum of 1 hr everyday. Just one more thing, would it be better to eat before swimming or after swimming? Or, does it not matter? I've heard eating after swimming is bad? not sure...

Thanks dude!

Tom
 
Since you were the captain on your team you had to be half decent heh. I was a horrible swimmer back then and in the time we had practice we got in about 6k-7k yards in 2.5hrs so bring that down 2400-2800 yards.

Warm up
400 yd warmup
100 swim
100 kick
100 pull
100 swim

Body
2X200yd( 4 minute interval)
200 IM
200 freestyle

6X100yd (Quick interval)
All choice as long as u make the same interval
ie: I could swim 100 free in 1:20 in practice and the interval was 1:30 but I could swim 100 back in 1:22 still on 1:30

10X50
SKPS = Swim/Kick/Pull/Swim each 50
1:00 interval

1X400IM

Cool Down
200 ez


This is like a typical day in the life of a high school swimmer, just shortened. Your intervals will change over time according to your speed and you should just make sure to get about 2500 yards in.

As for eating..If you workout then swim you should eat like and hr before you start lifting I'd say otherwise if you just swim on some days then eat after. As you know cramps SUCK HARDCORE when swimming. They can attack anywhere your side, your calf, they don't care.

I hope this helps some.

(p.s sorry for late post i have been busy with school)
 
Sorry for double post, but this site seems pretty good as to what to do. I dont know if you are familiar with USS type swimming. This is like more advanced then your regular club swimming but this varies from all ages. Just type where you think you should be most people would fall in USS ABC. ABC are the times that people can get A-fast B-quick C-average and past A is like zone/champ/national all those times but check out this link if you have some free time.
 
Yo thanks D15BT.

Just applied for a membership in a local swimming club. Will definately tryout your routine and check out the ones in the website you've provided as well. I'll see what works well with me.

Still, alot of people are saying that swimming is not a good sport for losing calories. I however, think that by swimming I may not lose as much, but would still be consistent in actually sustaining my routine. Runnin' just aint my thang.

Thanks dude.
Tom.
 
Haha, I used to think that running wasn't my thing either. I think the reason people say that it doesn't burn as many calories is because they think that you don't sweat, or the average person swimming definitely would not burn as much calories as previous high school swimmers. I guess if your still just trying things out and you like swimming give it a go for a couple months if you like the results stick with it! :)

Have fun, I am also going to start swimming because the high school alumni meet is coming up and my brother is in 9th grade...No way am I going to lose to him
 
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