swimming

[premo]

can swimming build muscle ? or is it purley cardio? do you think it can hinder growth or help ? do any of you incorporate it into your workouts

 

[x~factor]

Its purely cardio.
Doing laps in the pull will burn 476 calories per hour. Not a great number but if you do enjoy it, its a good cardio exercise to have.

 

[premo]

Wasn't sure if the fact the water acts as resistance means you ar getting a workout. You see a lot of athletes rehabing in the pool

 

[oufinny]

I disagree with that calorie number as it is assuming a very slow pace. I do HIIT cardio in the pool and it is much harder than running or the elliptical and helped me cut up a lot last year. Swimming is also much less stress on your joints if you have proper form.

 

[Jodi]

Not sure how much muscle you can build but you definitely do build some. The shoulders and back of a swimmer get quite a workout.

 

[gtbmed]

 

[premo]

when ever i swim i feel lke iv had a gym workout

 

[jimm]

interesting topic i havnt been swimming in years its about time i got my belly flop on!

 

[keith1569]

it wont build compared to weights, but it definatly is a workout. I swim through college and its a great form of cardio. I have also trained for a marathon and swmming had me more muscular compered to running a shitload ha

 

[rookie325]

Swimming is def a good workout, the problem is the typical person cannot swim well enough to sustain a decent workout. If you have the proper form, go for it, great cardio that will hit the back and shoulders really well, like stated above

 

[keith1569]

I think if u do not have proper form it is almost more of a workout because u have to put out more effort.

 

[Diesel618]

I think we have our answer. This guy looks like a marathon runner.

 

[zoco]

Swimming is definitely a workout, but it's cardio workout.Too much swimming and you can loose that hard earned muscle.The guy in the pic (Alain Bernard) is probably consuming twice the calories that a bodybuilder consumes and yet he is still skinny.

 

[premo]

i was thinking he is quite bulky for a swimmer?