why swim fitness competition weight loss exercise triathlon

 

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General fitness?
Competition, perhaps a triathlon. Weight loss,
pleasant exercise, maybe a gorgeous ripped body?
Or simply a distraction from the daily grind.

The Wow factor
It worked for Tarzan. Swimming unstructured laps, especially across wild streams, will give you a sense of well-being and is certainly good for health generally. After first getting a base go to Intro to Workouts where you'll find a variety of unspecialized routines for getting started.

 

Beating Phelps
Or maybe just the guy in the next lane. First decide if you're going to leave him in your bubbles in sprints or longer distances, and at which stroke or Individual Medley. Look at the right hand column of 50 workouts page for a description of the kind of routine you want.

Wanna Skinny Dip?
Swimming worked for Esther Williams, first as an Olympian and then as a movie star that shot out of fountains in all her sequinned glory. I am skeptical of all I read about swimming and weight loss. The latest rumor is that swimming can plump you up a bit. Also, there is some suspicion, if not bona fide evidence, that the body reacts to cold water by growing a nice little padding under the skin. True, swimmers are not usually skinny, runners are, but so are basketball players tall and wrestlers not so. So I'm not inclined to blame the inclination to do a sport as the cause for that very inclination. I swim a lot. I am skinny. My lane mate may be a fluffo plumpo and doesn't swim much. What does that prove? However, weight loss doesn't require certain workouts. Just put in the time and go the distance. And don't stuff yourself after.

Triathlons, the long and short of it
Which? Should you start short and gradually build up? Your choices may depend on your desire for medals. If that's what I wanted I would be swimming 50 fly and occasional free at every meet. Instead I've done a half dozen Ironmen, an event for which I have no talent. I am a drop dead sprinter and the Ironman is an all day sucker, but absolutely thrilling. I did 5 standard triathlons my first year, then worried that I would outgrow my ability to train for the BIG one very quickly, so the next year I qualified at my 2nd event, my 6th in my life and went to Hawaii for my 7th. Sensible? You're kidding. That's the great thing about triathlons. You face the fact you're a fanatic and enjoy what you love to do. Who needs 1st place wins all the time, anyhow. For a real shortie, go to Minimal and for the whopper try Ironman.

Escape from Alcatraz
There are a number of long, easy or difficult, swims. Some famous like Escape from Alcatraz or the Chesapeake. The training is straightforward. Click on Ultradistance.

Hey, don't laugh!
There is a group that does their workout often at the same time I'm doing mine. For some of them, just changing into a swimsuit is a challenge and almost a cardio workout. The smile to the left is real. They actually do that while I only grunt. And they are a social group, which is certainly beneficial to their health. If they were not doing the stuff that is the butt of plenty of life guard remarks, what would they be doing? At home, watching Oprah, eating, yawning, and dissolving their brains as much as their bodies. But I have no routines to offer. Just Google Aquasize.

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(New - A Facebook discussion group has been put up
by a swimmer doing the swim-one-mile plan. If you would
like to join or begin a discussion please go to FB 0-1650 talk
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