Swimming as a workout? please help!?

Question

I am just starting swimming instead of running... trying to tone up a little, loose some weight, and gain more muscle... any sugestions on what to do in the pool? is treading water better than swimming laps? what kind of swimming is best free stroke?

please help me set up a plan of action

Answer 1

doing lap swimming is better than treading water. You should do freestyle stroke as well. Start with a 200 meter or yard warm up, that's 8 lengths of the pool and from there, do ten 50's, which is two lengths of the pool or five 100's, which is four lengths. Do this to start out, but later increase the amount of 50's or 100's. then, end it with a 100 cool down, 4 lengths. For the cool down, you can do any stroke. backstroke or breaststroke always are nice to finish off with.

Answer 2

If you want to tone up the whole body then you should do all 4 strokes.  The free and back will strengthen your arms, back and shoulders, the fly will strengthen your core and arms and the breaststroke will strengthen your legs and core.  Doing laps are the way to go to see lean muscle and tone up.  Keep your heart rate at 130 to 160 beats per minute for 30 or more minutes.

Answer 3

I am on swim team and have been for 7 years. Just FYI don't stop running..it is a great way to stay in shape and get ride of stress. But so is swimming!!! :) Treading water is good but swimming laps is better. First start out just doing freestyle and swim about 8 laps, then swim 4 laps doing backstroke and breaststroke and butterfly. All of these really work your body. Then do a cooldown with 4 laps freestyle. Your arms will become very stong very soon if you do this everyday. Let me know how this goes and if you want more tips i have a TON!! good luck!!!! keep up the running. :)

Answer 4

go to a pool with a clock. swim a 50 or 100 and see your time. round it, then do 10 50s or 100s on that sendoff. if it gets hard, keep going. this is good. then, do the same with IMs (fly, back, breast, free) or just strokes. also try longer distance, like four hundreds. or mid distance, two hundreds.