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Swimming, For Fitness?


Bigman

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Hey peoples!

This year I plan on having a good go at loosing a fair amount of weight, there is a swimming pool not far from here that is opens at 7.30 and i am thinking of trying to go there before lectures 2-3 times during the week, and maybe once at the weekends. I have enough time in the mornings that i could easily keep an hour free to swim.

What I a looking for is a rough idea of what I should be looking to do whilst there, eg: timing for a certain number of lengths and trying to beat it, or how many lengths can be achieved in an 1/2 and hour or something.

So anybody got any tips?

Thanks

Adam

PS: I will not, under any circumstances be wearing speedo's!!!

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I usually (stopped after op, still not allowed to swim) swim twice a week, I don't work too much so I usually just go, swim a mile or so, then chill in the steam room for 10 mins.

I'm not the fastest or best swimmer, but I just pace myself by however I'm feeling, and usually end up swimming a mile in about an hour and 15 mins.

Alternate strokes every 4 lengths and I don't seem to have any problems.

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Have a go and see how you get on for the first couple of times, rather than setting yourself X number of lengths before you even know what you're cabable of. Then start with a number of lengths you're nearly comfortable with, and increase it by a couple of lengths each time you go?

I'm no swimmer but thats how I;d go about it! Good luck :)

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When I used to train I used to do 1 length sprint then 3 legnths slow, then repeat until I couldn't walk. :P

Apparantly this is known as Interval Training and tricks your body into burning more of it's fat stores. I was doing it because I was training for sprinting, so I've no idea how true that is.

It doesn't really matter what you do at first to be honest, it'll take a lot of practice just to get your stroke technique sorted.

Edited by Muel
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I'm tempted to go swimming again. Used to do it alot as a child and was proper skinny. Used to do distance, 3km 2 or 3 times a week. Since children are at school aswell when I want to go it should be quite, think I should get myself down there.

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Whilst on the topic, whenever I swim I do one length of the pool and I'm absolutely knackered, what am I doing wrong there...?

I can swim and keep afloat fine so its not me struggling to keep up.

And no the pool isn't ridiculously long. :lol:

your an unfit f**k...

as with all cardio (since thats what swimming is) you build up the distances.

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Hey biggers,

Swimming is amazing, i swam 4 times a week for 3 yrs and loved it always wished i hadn't stopped.

To start with i aimed for 40 lengths (25m pool so 1k total distance) altering stroke every two lengths. Got down to 40 lengths in 20 mins then moved up to 64 lengths (1 mile) and just did it at a speed i felt comfortable.

The only problem is getting started, once u get so doing 20 lenghts and not feeling like u will die all will be good.

Massive warning, you will gain weight but lose fat. I put on nearly two stone (not all muscle as i found a love for burgers etc) but u will feel really good.

Regards

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Hey biggers,

Swimming is amazing, i swam 4 times a week for 3 yrs and loved it always wished i hadn't stopped.

To start with i aimed for 40 lengths (25m pool so 1k total distance) altering stroke every two lengths. Got down to 40 lengths in 20 mins then moved up to 64 lengths (1 mile) and just did it at a speed i felt comfortable.

The only problem is getting started, once u get so doing 20 lenghts and not feeling like u will die all will be good.

Massive warning, you will gain weight but lose fat. I put on nearly two stone (not all muscle as i found a love for burgers etc) but u will feel really good.

Regards

i dont gettit?

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To start with i aimed for 40 lengths (25m pool so 1k total distance)

Yea I used to swim pretty seriously, but after getting my 5K certificate AND PIN BADGE TO PUT ON YOUR TOWEL! I decided to stop because it was the greatest difference, try doing 1 rapidly fast length to really get your heart racing then, do a few more comfortable lengths until your ready to do the next sprint.

Edited by Simpson
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I used to swim ALOT, for like, club and county and shit. But then other things just took over and it got to the stage where it was kinda either keep doing what i'm doing and not really improve, or make it my life, step up my game and get better. Needless to say, i chose bmx, mischief and a social life :P

I still enjoy a blast at the pool though. Like said, aim for a km and get that time down, then aim for a mile and do the same. Maybe alternate 1 length crawl with one breaststroke. Also use a pullboy and do arms only stuff (you'll be suprised, you can go pretty much as fast as you concentrate on your arms more) to help get the technique right on your arms. Also do legs only with a float, see how quick you can do four lengths and you'll find your legs burning. Good way to increase leg muscle for riding.

The funnest thing ever is towing. Get someone to just be a deadweight (lying on their back) and hold onto your ankles and you have to swim four lengths arms only with them holding on. Doesn't sound like much fun but the fun comes when they get off and ytou sprint a few lengths without them, feels like your flllyyyiinnngg.

We used to have a bungee cord at club training where you had to swim to the end of the pool with a bunjee attached to your ankles that started straining about half way or whatever. That was always funny, especially when you disobeyed the teachers and instead of disattaching it at the end just let go and let it ping you back to the start haha.

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