Swimming as a source of cardio?!?!?

[sooner45]

I was just wondering how much swimming will have an effect on fat loss???? I just started cardio back and I am running about a mile and swimming about half a mile. I wont to work my way up on both, but just curious as to how swimming will have an effect on fat loss as well as just getting cut up.........Thanks Bro's!

[956Vette]

itll do the trick. I cant run (knee probs), so i ride the bike and swim.... I swim about a half mile, rest then go at it again.

[KeyMastur]

itll do the trick. I can run (knee probs), so i ride the bike and swim.... I swim about a half mile, rest then go at it again.

how'd you measure out that half mile ?? drive from your starting point next to the river upstream until your odometer read .5 and called that your ending point ??

[Pheedno]

how'd you measure out that half mile ?? drive from your starting point next to the river upstream until your odometer read .5 and called that your ending point ??

Engineering blue prints for the sewer system layout

[sooner45]

Ok so swimming will burn fat??

[Pheedno]

Ok so swimming will burn fat??

Definately. Anything that keeps the heart rate elevated on a consistant level will burn fat.

[Testify]

Swimming is one of the best things you can do. It has the least impact of any exercise, and requires use of nearly every muscle. Great choice.

[xxxl83]

Ok there's a potential problem with swimming and fat loss. If you swim often and the water is below your natural temperature your body may try to hold on to some fat. It's your bodies natural insulation and way of keeping you warm.

Now the extent of this may be minimal (I'm not sure) and not an issue but it is a possibility.

xxxl83

[palme]

You are right xxxl83, not everyone realize this. Just had a debate about this subject on a Swedish forum.

[Pheedno]

Ok there's a potential problem with swimming and fat loss. If you swim often and the water is below your natural temperature your body may try to hold on to some fat. It's your bodies natural insulation and way of keeping you warm.

Now the extent of this may be minimal (I'm not sure) and not an issue but it is a possibility.

xxxl83

I really don't think this would be a problem. Biological adaption to below temp settings would take much longer durations than an hour a day of swimming.
I know some guys who were on a University swim team a few years back and these guys were hard as rock.

If you slept in the pool, you might have a problem

[Shredz]

Like all sources of cardio some are better for fat loss then others. But as long as you have your heart in the traget range your body has no ulternative then to burn fat.

I see no problem with the swimming affecting your core body temperature thus affecting fat loss. Where swimming will aid is that the stress on your joints will be significantly less.

It is not as if you are swimming in 30 F degree water. If this was the case hypothermia would be something you might want to consider not the fat loss.

Most pulbic pools are sitting in the high 70's to mid 80's if I am correct. Therefore this will not drastically reduce your core temp by any means.

[symatech]

In my opinion swimming is THE best cardio.....well, that and good sex. But when you cant have good sex go swimming. thats what I always say. or at least Im sayin it now

[Dude-Man]

in high school i was a competitive swimmer and i wore 4% body fat year round. It's the best because your using your upper body for aerobic movements elevates your heart rate more than using your lower body, because most people's upper body muscles don't use Oxygen as efficiently as their lower body does.