[TheManekiNeko]

Browsing through the exercise threads I've notices there are tonnes of runners but nobody seems to swim.

I've always loved swimming and for me it's perfect because I can't do much high impact sport due to dodgy knees, makes me sound old but I'm only 19 :/

If anyone else is swimming what sort of sets do you swim? And is it helping your weight loss?

[Sunshine87]

Oh do I swim?! I LOVE to swim. I have a pool at my house and I swim 30mins/day, 6 days per week. I just use a freestyle stroke and do 100 laps. It has helped me in many ways. I think I burn like 300 calories during that workout which is good. I also like it because I cannot hear anything while I swim which is a great opportunity to think. So I think a lot while I am in the pool. 3rd'ly, I do not like to swim while I am full so if I know I am going to swim soon I will not eat. I am glad that someone else shares my passion for swimming! What kind of swimming do you do?

[fitmom]

I'm twenty years your senior so if anyone's old - it's me, lol. I would love to swim regularly b/c it is easier on your joints no matter what your age. But I don't have regular access to a pool and if I took my kids with me, I'd have my 6 year old hanging onto me for dear life b/c he can't swim so I don't know how much real exercise I'd get done. Running just works best for me right now. I say, go for it. Besides, you'll trim body fat like crazy and carve out six pack abs I heard. Just look at the professional swimmers and how awesome their physiques look.

[TheManekiNeko]

@Sunshine87: you have a pool at your house? Lucky, if I had a pool I'd never leave it. I train at a local pool with a swimming club.

At the moment I swim 2 hour sessions and one hour and a half a week. Wish I could do more.

I did the great London swim last week which was so much fun, much more fun than I expected it to be. Supposed to be competing at the end of July as well but I'm not sure, coach thinks I'm ready but I don't think I'm at competition fitness yet.

fitmom: it's hard swimming when you have to take a kid to the pool. I see it all the time at the pool I work at (I'm a lifeguard). Could try dragging them round the shallow end. The extra weight would make it a better workout

[Marchmallow]

I just learned to swim last week Today was my second day doing swimming, and I managed to swim three lengths without stopping in the middle of the pool like last time. This won't seem much to you hardcore swimmers, but my technique or stamina is still rubbish so it leaves me gasping after just a little! Accordng to myfitnesspal.com 90 minutes leisurely/moderate swimming burns 819 calories (at my weight). So I guess I'm getting a workout even if I'm puffing and paddling in the shallow lanes :P

[TheManekiNeko]

Well done marchmallow. It takes a long time to learn to swim. I certainly couldn't swim three lengths when I first learnt to swim. Keep it up and soon you'll be swimming much further than I can.

[devnet]

I would dearly love to be a swimmer, but alas, at the moment, I am too out of shape.

I tried to go swimming last week. By the time I did one lap, my heart rate was at 130. Two laps, at least 150...I was in the pool maybe 20 minutes...I think only 10 of those minutes were spent actually swimming, lol. My legs felt like jello, my face was still tomato red half an hour after I got out of the pool, and I felt like CRAP, lol.

So for now (two months, at least) I'm doing aquafit three times a week and weight training on days I don't have aquafit. One day I'll get there.

[joyfulloser]

WOW...donno how I missed this thread. I too have a swimming pool at home, but I'm also a runner. Just started a thread about this topic actually. I have a 20 x 40 free form pool. I haven't been counting the laps, but I usually swim about 1-2 hours 1-2 times per day. I'm a fish...and it's been really hot here in the South (where I live), so I've been living in the water.

To answer your question OP, I'm not sure how well you lose weight while swimming since I'm in maintenance, but I can tell you that I've stopped running for 2 weeks now, and increased my food intake (adding more goodies) and haven't gained a pound. So far so good.

It's just hard for me to feel like I'm really "working out" since I don't sweat while swimming and my heartrate never climbs like it does when I'm running 5 miles.

Anyone else feel like this. Are you suppossed to be exhausted after swimming for an hour?