Effects of Swimming

xLisaBx

So I'm just starting out swimming for the first time in 10 years or so and I'm wondering what effects it will have on my body? Where gains muscle etc? Sorry I'm really clueless :P

MojoMaker

Depends on the stroke and type of training you are intending to do Lisa. Generally speaking freestyle swim training will slowly develop shoulder muscles (deltoids and trapezoids) chest muscles (pecs), arm muscles (triceps) and upper back muscles (lats). These effects will be more pronounced if you introduce swim aids such as hand paddles into your routine but without swim aids you should start noticing these muscle groups becoming firmer and stronger over the months of training without necessarily looking bigger.

While muscle is developing do not be too concerned about getting bulky as the training itself will burn fat - assuming at least mid level intensity - and this will contribute to a developing leanness at the same time. If you put some focus on kick training, and depending on whether you are doing any form of leg-based cross training you may see improvement in muscle definition in quads and calves, although minimal compared to upper body development.

Swimming is an excellent whole-body workout and most swimmers who train a number of times a week slowly develop and very strong lean frame with stronger muscles in all the right places without ever looking 'muscley' or developed, and notice their body fat % figures drop consistently as the months tick by. To claim all the benefits you will need to work up to a consistent weekly plan that sees you in the pool 3 times for an hour a pop, and alternating the type of workout you do between endurance sets (long steady even-paced), aerobic sets (interval repeats off set times), and anaerobic sessions (speed work, all-out sprint sessions) - however your goals in swimming will most likely dictate the training mix that will suit you best.

As a solo exercise swimming gets much more valuable if you can socialise it by training with others - joining a swimming group, a swim masters club, a triathlon club, will get you into the habit of swimming with others and the 'drag' effect of keeping up to a high level of swimming will see big results coming along quickly (first 3 months).

TopOfTheHill

Sorry to hijack, but wondering if there are any common training sessions, or what advice would you give about training.

I am currently swimming most days (apart when from work commitments take me away from it) and just swim up and down varying from 1km to 3km (depending on time available), broken up with a couple of breathers in between.

I would like try get a routine going where I can swim train 1hr sessions twice a week, and then also have a number of 30-45 minute sessions thrown in.

I am eventually looking to build up endurance (no breaks) and speed.

Any advice would be appreciated
Thanks

Doeshedare

Once I was up to swim 2km in a session I stared using swimsmooth.com's methods (I bought the book). At this stage you could do worse than check out their CSS swimming. I still try and do a weekly CSS session of 4x100m, 1 x200, 4 x 100, 1 x 300, 4 x 100, 1x 400 20 sec rest between each (hopefully you have a pool clock or stop watch).
I also have taken part in (and hope to take part in again) group coached sessions. It is really easy to drop intensity when I swim on my own. Having a coach drive me on has helped my swim fitness and his work on my technique is the real source of any improvement in speed.
You will find that building endurance isnt as simple as swimming non stop, you can do that in a race. You need to do sessions on technique on speed and on endurance.
One thing I havent yet tried is joining a Masters club and taking part in their sessions.
Also check out the Triathlon forum's training logs, Kurt Godel in particular has been on a swimming odyssey of late and details his sessions (you will need a bag of toys though)
Finally if you are swimming for more than just fitness and you find the pool is corroding your soul get into the sea or a lake now and again, even in winter - loneswimmer . com will tell you the how, where and why of OW swimming.
PS I cant post links

thejaguar

I'd suggest having a look at Swim Smooth - they have a website/blog all about swimming and swim technique. I found it really useful when getting back into swimming.

TopOfTheHill - it depends where you are, but plenty of places do coached lane swimming. On the southside, there's Templeogue Masters Swimming on Monday & Wednesday nights - I think Glenalbyn Pool do some sessions on Friday mornings.

Have a look on the ILDSA website for more info aswell.

griffin100

You should decide what each swim session is about in advance. Ideally I like to get 3 sessions a week in - one technique based, one speed based and one endurance session.

The technique session is drill heavy. The speed session is fast 100's and 200's mostly. The endurance session is longer sets or one long continuous swim.

You can do a decent set in an hour. If you only have 30-45mins for a session then I'd use these ones for speed. A favourite 40min speed based session of mine is 400m warm up / (100 x 4) x 4 with a minutes rest after each 400, with the 100's done off a faster interval in each set so by the last set of 100's you're struggling to hit the times. Total 2,000m.

You can also find swim sets in the online triathlon forums such as slowtwitch.com and tritalk.com

Pm1e

thejaguar wrote: »

I'd suggest having a look at Swim Smooth - they have a website/blog all about swimming and swim technique. I found it really useful when getting back into swimming.

TopOfTheHill - it depends where you are, but plenty of places do coached lane swimming. On the southside, there's Templeogue Masters Swimming on Monday & Wednesday nights - I think Glenalbyn Pool do some sessions on Friday mornings.

Have a look on the ILDSA website for more info aswell.

Is Glenalbyn back open yeah?

cjt156

Pm1e wrote: »

Is Glenalbyn back open yeah?

Nope, closed indefinitely due to serious structural defects in the roof. Shame, 33m beats 25m even if it had got very grotty. Come on DLRCoCo; refurb please!

Pm1e

cjt156 wrote: »

Nope, closed indefinitely due to serious structural defects in the roof. Shame, 33m beats 25m even if it had got very grotty. Come on DLRCoCo; refurb please!

Thought as much but saw poster above mention Glenalbyn.
Was a handy spot alright but yes very grubby.

TopOfTheHill

Thanks for the advice and reference sites guys - I will take a look.

Living in West Cork, so the Dublin references are a bit too far, but will see about getting into some masters classes down this way.

Thanks again.