swimming for cardio ?

[B bOy CrAyOn]

i hate running and hate all those machine... most of all i hate cardio but the only form of cario i like is swimming... would that be a good cardio routine.. swimming for 30 or 40 3 times a week on an empty stomach

 

[Who is Mike Jones?]

swimming is good cardio but not great for fat loss

 

[Aztech]

i don't think swimming would be the ideal fat loss cardio

 

[BIGFOOD]

for fat loss, swimming would not be an ideal cardio.

 

[Eze]

Swimming is probably the best type of cardio you can do. The least amount of impact on your joints.

I don't use cardio as a means to cut fat anymore. I use it to keep my heart healthy!

 

[outlawtas]

Swimming is probably the best type of cardio you can do. The least amount of impact on your joints.

I don't use cardio as a means to cut fat anymore. I use it to keep my heart healthy!

Agreed, lots of benefits, plus most people find it somewhat fun. IMO as long as your creating a caloric defecit you will be losing fat regardless.

 

[Aztech]

Agreed, lots of benefits, plus most people find it somewhat fun. IMO as long as your creating a caloric defecit you will be losing fat regardless.

I don't know, there is something about swimming...it's unique. I say this a swimmer in college. hardly anyone on the team was in a 'lean' state during the swim season. seemed everyone gained weight. I think it's great for learning to control your breathing and increase you VO2 max. It's great cardio. I'll tell you what i used to do three nights a week though that will keep you lean

swim a mile in the pool
run four miles on the track
bike eight to ten miles

1.5 hours

This kept me at sub 7% BF...then again, my goals weren't strength and size at the time.

 

[B bOy CrAyOn]

shit... i wish it was good for fat loss... i guess ill have to start doing eliptical

 

[Eze]

Control fat with diet.

Exercise your heart with cardio.

As long as you eat right, swimming will melt the fat right off you. To lose weight, you need to eat less calories than you expend. It doesn't matter what type of cardio you do.

 

[Dominance]

Isn't swimming anaerobic compared to aerobic? Since most guys can't swim for all that long I believe swimming doing less for cardio. definitely not ideal fat loss

 

[Trucker111]

Isn't swimming anaerobic compared to aerobic? Since most guys can't swim for all that long I believe swimming doing less for cardio. definitely not ideal fat loss

I don't know what swimming would classify as but I understand what you're saying..

Anaerobic (weight lifting, sprints, etc) uses glycogen for main energy source.

Aerobic (distance running, biking.. really any sustained exercise) uses fat as main energy source. It takes about 20min for fatty acid blood levels to rise above normal though, and since fat can only be used in this form, you have to go for longer than about 20 mins to burn fat.

I know that the 20min thing is common knowledge, but I figured I'd share why for anybody who didn't know.