Ken1997TL

Anyone else swim daily? How much? Laps? Competitive? Diving? etc.

Python2121

Lately I have transitioned to swimming every day. I got ear plugs which makes it way less annoying. I usually swim 40-60 laps (25m i guess). It is so much better than running because you can wear yourself down and your body doesn't feel bad since there isn't any stress. It has gotten me pretty cut compared to what I was before, although I changed my diet for the better as well.

BstonBruin

I wish I had a pool here or something, swimming is probably by far the best activity for your body, that and nordic walking.

MikeCLS6

....i enjoy swimming, its probally the best cardio workout.

Whiskers

Swimming > *

ric

Pretty soon you can take up swimming the channel................

Whiskers

Yeah, with the crazies that swim out there in the winter.

F-C

I love swimming, too bad there aren't any pools near my new apartment. So sad.

At my last gym, there was an incredible swimmer. He was extremely fast and could swim very long distances...but he was really really obese. It's all in the technique.

JJ4Short

excuse the mess, we havent done the after winter maintnence yet.

Anywho how many laps do you think is a good amount or equal to a 2 mile run at 8 minutes a mile?

I usually do 30 laps
1 lap = 1 down and 1 back

I know its not enough but what is?

BstonBruin

^^ I wish I had a pool in the backyard...but then again I'd rather have a tennis court. Maybe someday.

JJ4Short

My ex had a pool and a full tennis court with fence
I loved her parents place and it was only 180k...Living in the boondocks in florida has its perks.

Doc.Booty

I wish is could swim more often. I have a lake but it's still freezing cold this time of year.

Run 2 miles at 8 minutes a mile. Get a feel for your heartrate at that pace. Then do that pace for 16 minutes in your pool. Ta-da!

BstonBruin

180K doesnt go very far where I live lol. Thats awesome though.

JJ4Short

LOL so simple yet I never thought of it

mamboking

I thought blacks couldn't swim...

JJ4Short

90 percent of my black friends can't...its sad

BstonBruin

why do you think that is??

JJ4Short

No clue

Whiskers

Their big penises get in the way....

eclipse23

Just started in my gym, funny to see a thread on it.

@cUr@-TL

i like to swim once in a while but im not a big fan of it... but it's a very good exercise... i might try to incorporate swimming into my workout more this summer...

subinf

I used to surf everyday and loved it. Swimming in the ocean is a lot of fun in general. Then last summer a lot of people started to get attacked by sharks in the Bay Area and I decided there are other ways to stay in shape. And my board broke so it wasnt a hard choice to make.

derrick

Swimming is a great exercise -- I used to competitively swim in high school. The 'fat guys' who can swim fast for long distances -- most likely are waterpolo players (for some odd reason). I think it's because they drink a lot ... but have great endurance for matches.

Anyway, it's all in the technique. Most will do freestyle ('front crawl') -- mix it up with backstroke (to work our your traps, triceps, and lats), breastroke (quads, pecs), and butterfly (everything). All disciplines really increase flexibility when executed properly (shoulders especially). So remember -- stretching exercises before you start help considerably. And more importantly -- bilateral breathing (breath on both sides) -- keep your lats even ... otherwise one side will be stronger than another (every 3 strokes, take a breath is a 'standard').

I used to set up practices for my team in the past but I've long forgotten the theory behind things. I do remember every week, you need to do a 'long distance' swim (1.5k straight swim) to build endurance ... try to build to 1 min 45 sec per 100m as a pace time. (At my peak, I was down to about 1min 15sec / 100m ... ie 12'30" for 1 k and I was sprinter ... hated distance).

derrick

Going back on-topic ... warm up with 5x1 lap easy of various strokes (to get the blood flowing) ... depending on what you did in the gym, you can focus with the flutter board (legs), arms (pull buoy), or straight out swim. Now ... the workout: the 'pyramid' (2x100, 2x200, 2x400, 2x200, 2x100) ... give yourself about 20 seconds between each miniset on a fixed pace time. Example: 2x100 on 2'00", 2x200 on 4'00", 2x400 on 8'15", and downwards. That's 2k in 40 min, which is a great workout. I think I'm being ambitious for the beginner.

How about: 5x200 on 4:00 and see how that goes? 1k in 20 minutes. Sounds like a decent pace but of course, tailor it to what you can do.

PM me if you want more ideas OR ... there are plenty of websites that have suggested swim schedules with a lot more thought than my rudimentary workouts.

LuvMyTSX

I've been a competitive swimmer since age 12 and swam in college. I really love swimming, and being a little older now I missed the team atmosphere. I joined a masters team at my gym 2 years ago and we have coached practices, which is fantastic (otherwise my motivation sucks on my own ).

For more ideas for workouts or info on joining a masters team in your area, visit http://www.usms.org.

RaptorCLS

I used to swim competitively. Trying to get back into shape as I was when competing.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Since swimming pools around here are seasonal (and places with indoor pools are next to nonexistant) I switch from running to swimming during the summer, while the pool is open. Usually don't swim every day, more like 4-5 times a week. Each session is usually about 40 laps + a warm up and a cool down.

astro

I am looking to get back into swimming to help with my cycling. I've been riding a ton this year, over 1000miles this month alone! Swimming seems like a perfect companion activity to help with my fitness

Sarlacc

I have never been a strong swimmer. I didnt even learn until I was 12.

But today I walked to the gym. Went 1.5 miles on the elliptical. Worked out my shoulders/tris, stretched. And decided to swim. Why not. I had my back waxed I was feeling confident.

FUCK ME...two laps and I was DEAD. 3rd lap I barely made...and the 4th lap I had to stop half way before I started choking on water. I had lactic acid build up after 2 laps.

Crazy how quickly I got fatigued...not even a 6 mile hike to 600ft elevation did me in this bad the other day.

But...I am going to buy some goggles and go again. I get only get better

EDIT: oh...and I hadnt even been in a pool in about 5 years...and I have NEVER tried swimming laps before.

LuvMyTSX

That's funny. But seriously, swimming is tough and most people just don't understand how much energy it takes or how much it can do for your body. It takes a lot of coaching and practice to be an efficient swimmer. The more inefficient you are, the more quickly you will get tired.

Now that I'm on my masters team, our practices are about 5,000 yards/night (1.5 hour practices 2x during the week). 5,000 yards = 200 laps (in competitive swimming 1 lap is one time down not down and back). In my "glory days" in college, we were doing an hour of running or dryland exercises, then a 2 hour practice of about 10-12,000 yards (400-480 laps). I don't know how I ever managed that and wish I could be in that kind of shape again. I was a buff chick .

Sarlacc

^ I was only counting one way as a lap.

I dont even think I would have done better had I not had my usual work out before hand.

But my stamina in the gym is also down...I havent been in much at all lately. Almost never in the past few months. Too busy with work.

LuvMyTSX

Yeah, I was just saying it generally....it's just one of those little annoying things when people say a lap is down and back . I think it's the "old school" thought from way back, or from outside the competitive swimming world.

I've been trying to get back into some kind of shape, but I only swim 2-3 times a week now, so there's no going back to how I used to swim. Gotta suck it up and do what I can do now that I'm in the adult world, LOL. Other than swimming, I try to work out in the gym 2-3 times a week as well. It just doesn't happen like that b/c of work and life crap.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

The first time back is always the toughest. I'm not looking forward to my own first experience hitting the pool in nearly a year.

Sarlacc

first time back

This was the first time period.

Ken1997TL

I'm going to try some rivers again, probably across the Columbia when I have time. Need to keep up my endurance.

Sarlacc

Up Yours, you Navy seal training, gijoe performing, sailor suit wearing bastard

Ken1997TL

Sarlacc

I decided to go again today. I got some goggles and new swim trunks

I just went swiming, no other work out.

8 laps...and they took about 30 mintes to do

Its fawking hard. I'm so out of breath by the end of each lap. I have to chill and catch it before I can do another one. And two laps I fawked up because I either had a leak in my goggles or thought about my breathing which screwed up my non-existant rythmn.

Suck when this older chick in the lane next to me is just going back and forth non stop...

I determined to get better though.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Wow, great thread... especially since I was going to post something similar.

Like Sarlacc... I am not the best swimmer, and have never swam laps before. But, figured while we were in our pool I should make use of it... so I started swimming laps. Our pool is only 34' long, so no where near a gym or club type pool, but I swim for about an hour or so at my own pace. It's funny b/c when I did it the first time about 8-9 days ago, I couldn't make it end to end on one breath!! Pretty bad. But now I'm going for 60 min. or so... not sure of how many laps. I've been doing that for about a week or so, and it looks like my shoulders are a bit more broad. Is that possible after one week?

Anyway, I was originally going to ask how much I should do, but after reading this thread I have some ideas and I'll continue to go at my own pace. Being that our pool is small compared to a club pool it's hard to compare the two (especially b/c I don't know how big a gym pool is), so I figure I'll swim until I get tired each day.

RaptorCLS

Watch out for the Triple Lindy