# Does Swimming Help?



## Rwp (Dec 29, 2012)

Hi Guys

I just wanted to know, how do you work out how many calories you burn while swimming?

If I swam 10 lengths for example, how many calories would I have burnt off?

Thank you.


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## gingernut (Dec 11, 2006)

I used to swim a lot. Firstly how long is your pool?

Secondly a very rough rule of thumb is 1 mile fast walking or jogging = 16 lengths of 25m pool = 4 miles cycling = 100kcals burned for average person, if you're a big bloke then it's going to be a lot more. So ten lengths of a 25m pool could expend 60-70 ish kcals, if it's a 15m pool or less (usual size in health club/hotel) then you are talking not very much at all.

I gave up swimming because there are much more efficient ways of getting cardio in without having to faff around getting to the pool, getting changed, in the pool, out change again............you get the idea.


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## EXTREME (Aug 5, 2005)

I swam a bit when preparing for my first couple of shows, it was a change from the stationary bike after I'd given up kick boxing plus I was in decent shape by this point and I was single at the time and they had discounts on for all the young mums after dropping the kids off at the school!

It was good cardio plus I found it worked parts of my body that the weights didn't hit. For example, mid back, the top of my quads where they join my torso and my mid section.

The thing that put me off was that I was really short sighted and couldn't see what was going on at the other end of the pool!


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

ive always thought that as swimming makes you so ravenously hungy after a session it was a particularly good form of cardio to do..

hassle tho with limited time..


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## RickyPaul (Dec 3, 2013)

Swimming is a good cardio workout and a best way to burn calories.

It depends on your workout how much swimming you need to do.


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## littleebo356 (Mar 27, 2013)

TheCrazyCal said:


> ive always thought that as swimming makes you so ravenously hungy after a session it was a particularly good form of cardio to do..
> 
> hassle tho with limited time..


yh i always feel so hungry after swimming is ridiculous, thought it is my favourite form of cardio as i get bored walking or running really quickly.


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## MattHart (Dec 11, 2012)

I've always thought about going swimming for cardio...apparently it works very well as you are using a lot more of your body that you would be for instance on a bike or treadmill.


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## Ghost1466867995 (Jul 27, 2010)

you could do a pool workout?

Do a few lengths to warm up, then start doing widths&#8230; pull yourself out of the water like you are going to get out then lower yourself back into the water&#8230; do it 10 times one side then a width underwater then 9 on the other side&#8230;. width underwater &#8230; 8 &#8230; 7 .6 etc then finish with 3 mins treading water

its hard&#8230; but you will soon get the hang of it. (goto 1min 11 onwards)


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## EXTREME (Aug 5, 2005)

I don't know how convenient a pool workout would be for many, I think that's more of a personal taste thing.

Most people see cardio as a necessary evil which they want out the way as quickly as possible whereas this looks like something you'd need to "get into".


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## Rwp (Dec 29, 2012)

Thank you guys...

Comments taken on board.


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## ElleMac (Sep 20, 2011)

I'm going to take up swimming! It's a great way to exercise, I was always scared of it when I was younger as my older brother was pretty good at it:- he's got an impressive collection of trophies and medals but dropped it when he joined the RAF Regt which is a shame. He was an upcoming star... He used to hold me under water and generally terrorise me as big brothers do and it put me off but I'm going to start again next week, I'm choosing it as it's low impact on my joints and was actually recommended by my doctor, who also recommended weight training (I love this guy already, my new rheumatologist!)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## sheikho (Aug 13, 2014)

As far as i think swimming is one of the best and most effective cardio exercises.. if you wanna cut fats then try it.. it would show very quick results..


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## TheTransporter (Jan 30, 2014)

Any cardio that has you working hard is gud, cycling or rowing r gud examples


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## gingernut (Dec 11, 2006)

TheTransporter said:


> Any cardio that has you working hard is gud, cycling or rowing r gud examples


I find my heart rate doesn't get at high cycling, and I understand that's possibly because it's non-weight bearing and also only uses half of your body. Anything that gets the heart rate up, consistently(or intermittently if doing intervals) is good. Some people to sled runs, chuck tyres around, perform giant sets. I don't think one is better than the other. I tend to like x-trainer and power walking because it's easy and it causes me least injury/back trouble. Walking I can do anywhere, all I need is pair of shorts and trainers and I've even done it in the interval of a show I went to watch.


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## RonaldoAllen (Sep 15, 2014)

Swimming is good cardio exercise and yes it works. It has many health benefits and helps to lose weight. It is good to do swimming everyday for fitness and for making body and mind fresh.


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## Ghost1466867995 (Jul 27, 2010)

lancashirerose said:


> I find my heart rate doesn't get at high cycling, and I understand that's possibly because it's non-weight bearing and also only uses half of your body. Anything that gets the heart rate up, consistently(or intermittently if doing intervals) is good. Some people to sled runs, chuck tyres around, perform giant sets. I don't think one is better than the other. I tend to like x-trainer and power walking because it's easy and it causes me least injury/back trouble. Walking I can do anywhere, all I need is pair of shorts and trainers and I've even done it in the interval of a show I went to watch.


With that in mind, I do swim a lot underwater&#8230; so would be working anaerobically most of the lengths i swim, so which would be better working aerobically or anaerobically for fat loss?


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## gingernut (Dec 11, 2006)

Ghost said:


> With that in mind, I do swim a lot underwater&#8230; so would be working anaerobically most of the lengths i swim, so which would be better working aerobically or anaerobically for fat loss?


Andy or Doug would have a better idea than I do.

Thing is are you truly anaerobic because I'm not so sure that simply holding your breath = anaerobic work because you still have oxygen available in the air in your lungs. I thought anaerobic described the intensity of work, ie sprinting and even then it's never 100%.

It's all kcals and I'm also not so sure there are 'fat burning' activities as such, you are either in a kcal deficiency or not and it all averages out. Stuff like sprints and interval training expends more energy because you are working harder, more intensely so packing the same into a shorter time.


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