I decided to try swimming instead of running because running is boring and also I thought swimming would make me stronger all over rather than just my legs.

however, I've been doing it for a couple of weeks and whilst I can't deny it seems fucking hard (I can barely manage 100m without stopping for a breather. even that's being generous) all the other people who are swimming seem to be kinda chubby. whereas in the gym all the runner people look much fitter. there was even a swim club on and these guys were going for 15 mins at a time pretty full pelt and they all got out and were fat.

how is this possible? is it because the waters cold so your heart rate dosn't rise like when you run? or is swimming easier than it feels because you're supported by water and not carrying your own weight? or is it just that they eat like pigs inbetween and this is more about recreation than keeping in shape?

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Would you like a cigarette? They're quite exellent.

i think fatter people feel more comfortable in the water rather than jiggling their fat on a treadmill.

im sure that being in the water plays some part in the body wanting to retain fat, but look at the olympian swimmers, or hell, even just swim teams.

do drills. dont be lazy and go a mile in an hour.

sample drill
Four Freestyle Swimming Drills That Will Help You Go Faster

it will do amazing things for your cardiovascular system.

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When I awoke, the Dire Wolf
Six hundred pounds of sin
Was grinning at my window
All I said was "Come on in".
Grateful Dead

yeah, well, a big deal was made of how much food michael phelp's ate here but I think that was just because it was so unhealthy sounding. I think most olympic athletes eat loads, I know a tour de france rider consumes something like 7000 calories a day on tour.

but yeah, I do feel my heart going mad, I've been trying to do sprints then rest rather than paced swimming. I'll keep at it until I notice improvement and see what I think.

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Would you like a cigarette? They're quite exellent.

if you are worried about exercising with fatties just do a non fat persons sport as well like rollerskating.

i did a rock climbing course the other day and was surprised to see some really quite hefty people dangling off ropes

okay i don't mean hefty. i mean obese

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they made soup out of my research turtles.

swimming is easy on the joints. that's why a lot of over weight, disabled or old people do it. swimming also uses more muscle groups than running so if you do it regularly you shoud get a better workout.

are you just doing laps? which stroke? try wall exercises and aerobics. you'll look like an old lady but that's okay.

You do need to do drills and interval sets if you want to see any improvement in your physique when swimming. People cannot just do laps without changing up the intervals between sets of laps or without doing different strokes and using different muscle groups and expect to get lean and mean.

Also, if your shoulders and knees are in good shape, there is pulling/kicking equipment out there that is pretty cheap and REALLY works muscle groups just like weights do. (simple kickboards are a good start, but there are lots more things for variety).

Lastly, swimmers at the higher levels of swimming always cross-train with an aerobic sport, stretching and some weight lifting (when older).

Swimmers are seldom encouraged to be anorexic or have no body fat because a little bit of fat helps you float so more energy can be used to propel forward instead of trying to stay afloat.

Guys of course, can't help it if they're stick thin, but the chicks who swim seldom look like runners although the swimmers are probably as fit or moreso than runners.

In the long run, it's totally worth it to swim, since anything you are turning into muscle will burn calories/fat later, whether you see it now or not.

I think it's worth it, even jogging as a fit person fucks your joints. you basically get a whole body workout + it helps your lung capacity.

and yes fatties get into it more, so i wouldn't use that as a judging point. the fact that you're rooted after 100 metres is probably a good sign

I want to start swimming again :/ it's a lot easier to get into the zone with your head submerged under water. and you don't have to worry too much about getting sweaty and gross.

Hell yeah! Swimmings great, and you can't really judge the exercise by the fatties. They might have only just started or they might eat loads and loads after or theymight just not go enough.

Alan, have you seen any professional swimmer body? It's toned as hell and each muscle is developed right. Maybe it's different in Great Britain (?!), but I have seen far fatter people doing treadmill at the gym than at the pool where I go! Maybe smebody mixed up pool chemicals with sugar where you live, so that would explain fatties swimming there?

At the moment, I find it hard to keep on being motivated, not by the sport in itself- the more I swim the more I love it, really- but because of this f***ing feet cramps problem that I haven't been able to solve yet.

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Who needs love when there's Southern Comfort?

No no, it's good! It's so much better for your body than running (oh the knees, the poor knees) and it works all your muscle groups. I know a few people who swim competitively, and they are totally lean and muscular just from the swimming. And eat a lot to keep up with all the energy they're using.

this lady smart. probably was on swim team, too.

__________________
When I awoke, the Dire Wolf
Six hundred pounds of sin
Was grinning at my window
All I said was "Come on in".
Grateful Dead

do you mean, like, an indoor course? i've never seen a rock climber out in the wilds with fattie fat fat on their bodies. they are always super lean and defined.

__________________
When I awoke, the Dire Wolf
Six hundred pounds of sin
Was grinning at my window
All I said was "Come on in".
Grateful Dead

swimming is great for you but you do need to swtich it up with your intensity and style of swimming. it's also great as you don't put wear and tear on your joints like running. you can still injure yourself though and i find that my calves lock up often when stretching and kicking while swimming.

i used to swim and compete (swim teams) when i was younger. i wish i had kept it up cos' as soon as i stopped, the pounds packed on.

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yeah, the kind of swimmer physique was why I thought about doing this over running and other exercise, they seem to have all the proportions right. also my legs developed great definition, strength and everything when running so I thought doing a similar thing to when I ran would be good. do you swim as your main exercise stephi? cause you've got a really nice figure. (obviously I'm going for something a bit different, not being a girl and all )

the only rubbish thing is I can't take an ipod in the pool.... or can I?

ok, I have sort of before pics taken when I was away in holiday, I will do mainly swimming for 4-6 weeks and see what happens.

a mod should remove "is it worth it" from the title and this can become the official swimming thread.

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Would you like a cigarette? They're quite exellent.

yeah, on an indoor wall. i wouldn't want to belay them, me being so skinny and girl wristed

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they made soup out of my research turtles.

Yes, swimming is my main exercise. I do some jogging, but not on a regular basis anymore as swimming. Sit-ups are also a part of my routine, but that's the most boring thing ever to me. That's the main reason why I'm planning on taking a belly dancing class this fall, but I doubt this is the kind of exercise you're looking for....? (I would kill to see you do that though!!!).

I don't bring an Ipod to the pool, but there is a radio on the lifeguard (lol...) chair. Maybe that's the mix of Simple Plan and Avril Lavigne that increases my swimming rage? Like my brain is convinced that I have to escape from some unstandable sound?

Good luck with the training Alan. And don't give up because you don't see results as fast as you would like to. You'll find that your lungs get more capacity pretty soon though.

Also, thanks for the compliment.
I'm not naturally thin or toned, I think. I have to train and eat well or I'll feel like an hippopotamus. My purpose is to be able to fit in my clothes, that's about it.

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Who needs love when there's Southern Comfort?

They have ground anchors for those annoying weight differences. They stop you feeling like you're going to lift off while belaying your heftier partner down.

We're practically the same weight, now you know why I made you take the course

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yeah we used those anchors. it's the rope burn i was worried during their descent

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they made soup out of my research turtles.