What about swimming??

[buff_tat2d_chic]

I am eating 6 well balanced meals and I am supposed to limit my cardio. What I wanna know is...is swimming considered cardio? I want something else at the gym to do after I lift not just twiddling my thumbs. Something good for me, too.

How long and how often can I swim...or can I?

 

[Jodi]

Well it depends, I use to be a competitive swimmer in school so I know the levels of intensity that swimming can provide. What do you want to do?

Laps? 20-30 min tread (very tiring but good)? Or just swim around maybe throw in a lap or 2? Or just pure fun?

 

[Dr. Pain]

I couldn't find it, maybe it was another board....but I have posted on this

As Jodi says, duration and intensity of a competitve swimmers is one thing....however

There are documented cases of women adding BF to insulate against a lower water temperatures......most pools being kept at 78 to 83 degrees...

I also cater to a collegiate woman's swim team,..there are no exceptionally lean women there....it's fine for change, hydrotherapy in htis sense, can be used to alleviate soreness, etc....but if you are gonna do cardio for fat loss, other forms would be better IMO

 

[buff_tat2d_chic]

The water is kept at 80 degrees (indoor pool). I have always herd swimming was good for your muscles without any strain and you get good results from the resistance. I was wanting to swim laps...not as fast as I can...but a little more than leisurely.

DP I would love to do some reading on this if you know of any or have any.

Jodi, since you have set my amounts and my limits I will go by what you recommend. Or if you have any other ideas of what I can do for exercise without jeopordizing my cardio amounts.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Dr. Pain]

I was looking for a study from Appalachian St U, but I can't spell Applalachian


http://www.sportsci.org/news/compeat/fat.html

RESPONSE TO HOT AND COLD SWIMMING ENVIRONMENTS
Neilsen, B. (1977). Physiology of thermoregulation during swimming. In B. Eriksson & B. Furberg (Eds.), Swimming Medicine IV - Proceedings of the Fourth International Congress on Swimming Medicine. Baltimore, MD: University Park Press.

EFFECTS OF SWIMMING ON ANTHROPOMETRIC MEASURES AND FAT ACCUMULATION
Avlonitou, E., Georgiou, E., Douskas, G., & Louizi, A. (1997). Estimation of body composition in competitive swimmers by means of three different techniques. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 18, 363-368.

Sorry no time for more...this quote from an inconclusive study....is my POV, JMHO

It is commonly reported that swimmers store greater amounts of body fat than runners.

 

[buff_tat2d_chic]

Thanks DP! I will read up on it over the next couple of days...around finals