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swimming-the definitive word on it for cardio?
- Thread starter danielson
- Start date
GOT IT!
you want to lose weight, lower cholesterol, or help to control diabetes, swimming is better than nothing, but not that much better (1).
A recent report from the University of Colorado shows that obese people who start a supervised swimming program do not lower their fasting blood sugar, insulin, total cholesterol, good HDL cholesterol and bad LDL cholesterol levels. They also did not lose weight or redistribute their body fat (2).
These results are different from people who start land-based sports such as running, aerobic dancing, racquetball and cycling. When you exercise on land, your body is surrounded by air which insulates you, causing your body to retain heat and your body temperature to rise for up to 18 hours after you finish exercising. Increased body temperature speeds up your metabolism and helps you to lose weight and lower cholesterol. On the other hand, when you swim, your body is surrounded by water which is an excellent conductor of heat away from your body, preventing your body temperature from rising. If you want to lose weight by swimming, the best way is to do it is by using a swimming machine on dry land.
I'm Dr. Gabe Mirkin on Fitness.
1) H Tanaka, DR Bassett, ET Howley. Effects of swim training on body weight, carbohydrate metabolism, lipid and lipoprotein profile. Clinical Physiology 17: 4 (JUL 1997):347-359. Address H Tanaka, Univ Colorado, Dept Kinesiol, Campus Box 354, Boulder, CO 80309 USA.
2) Gwinnup The American J. of Sports Medicine 1987;15(3):275-279.
you want to lose weight, lower cholesterol, or help to control diabetes, swimming is better than nothing, but not that much better (1).
A recent report from the University of Colorado shows that obese people who start a supervised swimming program do not lower their fasting blood sugar, insulin, total cholesterol, good HDL cholesterol and bad LDL cholesterol levels. They also did not lose weight or redistribute their body fat (2).
These results are different from people who start land-based sports such as running, aerobic dancing, racquetball and cycling. When you exercise on land, your body is surrounded by air which insulates you, causing your body to retain heat and your body temperature to rise for up to 18 hours after you finish exercising. Increased body temperature speeds up your metabolism and helps you to lose weight and lower cholesterol. On the other hand, when you swim, your body is surrounded by water which is an excellent conductor of heat away from your body, preventing your body temperature from rising. If you want to lose weight by swimming, the best way is to do it is by using a swimming machine on dry land.
I'm Dr. Gabe Mirkin on Fitness.
1) H Tanaka, DR Bassett, ET Howley. Effects of swim training on body weight, carbohydrate metabolism, lipid and lipoprotein profile. Clinical Physiology 17: 4 (JUL 1997):347-359. Address H Tanaka, Univ Colorado, Dept Kinesiol, Campus Box 354, Boulder, CO 80309 USA.
2) Gwinnup The American J. of Sports Medicine 1987;15(3):275-279.
freshr1 said:That layer-of-fat thing sounds like an urban legend. I know a few ripped up swimmers.
One thing I heard is that overall it doesn't burn as many cals as say jogging. Reason being you're kept cool from the water and all the heat is disappated. So when you get out of the pool you're relatively cold, whereas after jogging you stay warm for a while after which helps burn extra cals. Not sure if this is true, but it sorta makes sense
your right........ the fat build up is a myth
but your wrong about the heat from jogging.
have you ever heard of a bodybuilder named Serge Nubret.
if have havent go watch the movie Pumping Iron with Arnold Schwartzaneger...... he places second to arnold in the tall class of the Olympia and beat Lou Ferrigno......... not shabby...... he was 6 foot tall 200 lbs and one of the most ripped dudes i have ever seen.... his six packs beats anyone i have ever seen.
he was 40 years old at the time.
he lived in France...... he said when he was trying to get very lean he would step outside during his sets of heavy bench, squat deadlift.........
the reason why...... the cold air causes the body to have to work harder and produce more heat for you to sustain warmth and life.
so do your cardio outside if you can........... or in a cold pool...... your body will be working over time from the swimming and trying to heat itself.
X
Re: GOT IT!
A recent report from the University of Colorado shows that obese people
COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
that is your reason.......... look at the sentence above i copied.
obese people......... did these people already do cardio....no
were they dieting at all......... no
did they weight train....no
did they change their diet at all...... heck no
we arent these people........ show a study with someone like myself in it....... a 20 year old male powerlifter/bodybuilder who was the captain of his wrestling team in highschool and eats good nutritional food...........
not some 300 lb fat woman i saw on ricky lake last week.
you always gotta consider who the research subjects are.
dont accept what you read on blind faith.
X
A recent report from the University of Colorado shows that obese people
COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
that is your reason.......... look at the sentence above i copied.
obese people......... did these people already do cardio....no
were they dieting at all......... no
did they weight train....no
did they change their diet at all...... heck no
we arent these people........ show a study with someone like myself in it....... a 20 year old male powerlifter/bodybuilder who was the captain of his wrestling team in highschool and eats good nutritional food...........
not some 300 lb fat woman i saw on ricky lake last week.
you always gotta consider who the research subjects are.
dont accept what you read on blind faith.
X
gymtime
New member
freshr1 said:That layer-of-fat thing sounds like an urban legend. I know a few ripped up swimmers.
One thing I heard is that overall it doesn't burn as many cals as say jogging. Reason being you're kept cool from the water and all the heat is disappated. So when you get out of the pool you're relatively cold, whereas after jogging you stay warm for a while after which helps burn extra cals. Not sure if this is true, but it sorta makes sense
Swimming certainly is a hell of a lot more fun than running though!
I actually read this as well. The theory was that because a pool will keep your body at a constant lower temperature, despite your body's attempts to raise it, which it does for any cardio excercise, you simply don't burn fat as efficiently. So, in it's capacity as a fat-burning excercise, it's good, but not ideal. As an overall excercise for maintaining endurance and staying fit and healthy, I think it's very hard to beat.
The gist of the article was that swimming was a great excercise for fit people who want to stay fit, but less than ideal for fat people who want to lose weight.
Exodus- its not blind faith
There are 2 cited studies, as well I have heard this from other sources.
Why don't they have studies on 210 pound bodybuilders named Nugg? I wish there were, but you have to hypothesize that the good DR. may of had another point that you missed-
"On the other hand, when you swim, your body is surrounded by water which is an excellent conductor of heat away from your body, preventing your body temperature from rising. If you want to lose weight by swimming, the best way is to do it is by using a swimming machine on dry land"
It is too bad that studies don't exist for all of people in our hobby, but they don't.
Nugg
There are 2 cited studies, as well I have heard this from other sources.
Why don't they have studies on 210 pound bodybuilders named Nugg? I wish there were, but you have to hypothesize that the good DR. may of had another point that you missed-
"On the other hand, when you swim, your body is surrounded by water which is an excellent conductor of heat away from your body, preventing your body temperature from rising. If you want to lose weight by swimming, the best way is to do it is by using a swimming machine on dry land"
It is too bad that studies don't exist for all of people in our hobby, but they don't.
Nugg
Speedo Racer
New member
I would tend to concur with the already mentioned criticism that this was a study of obese people trying to lose weight. SWIMMING BURNS CALORIES, regardless of where your body heat goes. Have you ever watched competative swimming on television and seen a fat participant?
I didn't think so.
Without having read the article I cannot comment much, although it would be interesting to note the methods of the study and know how much swimming was done and the duration and intensity of each practice. But as a masters swim coach I can assure you that 75-90 minutes of threshold swimming 3-5 times per week combined with a proper nutrition program will definately help one lose fat.
If you disagree, take a look at any volume of J. of Swimming Research.
I didn't think so.
Without having read the article I cannot comment much, although it would be interesting to note the methods of the study and know how much swimming was done and the duration and intensity of each practice. But as a masters swim coach I can assure you that 75-90 minutes of threshold swimming 3-5 times per week combined with a proper nutrition program will definately help one lose fat.
If you disagree, take a look at any volume of J. of Swimming Research.
Swimming is an excellent mode of CV exercise. As others have indicated, it is less stressful on the joints than weight-bearing exercise. However, note the position of the body during swimming; horizontal (unless you're drowning !). This means that the heart does not have to work as hard to pump blood to the extremities (legs & arms). Conversely, in weight-bearing CV exercise, your heart must work against gravity, and thus work harder resulting in greater caloric expenditure. This reasoning holds true unless you are willing to swim (continuously) for a longer period of time than you would if you were doing wgt.-bearing cardio.
For those who indicated that one should simply look at the physique of competitive swimmers, remember these individuals, in most cases, are swimming, using a variety of stroke techniques, continously, for several hours at a time, twice a day (am & pm) [I used to be an elite competitive swimmer]. Our friend here only wants to supplement the cardio he already has with walking and martial arts.
Conclusion: Swimming great CV ex., but not as efficient as wgt.-bearing CV ex.
All the best.
For those who indicated that one should simply look at the physique of competitive swimmers, remember these individuals, in most cases, are swimming, using a variety of stroke techniques, continously, for several hours at a time, twice a day (am & pm) [I used to be an elite competitive swimmer]. Our friend here only wants to supplement the cardio he already has with walking and martial arts.
Conclusion: Swimming great CV ex., but not as efficient as wgt.-bearing CV ex.
All the best.
karde
New member
I was a national level swimmer for many years. All-american 3 times.
I can tell you that swimming will get you shredded. You burn tons of calories. Especially if you do it intensly.
As far as your body temp staying up after? I used to go home on cold nights with a t-shirt on because my muscles were so warm.
If you want a good workout routine, or even a weekly routine for swimming, send me a PM, and I can help you build one.
I can tell you that swimming will get you shredded. You burn tons of calories. Especially if you do it intensly.
As far as your body temp staying up after? I used to go home on cold nights with a t-shirt on because my muscles were so warm.
If you want a good workout routine, or even a weekly routine for swimming, send me a PM, and I can help you build one.
