How good is Swimming

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 6/01/2007 4:55pm

Originally Posted by WhiteShark

I swam competitively for years and my base cardio crossing over into several sports has always been excellent. Maybe I'm naturally gifted but years and years of competitive swimming both long and short distance can't hurt.
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Keyword is competitively. If you just hop in the pool and swim like KH said very little benefit. If you find a good competitive program Like Masters for you oldies it isn't completely self paced.

**RunningDog** · Posted On: 6/01/2007 5:28pm

Originally Posted by WhiteShark

I swam competitively for years and my base cardio crossing over into several sports has always been excellent. Maybe I'm naturally gifted but years and years of competitive swimming both long and short distance can't hurt.

As far as running being better than swimming thats kinda silly. Both depend more on the workout type itself than the actual activity. Technique is also dramatically more important in swimming than running.

I agree, the benefits gained are proportional to the effort put in. Personally I find front crawl sprints much more demanding than running sprints.

It's also excellent if you're injured. I have a knee injury needing surgery and my physio specifically recommended swimming to build up strength (front crawl and backstroke only in my case).

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 6/01/2007 5:31pm

Originally Posted by RunningDog

I agree, the benefits gained are proportional to the effort put in. Personally I find front crawl sprints much more demanding than running sprints.

It's also excellent if you're injured. I have a knee injury needing surgery and my physio specifically recommended swimming to build up strength (front crawl and backstroke only in my case).

I sprained an ankle severely coming down the stairs when, I was still swimming. I thought I was going to get a break (teenage years).

The doc laughed at me and said you really swim?

Well, perfect you won't have to stop.

I was bummed.

**RunningDog** · Posted On: 6/01/2007 5:35pm

Go to a pool where you can have a sauna and cold shower after, for that feelgood factor.

**Nid** · Posted On: 6/01/2007 5:57pm

Originally Posted by It is Fake

I guess you escaped right along with us.

Mmmm....no.

Anyway...

Because something is demanding, that doesn't make it....well, anything neccesarily. Quite a few caveats have to be met before you can say:

1. What exercise is exercise is
a. And that it's improving something.

Those points tend to be summarily ignored, in favor of whatever assuming that which makes you sweat and pant is beneficial; in addition to the ol "it works for me" attack.

**Nid** · Posted On: 6/01/2007 5:58pm

Originally Posted by RunningDog

Go to a pool where you can have a sauna and cold shower after, for that feelgood factor.

Probably the most useful response so far.

**bob** · Posted On: 6/01/2007 6:03pm

Being a good swimmer is far more likely to save your life than being good at MA.

**RunningDog** · Posted On: 6/01/2007 6:05pm

Originally Posted by bornsceptic

Being a good swimmer is far more likely to save your life than being good at MA.

Probably the most useful response so far.

**avenger** · Posted On: 6/01/2007 6:41pm

Originally Posted by chayok

Swimming doesn't nearly work the legs as good as running. You can kick during freestyle, but because you are horizontally lying on water, you simply won't work on legs like you could in running. However someone talked about intensity, swimming is great for short bursts

I can disagree with this. I've been in swimming for nearly my entire life. Yes, you use the entire body, but there are excercises for just the legs or arms. If you really want to work your lefs, first of all, kick alot (duh). Another, go as deep as you can underwater, hold yourself underdown by kicking as hard as you can. You'll be suprised on how well this works. the deeper you are, the harder it will be. But remember, come up to breath. Another extremely good leg excercise. Hopefully you know what tread above water means. Anyway, when you're treading above water, cross your arms across your chest so you don't use your arms. Then do one of these kicks. Butterfly or flutter kick to try and keep your chest above water. You'll be suprised at how hard it is.
Somebody was saying how that for BJJ, you need to be able to do it in short sprints so running is better. here are some good excercises you can do. Do atleast 10, 25 sprints as fast as you can. If you want, you can upgrade it to 50s. Then repeat, but doing it off a diving block. You'll be suprised how well this can help you.

**Jhemsley** · Posted On: 6/01/2007 7:03pm

Something to keep in mind when doing sprints to improve any sort of anaerobic activity (like most of BJJ) is when doing sprints, focus on taking fewer and fewer breaths as you get better at swimming. Its the key to improving lung capacity and anaerobic endurance. When I swam competitively many years ago, part of every sprint workout was dictating how man breaths you could take.

The goal was to work up to 1 - 2 breaths per 25 yards/meters. Some of the really good swimmers (competing for scholarships) could take only one per 50 yards/meters. IIRC, Olympic sprinters frequently don't take any breaths, the just take a big gulp right before they hit the water. On a 100 meter sprint, they would generally take one, although they didn't have to. The minute slow down to take the breath at that point is considered to be worth a boost of oxygen for the last 25 yards/meters.

Like anything, start slow and work up. Once you take only one breath every 6 - 10 strokes while sprinting, swimming stops being aerobic for most people. I'm willing to bet it will make a huge difference when sparring on how long it takes to get gassed if you swim sprints while working on breath control for a few months.

In fact, I've been meaning to start swim sprinting, so I'll find what work out I'm going to do for it, and report back after I've done it a while what I've found. I'm doing other cardio and would be adding to this, and haven't done BJJ very long, but i'll make a best estimate and get back to you.