Swimming

[Determinedchick22]

I am going swimming tonight. How many lengths and times a week do I need to go to make an impact!?

[DartmoorDumpling Restart Feb 2024]

It all depends how fit you are!  Start with 3 lengths, then 5, then 10 and increase as you feel able to.  How many lengths you do depends on how much time you have and what else you have to do in your day.  Swimming can be pretty exhausting, which is why it is such a good calorie burner.  Just build your strength up gradually, and go as often as you have spare time.  Remember you can alternate your swimming with gym visits, walking or cycling so you don't lose enthusiasm - it all counts!

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

I would have thought that any amount of swimming would have an impact if you wouldn't normally be doing it.

Any exercise is better than sitting in front of the telly and swimming is a good all rounder

Enjoy yourself, count your lengths and log them with FizzyLiz's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea challenge. Swimming earns triple kilometers!

Have fun and as Dory would say.......just keep swimming!

[motherofboys Restart April 2024]

As others have said, if it is more swimming than you used to do it will be good for you and have an effect. A long while back I resolved to swim twice a week and I' be stuck with it for years now. Studies show you need to do 3 times a week to see significant improvement, twice a week will maintain your level. But I knew that 3 times a week for me would be an imposition and I'd not stick at it, so I went for twice a week. I swim as far as I can in 30 mins. Hope you enjoy your swimming!

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello

I have always been a keen swimmer but once I lost fitness it bacame a chore 😕 My pool has a "swim fit" programme where you basically vary the strokes and speed to prevent boredom. For example, 2x gentle front crawl, 2xfaster fc, 1x breaststroke, 1x backstroke etc you can also do just arms or legs using a float. I do 4x six length routine, It takes me about 20-30 minutes. The sauna is my reward 😊 I try to go twice weekly but don't always manage as its open funny times and I don't always have the car (the pool is 12 miles away) 

I also 'mix it up' with indoor cycling, walking, S&F, dancing to my favourite 70's music and yoga to prevent boredom, I am really enjoying the increasing fitness 😊

Good luck!