Swimming for fitness?

Question

I've always thought swimming would be a good exercise to be doing a few times a week. I just wonder what to do...do I have to be a great swimmer? I can keep myself afloat but I have little technique beyond the basic one arm over, then the next. I can't even breathe out of the side and down like you're supposed to!

Is swimming a feasible thing for me to start doing 2-3 times a week? Can you give me some tips? Thanks!

Answer 1

Absolutely.  The first thing to keep in mind is when you complete your first lap, you may say to yourself - what the heck?  Swimming is a very great workout, but you have to build yourself up to doing many laps.  I would start with 2x a week and go from there, don't burn yourself out.  You do not have to be a great swimmer, anyone can do it!  The main thing when you are swimming, which will help your fitness level, is to make sure that you are pulling yourself thru the water.  Feel the water against your hands and kick hard with your feet.  Before you get in, watch a few swimmers do the different strokes.  You will see people doing it differently, and that is fine - everybody has their own way of swimming.  Maybe start out with a kickboard, the squarish foam-board with a rounded edge.  Grab one at the pool and start kicking, get used to going back and forth in the water.  Get used to feeling the water.  Next, possibly start with backstroke - that way you don't have to worry about your breathing because you are on your back.  You can swim with one arm pulling at a time or do both arms at the same time (this is called elementary backstroke).  When you kick, keep your feet just below the surface, doing small, fast kicks.  Remember, it will take time to improve your technique.  If you want, try and sign up for a private swim lesson - you'd be surprised how much you can learn in a few 1/2 hour lessons!  Good luck!

Answer 2

You dont need to be a gold medal swimmer at all, do what you can in the water, you are using a lot of muscles you normally wouldnt use on a day 2 day basis, even standing in the water and lifting your legs is exercise enough, dont overdo it just have fun and move around as much as you can in the water and you,ll soon see an improvement in the tone of your body, x

Answer 3

Swimming recruits all the major muscle groups, including the shoulders, back, abdominals, legs, hips, and glutes, she says. And because water affords 12 times the resistance as air in every direction, it really helps to build strength

Answer 4

You don't have to be a good swimmer. My stroke technique is bad, but I do it.

Just get you a good Speedo, TYR, Nike, Dolfin, Kiefer one piece suit and get after it. Polyester suits last longer than lycra. Bikinis don't work real well for lap swimming.

Answer 5

Swimming is the best to work out, get fit, since the environment is a weightless one. I don't know your situation wholly. I think the biggest concern is your hair, the Chlorine making your hair green or green tint. Also, your skin drys out more, I think, so a good lotion to moisturize yourself. Can get pricey, but I think one "Ashy Williams" of Chappele show took such to extremes! It helps always to increase your knowledge of techniques on swimming. I would think there's classes coming up. Summer break and all. I would think that they will teach you the whole proper ways of swimming. Good Luck and TC!