Swimming for cardio?

**gettingthere** · 06-11-2009, 11:38 AM

I hate HATE doing cardio, find it so so boring! but swimming i can do and kinda enjoy it.

Was wondering can swimming be your cardio? i dont want to ose wait, in fact i want to gain size but want to tone my abs and the rest of my body, wondering can it be done through swimming?

**MACKATTACK** · 06-11-2009, 11:42 AM

If you want to gain size then swiming should not be the cardio for you to do. I forgot but I read somewhere it leads to your body eating away at your muscle...........

**xnotoriousx** · 06-11-2009, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by MACKATTACK

If you want to gain size then swiming should not be the cardio for you to do. I forgot but I read somewhere it leads to your body eating away at your muscle...........

i dont see how its worse than anything else

**MACKATTACK** · 06-11-2009, 02:26 PM

Well I just thought with swiming you are not breathing as much and as nearly as often........

http://books.google.com/books?id=_Yt...esult&resnum=9

Read under Anerobic Training.........its just a thought, it says that you use Muscle glycogen, Muscle ATP, and muscle PCr when doing intense swiming..........but to eahc his own, I guess thats why all swimmers are not extremely muscular and just VERY tone with low muscle size/gerth.............

**eatrainrest** · 06-11-2009, 04:10 PM

its about your HR

**bakie** · 06-11-2009, 05:13 PM

^^ Exactly... Btw, if you want an amazing back look into swimming. Still don't believe it, look at the backs on the olympic swimmers next time you are watching. Add that too weight training and good eating KABAAM! I watched a chick rep out 30 pullups and she had never done them before in her life, just swam.

**MACKATTACK** · 06-11-2009, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by bakie

^^ Exactly... Btw, if you want an amazing back look into swimming. Still don't believe it, look at the backs on the olympic swimmers next time you are watching. Add that too weight training and good eating KABAAM! I watched a chick rep out 30 pullups and she had never done them before in her life, just swam.

Well its pretty hard to monitor your heart rate when you dont have a machine and ur not stopping inbetween ur workout a million times.........Bakie, have you ever tried it yourself personally? If not then you can't post your opinnion, sure their backs look great they are like 5% BF all of them lol.........you realize Phelps has to eat 10,000 calories a day just to maintain his physique when training??

I am sure this guy isnt eating 10,000 calories a day...........plus the OP SPECIFICALLY said he is trying to GAIN SIZE/ MUSCLE, i wouldnt think unmonitored heart rate and swiming is the best choice for him then........

**amcon** · 06-11-2009, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by sneejoe

I hate HATE doing cardio, find it so so boring! but swimming i can do and kinda enjoy it.

Was wondering can swimming be your cardio? i dont want to ose wait, in fact i want to gain size but want to tone my abs and the rest of my body, wondering can it be done through swimming?

brother the only reason to swim is so that you dont drownd... lol

go for a long walk or somehting

**xnotoriousx** · 06-11-2009, 09:34 PM

I think if you enjoy to swim, you'll find much success in it for losing body fat, along with a good diet of course.

**kickinit** · 06-11-2009, 10:09 PM

Yeah I would stick with breast stroke or side stroke really if you want my honest opinion if you want to keep muscles. No matter how slow you do freestyle or flys you will be going over your fat burning HR.

**Tigershark** · 06-11-2009, 10:31 PM

I can not stand swimming. Boring as hell to me. Give me a machine in front of ESPN any day.

**jbm** · 06-12-2009, 12:37 AM

I only go swimming when there is a lot of hot women in the pool!

**streamline89** · 06-12-2009, 01:16 AM

Do it for sure.. just remember to breathe lots..and dont go to hard..its great for burning fat and your cardiac output will be really good after a few weeks. Its great for lowering BP and heart rate as with any cardio..ohh yeah dont forget to drink lots of water cause you will dehydrate..

**Biff77** · 06-12-2009, 01:56 PM

How bout just walking back and forth in the shallow end chest deep?? Wouldnt it be about the same azz a machine up hill ,, but with less stression yer knees and back??

**MACKATTACK** · 06-12-2009, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by Biff77

How bout just walking back and forth in the shallow end chest deep?? Wouldnt it be about the same azz a machine up hill ,, but with less stression yer knees and back??

Probably, its just like any other resistance training but thats not techinically swimming........

**bjpennnn** · 06-12-2009, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by Tigershark

I can not stand swimming. Boring as hell to me. Give me a machine in front of ESPN any day.

exactly

**eatrainrest** · 06-12-2009, 03:44 PM

swimming can be very effective if you train at the right HR..,but that goes with ANY cardio exercise

**lovbyts** · 06-12-2009, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by jbm

I only go swimming when there is a lot of hot women in the pool!

I agree

Originally Posted by amcon

brother the only reason to swim is so that you dont drownd... lol

go for a long walk or somehting

Another great point, that's why I have jet skis. LOL

**jbm** · 06-12-2009, 08:34 PM

**Twist** · 06-13-2009, 01:39 AM

I was under the impression that due to the cold temperature of pools your body will hold onto body fat to protect itself. I read a study about it.

**Bulkn** · 06-14-2009, 04:58 AM

yeah i dont think swimmers look that lean. but they do have massive chest/shoulders/back

**xnotoriousx** · 06-14-2009, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by Bulkn

yeah i dont think swimmers look that lean. but they do have massive chest/shoulders/back

Really?

**BuiltForThis** · 06-15-2009, 07:53 PM

How about applying the concepts of HIIT to swimming? For example, 30 seconds of full out swimming followed by a brief rest period repeated for 20 - 30 minutes.

**eatrainrest** · 06-15-2009, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by BuiltForThis

How about applying the concepts of HIIT to swimming? For example, 30 seconds of full out swimming followed by a brief rest period repeated for 20 - 30 minutes.

that seems fine.. just monitor HR with a device if you have one

**Orlando Rocket** · 06-15-2009, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by BuiltForThis

How about applying the concepts of HIIT to swimming? For example, 30 seconds of full out swimming followed by a brief rest period repeated for 20 - 30 minutes.

I agree with this, the gym I go to has 3 olympic sized pools and some water polo leagues, the guys in the senior leagues are jacked. I talk to some of them regularly and they do lift on top of the polo but it's obviously working for their physique. The sport is basically treading water then all out sprinting then treading again if you've never watched it.