Swimming - fat loss, musle gain or both?

fallbayuk · 30 Jul 2007 at 00:16

Im trying to lose weight/bodyfat on a low calorie diet at the moment doing cardio about 3 times a week and weight training roughly 3 - 4 times a week. Id really like to include swimming in all this as the weight loss seems to have slowed down recently, maybe even plateaued, in the hope that the different form of exercise will shock my body into burning more fat again.

Is swimming just another form of cardio, or will it encourage muscle growth if youre on the right diet and trying to increase muscle mass?

HeadlessChicken · 30 Jul 2007 at 00:39

As an overall rule I'd say swimming is more of a cardio workout. One of the best though, low shock, small chance of muscle pulls / strains etc, and works virtually every muscle.

If you include a kickboard / pull bouy however, and mix it with the right set I can't see why some muscle hypertrophy can't be achieved. It'll be good for chest / shoulders / dorsals / biceps / trunk, but don't expect muscle gain similar to weights.

If anything it'll give you a great starting base for the weights to do their work, burn shedloads of calories and improve your respiratory system no end.

Chong Warrior · 30 Jul 2007 at 00:39

Swimming is more cardio though I suppose if you did it HIIT style and go powering through the water as hard and fast as possible in short bursts then you will get more powerfull and add some muscle mass.

Morba · 30 Jul 2007 at 00:55

i see general swimming like steady state cardio.