Even though it is easy on the joints, swimming is a great way to lose weight and get other health benefits. It works out many muscle groups at once which makes you fitter generally and burns calories quickly. For many it is a nice change from high impact exercises like running.
The pressure of the water makes every move harder, making it take more work to finish a workout. This active exercise is also good for your heart and essential for burning fat and speeding up your metabolism. Adding swimming to your schedule can be helpful and fun no matter how experienced or new you are.
Is Swimming Good For Weight Loss?
Because it is low impact swimming is excellent for losing weight and can be done by people of all fitness levels. Swimming doesn’t stress your joints like running or gymnastics making you less likely to get hurt. It includes both power training and running making it a complete workout.
When you swim you use your whole body from your legs to your core and even your upper body. Working out your entire body burns more calories than working out specific muscle parts. Swimming is a great way to work out because it is both practical and easy on the body.
How Does Swimming Help You Lose Weight?
By making you burn more calories and speeding up your metabolism, swimming can help you lose weight. The pressure of the water makes your muscles work harder which burns calories faster. Freestyle backstroke and butterfly are some of the strokes that can be used to get a healthy workout.
While you swim your body also improves its cardio ability which helps it burn fat more efficiently. By changing the distance and speed different fitness levels can get the most out of swimming workouts. Swimming is a great way to lose weight because it combines strength training with aerobic activity.
How Much Do You Have To Swim To Lose Weight?
To lose weight effectively through swimming you must stick to a schedule that includes long and short workouts. Strive to swim at a reasonable level for at least 150 minutes a week. That is about 30 minutes a day five times a week. If you swim very hard you can cut the total time to about 75 minutes a week.
To lose weight as quickly as possible slowly make your workouts longer and harder. For example start with shorter workouts and build up to longer ones as your stamina grows. When you do interval training you switch between fast runs and slower rest laps which can help you burn a lot more calories.
Consistency is key. If you want to lose weight and keep it off you need to make swimming a normal part of your weekly exercise routine. You could also try using a variety of moves and techniques to keep your workouts interesting and challenging which will help you reach your weight loss goals even more.
How Many Calories Do You Burn Swimming?
Many things affect how many calories you burn while swimming such as weight, swimming style, speed and how long you swim. A person who weighs about 155 pounds burns about 400 to 500 calories an hour while swimming at a reasonable level.
It is possible to burn many more calories when you swim fast rigidly or with complex moves like the butterfly or fast paced freestyle. For instance a 185 pound person might burn between 500 and 600 calories an hour by swimming hard.
For someone who weighs 155 pounds here how many calories they burn by stroke
Freestyle (slow): 298 calories per hour
Freestyle (moderate): 372 calories per hour
Freestyle (fast): 469 calories per hour
Backstroke: 298 calories per hour
Breaststroke: 372 calories per hour
Butterfly: 523 calories per hour
If you want to burn more calories keep track of your swim lessons and change how hard you work out based on your goals. Swimming is an excellent way to lose weight because it increases calorie burn and speed training can make it even better.
What Is The Best Swimming Routine For Weight Loss?
The best way to swim to lose weight is to use a variety of moves and methods so that you burn as many calories as possible while still having fun. Here is an example of a weekly swimming plan that will help you lose weight
Weekly Swimming Schedule:
Day 1: Endurance Swim
- Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of easy swimming (any stroke).
- Main set: 20-30 minutes of continuous swimming at a moderate pace. Alternate between freestyle and backstroke to target different muscle groups.
- Cool down: 5-10 minutes of easy swimming.
Day 2: Interval Training
- Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of easy swimming.
- Main set: 4 x 50 meters fast freestyle, followed by 50 meters easy swimming as recovery. 4 x 25 meters butterfly or breaststroke at a high intensity, with 25 meters of easy swimming in between.
- Cool down: 5-10 minutes of easy swimming.
Day 3: Technique Focus
- Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of easy swimming.
- Drills: Spend 20 minutes on technique drills for each stroke (e.g., catch-up drill for freestyle, kickboard drills).
- Main set: 10 minutes of continuous swimming to maintain proper form.
- Cool down: 5-10 minutes of easy swimming.
Day 4: Recovery Swim
- Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of easy swimming.
- Main set: 20-30 minutes of relaxed swimming, using any stroke you prefer. Include some stretches in the water, such as gentle side-to-side movements and arm circles.
- Cool down: 5-10 minutes of easy swimming.
Day 5: High-intensity Workout
- Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of easy swimming.
- Main set: 5 x 100 meters freestyle fast, with 30 seconds of relaxation between each. 4 x 50 meters backstroke, focusing on speed.
- Cool down: 5-10 minutes of easy swimming.
Tips For Success
- To lose weight you need to be consistent. Aim to swim three to five times a week.
- As your fitness grows slowly, add more time and energy to your workouts.
- Change how you swim to keep things interesting and work out different muscle groups.
- Keep track of your swims to see how you’re doing and keep yourself encouraged.
- To help your swimming practice, drink plenty of water and eat healthy foods.
Conclusion
Swimming works out your complete body and is gentle on your joints making it a terrific weight loss exercise. Regular swimming and exercise may help you lose weight and become in shape. Other exercises may provide the same health advantages if something other than swimming isn’t your thing. Find something you like to remain motivated and lose weight. Swimming and other sports should be used to keep fit and healthy and exercise regularly.