swimming

**Ir0n** · 10-08-2007, 03:17 AM

I've started doing some cardio on my gym off days. I kinda never did it cos I was just all about bulk. I'm now around 250lbs , 6,3 and around 14% bf.

I find the normal cardio, running and cycling boring as hell but i seem to love to swim. So that leads me to my question:

Would you consider swimming a good cardio exercise? I normally do it for 1h or 1.5h.

I read somewhere that swimming increases your lung capacity thus making chest look wider. is that bs?

And would swimming be enough or should i do some of the stuff that i don't like (cycling, running, rowing) ?

**peteroy01** · 10-08-2007, 06:51 AM

bump

**TheArtist** · 10-08-2007, 11:25 AM

i would think swimming would be excellent for cardio, as long as you aren't just dog paddling around...
you need to actually SWIM like a swimmer... lol but i'm sure you know that.

**Jenseno9** · 10-08-2007, 11:29 AM

well Ive never seen a fat swimmer. Yes it would be fine to do. I try to get about 5-6 hrs a week when I'm trying to lean out.

I have no idea about if it would make your chest look larger. Does lung capacity mean ur lungs are actually larger or that they are just more efficient?

**Prada** · 10-08-2007, 02:14 PM

YEs its fine, actually it good because you really utilize you legs, arms, abs, lower back, neck. Its really a total body cardio. Typically most other methods of cardio use solely the legs. Also its beneficial to stretch out you torso and is quite easy on joints and ligaments. Hence, for a bodybuilder I find it quite beneficial.

**shifty_git** · 10-08-2007, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by Prada

YEs its fine, actually it good because you really utilize you legs, arms, abs, lower back, neck. Its really a total body cardio. Typically most other methods of cardio use solely the legs. Also its beneficial to stretch out you torso and is quite easy on joints and ligaments. Hence, for a bodybuilder I find it quite beneficial.

Spot on Prada - Swimming is a great source is cardio - get to use EVERY muscle in the body, is great on joints ligaments as is non-impact (which for BB's is a great thing carrying all that weight! dont want any nasty shin splints!) and due to the slight water pressure on the body gives the lungs a great and even workout. That part may sound silly, but remember ya body is horizontal in the water and not vertical like normal cardio, which does actually make a difference.

**Prada** · 10-08-2007, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by shifty_git

Spot on Prada - Swimming is a great source is cardio - get to use EVERY muscle in the body, is great on joints ligaments as is non-impact (which for BB's is a great thing carrying all that weight! dont want any nasty shin splints!) and due to the slight water pressure on the body gives the lungs a great and even workout. That part may sound silly, but remember ya body is horizontal in the water and not vertical like normal cardio, which does actually make a difference.

Nothing better then doing a few laps in a Olympic size pool outdoors, with the sun.

**novastepp** · 10-08-2007, 03:16 PM

if you are swimming for fat loss, in the past, i have found it hard to control my heart rate. if you can keep a moderate swimming pace then i don't believe there to be a better all around cardio exercise.

**shifty_git** · 10-08-2007, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by Prada

Nothing better then doing a few laps in a Olympic size pool outdoors, with the sun.

o yes!

thats why sadly we have to do indoor swimming here in the uk as the sun never comes out! lol

**zipster_dude** · 10-08-2007, 07:37 PM

I've done my fair shair of swimming....Great Cardio!

**Prada** · 10-08-2007, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by shifty_git

o yes!

thats why sadly we have to do indoor swimming here in the uk as the sun never comes out! lol

Yeah I noticed its either that or one minute is bright and sunny, then next is pouring down. lol

**J-Dogg** · 10-08-2007, 08:56 PM

It's fun if you use flippers!

**Ir0n** · 10-09-2007, 10:02 AM

i did a search on this. (should have done this earlier i guess

) and found that swimming is not that good for fat loss due to difficulty controlling the hart rate and the fact that your body does not need extra energy to cool the body off as the watter does it for it.

It's sad, i though i could get away with it, but i guess i'll have to be doing cycling as i was into reducing the body fat and getting the hart rate in check.

Thanks for you input guys!

**majorpecs** · 10-10-2007, 07:15 AM

I was under the impression that swimming was anarobic and thus not good for fat loss at all, in fact I thought it was NOT good cardio if your goal is to maintain LBM.

**kman** · 10-10-2007, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by Ir0n

i did a search on this. (should have done this earlier i guess

) and found that swimming is not that good for fat loss due to difficulty controlling the hart rate and the fact that your body does not need extra energy to cool the body off as the watter does it for it.

It's sad, i though i could get away with it, but i guess i'll have to be doing cycling as i was into reducing the body fat and getting the hart rate in check.

Thanks for you input guys!

Its sad, and true. But swimming is still great for you. I feels its gives the muscles a great hard pump, def. through it in the mix if you can, just dont expect fat loss from it.

**legobricks** · 10-10-2007, 09:15 PM

using flippers would help control your heart rate as you move faster and are more stable in the water. May look strange tho using flippers in a pool thats only 5'6" deep for laps......

**Amorphic** · 10-10-2007, 10:19 PM

a few of my friends are lifeguards at a local pool and they are incredibly fit and lean from teaching lessons and swimming lines. swimming is a full body workout that cannot be beat.

**novastepp** · 10-10-2007, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by Ir0n

i did a search on this. (should have done this earlier i guess

) and found that swimming is not that good for fat loss due to difficulty controlling the hart rate and the fact that your body does not need extra energy to cool the body off as the watter does it for it.

It's sad, i though i could get away with it, but i guess i'll have to be doing cycling as i was into reducing the body fat and getting the hart rate in check.

Thanks for you input guys!

the cooling aspect means very little. like i said before if you can control your heart rate, swimming is a great fat burning exercise.

**wantmoremass** · 10-11-2007, 10:28 AM

i love to swim, but find it to be damn hard work. it takes me a lot of sessions at the pool to build up any kind of endurance if i'm starting it again. it's a great workout, but for me the hardest thing about it is fitting it into my lifting routine - i do a 5 day split, and something's always hurting enough to make swimming suck because it is such a full body exercise.