This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
So whenever I see the classic 'you shouldn't run or cycle because it makes your legs heavy and makes you eat more food (net)" I never really see swimming mentioned. Swimming is primarily using arms, so in that way is more specific than running or cycling, and as an ex swimmer I can safely say you don't get massive hypertrophy in your legs unless you really try hard at that.
Just curious if there are any climbers out there who regularly swim, and if it's helped them loose a little weight, or if anyone else has any comments?
cheers
In reply to jsmcfarland:
I agree swimming has to be the best cv exercise for climbing. When I've used it I used to do crawl and breast stroke without legs using a buoyancy aid between legs. But I just cant hack staring at white tiles for an hour and the 1,2,3 breath. Maybe I should try waterproof headphones.
I agree swimming has to be the best cv exercise for climbing. When I've used it I used to do crawl and breast stroke without legs using a buoyancy aid between legs. But I just cant hack staring at white tiles for an hour and the 1,2,3 breath. Maybe I should try waterproof headphones.
In reply to jsmcfarland:
The people who talk about heavy legs are talking shit. Actually I can think of reasons why swimming for cardio wouldn't be ideal, I can think of only 1 real benefit of swimming in training for climbing and it's not for cardio
The people who talk about heavy legs are talking shit. Actually I can think of reasons why swimming for cardio wouldn't be ideal, I can think of only 1 real benefit of swimming in training for climbing and it's not for cardio
In reply to jsmcfarland:
Cylcing is good for the legs and so walking up to the crag or pumpy routes on the calfs are easier, as I have discovered this last year or so.
Cylcing is good for the legs and so walking up to the crag or pumpy routes on the calfs are easier, as I have discovered this last year or so.
In reply to lost1977:
Is it a secret?
> I can think of only 1 real benefit of swimming in training for climbing and it's not for cardio
Is it a secret?
In reply to john arran:
Yes if you just plough up and down without thinking about what you are doing, not if you focus on improving your technique.
> borin' tho' init?
>
Yes if you just plough up and down without thinking about what you are doing, not if you focus on improving your technique.
In reply to jsmcfarland:
What I hate about swimming is I always lose count. Completely f**ks my day when I have to do extra lengths just to make sure I've done the distance.
What I hate about swimming is I always lose count. Completely f**ks my day when I have to do extra lengths just to make sure I've done the distance.
In reply to Removed User:
True. Drops your temperature and the hypothalamus tells you to eat as a stress response.
D
True. Drops your temperature and the hypothalamus tells you to eat as a stress response.
D
In reply to Removed User:
and you don't know what's in the pool.
You can't beat a rowing machine, and it's got a counter on it!
> What I hate about swimming is I always lose count. Completely f**ks my day when I have to do extra lengths just to make sure I've done the distance.
and you don't know what's in the pool.
You can't beat a rowing machine, and it's got a counter on it!
In reply to Lusk:
Yep - my thoughts too. Do a half marathon on a Concept 2 and cardio improvements pay out for days*
Cheers
LD
*once you have recovered enough to stand
Yep - my thoughts too. Do a half marathon on a Concept 2 and cardio improvements pay out for days*
Cheers
LD
*once you have recovered enough to stand
In reply to Lurking Dave:
Shit , thats got to be a tough'un.
> Yep - my thoughts too. Do a half marathon on a Concept 2 and cardio improvements pay out for days*
> Cheers
> LD
> *once you have recovered enough to stand
Shit , thats got to be a tough'un.
In reply to jsmcfarland:
I swam two or three times a week for a year or so as well as going running, but now I just run. While I was swimming I did lose loads of weight, but it may not have been the swimming that did it, and I notice that several regulars at the pool, who went more often than me and who did longer, harder, faster sessions than me, looked pretty overweight and didn't seem to be losing any.
I gave up the swimming because it was so boring and because at my pool I was tied down to very specific times of the week. Also, it wasn't very nice if the pool was busy, as it often was, and I never got any faster, no matter how hard I tried.
Running on the other hand, can be done any time, anywhere, with just dogs to cope with, and with more effort packed into less time than with swimming. If you have somewhere nice to run, even better.
I swam two or three times a week for a year or so as well as going running, but now I just run. While I was swimming I did lose loads of weight, but it may not have been the swimming that did it, and I notice that several regulars at the pool, who went more often than me and who did longer, harder, faster sessions than me, looked pretty overweight and didn't seem to be losing any.
I gave up the swimming because it was so boring and because at my pool I was tied down to very specific times of the week. Also, it wasn't very nice if the pool was busy, as it often was, and I never got any faster, no matter how hard I tried.
Running on the other hand, can be done any time, anywhere, with just dogs to cope with, and with more effort packed into less time than with swimming. If you have somewhere nice to run, even better.
In reply to jsmcfarland:
The best cardio for staying lean is sprinting - short intervals.
I swim to improve my swimming.
The best cardio for staying lean is sprinting - short intervals.
I swim to improve my swimming.
In reply to jmerrick21:
Steve House in "Training for the new Alpinism" disagrees - mainly on the basis that Swimming (and cycling) are very different from climbing activities in that you do not have to support your own bodyweight.
> I agree swimming has to be the best cv exercise for climbing.
Steve House in "Training for the new Alpinism" disagrees - mainly on the basis that Swimming (and cycling) are very different from climbing activities in that you do not have to support your own bodyweight.
In reply to aln:
no secret, from a biomechanics point of view it should complement climbing very well (so long as your swimming form is good and strokes are varied)
no secret, from a biomechanics point of view it should complement climbing very well (so long as your swimming form is good and strokes are varied)
In reply to planetmarshall:
found this to be depressingly true - on form on the velo at the moment but was destroyed by a relatively short alpine climb
found this to be depressingly true - on form on the velo at the moment but was destroyed by a relatively short alpine climb
In "racing weight", he discusses the idea of swimming not being great if weight loss is the main goal, as it stimulates your appetite a lot more than burning the same number of calories doing, say, running. Due to body being cold. If weight loss is your only goal, running before breakfast is pretty hard to beat.
In reply to GDes:
Yup, swimming is rubbish for cardio and weight loss. Run, preferably hard and fast and on an empty stomach.
Yup, swimming is rubbish for cardio and weight loss. Run, preferably hard and fast and on an empty stomach.
In reply to JayPee630:
Energy usage during running is only weakly correlated with speed. For weight loss alone, best run far rather than fast.
Energy usage during running is only weakly correlated with speed. For weight loss alone, best run far rather than fast.
Post edited at 12:21
In reply to jsmcfarland:
I know one person who swims regularly. She is about to go back to running as regular exercise as she lost weight doing that but hasn't with swimming (for the last 6 months).
I can think of 6 people who have taken to running in recent years and every single one has lost weight.
Ergo, swimming is rubbish. Running is ace.
Here endeth my completely scientific reasoning.
I know one person who swims regularly. She is about to go back to running as regular exercise as she lost weight doing that but hasn't with swimming (for the last 6 months).
I can think of 6 people who have taken to running in recent years and every single one has lost weight.
Ergo, swimming is rubbish. Running is ace.
Here endeth my completely scientific reasoning.
In reply to Ava Adore:
Sounds good me Ava!
Whereas I saw several overweight swimmers who swam several times a week, faster than I could for about 45-60 minutes each time, I don't see anyone like that who puts that much time into running....but for the running to work for weight loss, you do need to do much more than may people are willing to do, I think.
Sounds good me Ava!
Whereas I saw several overweight swimmers who swam several times a week, faster than I could for about 45-60 minutes each time, I don't see anyone like that who puts that much time into running....but for the running to work for weight loss, you do need to do much more than may people are willing to do, I think.
Post edited at 12:30
In reply to mbh:
You can lose weight swimming, but most people don't swim at the sustained effort required for it. This also means they're likely to be starving afterwards as the body temperature isn't raised much.
You can lose weight swimming, but most people don't swim at the sustained effort required for it. This also means they're likely to be starving afterwards as the body temperature isn't raised much.
In reply to jsmcfarland:
Cycling is good for weight loss. It certainly worked for this guy:-
http://39stonecyclist.com/pictures/
It also makes your knees stronger. My climbing buddy Duncan Beard had issues with his knees for years. He started cycling a lot more and his kness are a whole lot better and stronger now. I combine cycling with weight training for my top half and even at the age of 49 my weight / waist size is largely the same as it was when I was 18. I also still play football and football train regularly.
Cycling is good for weight loss. It certainly worked for this guy:-
http://39stonecyclist.com/pictures/
It also makes your knees stronger. My climbing buddy Duncan Beard had issues with his knees for years. He started cycling a lot more and his kness are a whole lot better and stronger now. I combine cycling with weight training for my top half and even at the age of 49 my weight / waist size is largely the same as it was when I was 18. I also still play football and football train regularly.
In reply to jsmcfarland:
I do a fair bit of swimming and am one of these saddos who actually enjoys it, but building drills into your routine is key to that.
In a pool I no longer count laps I just do it by time instead.
I'm building up my distance at the mo as I've got a long outdoor swim in Sept and I'm ravenous after swimming 4K+.
You have to swim a long way to beat the weight loss benefits of running, but at least you get less injuries!
I do a fair bit of swimming and am one of these saddos who actually enjoys it, but building drills into your routine is key to that.
In a pool I no longer count laps I just do it by time instead.
I'm building up my distance at the mo as I've got a long outdoor swim in Sept and I'm ravenous after swimming 4K+.
You have to swim a long way to beat the weight loss benefits of running, but at least you get less injuries!
In reply to mbh:
I don't know the science behind it, but I have really leaned up since starting running interval training with sprints. Before, just distance running and swimming...i plateaud as far as weight was concerned. Not that I was ever overweight, just noticed far more fat loss and definition since started sprinting. I eat just the same amount of rubbish as well.
I don't know the science behind it, but I have really leaned up since starting running interval training with sprints. Before, just distance running and swimming...i plateaud as far as weight was concerned. Not that I was ever overweight, just noticed far more fat loss and definition since started sprinting. I eat just the same amount of rubbish as well.
In reply to jsmcfarland:
Cycling for me. It doesn't really matter what is best as, apart from climbing itself, cycling is the only thing I can do. Putting on more leg muscle than I need doesn't matter if I lose a stone doing it.
Cycling for me. It doesn't really matter what is best as, apart from climbing itself, cycling is the only thing I can do. Putting on more leg muscle than I need doesn't matter if I lose a stone doing it.
In reply to jsmcfarland:
I lost loads of weight by running but through injuries, I have had to stop and have taken to the bike. I'm not putting weight on.
I lost loads of weight by running but through injuries, I have had to stop and have taken to the bike. I'm not putting weight on.
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:
lots of conflicting views so here is my observation, and that is all it is.
I train in a 'Triathlon' style and see a lot of chubbs in the pool. Out on the bike I would say I see about 50/50 lean to not so lean cyclists. When running I don't see fat people.
Make of that what you will. p.s. I share your 'pain' as only got into Tri after injuring calf running too much training for a marathon. I now mix it up with the swim and road & mountain biking training and seem to be better balanced, though I'm still wack at climbing.
lots of conflicting views so here is my observation, and that is all it is.
I train in a 'Triathlon' style and see a lot of chubbs in the pool. Out on the bike I would say I see about 50/50 lean to not so lean cyclists. When running I don't see fat people.
Make of that what you will. p.s. I share your 'pain' as only got into Tri after injuring calf running too much training for a marathon. I now mix it up with the swim and road & mountain biking training and seem to be better balanced, though I'm still wack at climbing.
In reply to jsmcfarland:
What's wrong with beefing up the legs? It would make a climber better at slabs and rockovers.
What's wrong with beefing up the legs? It would make a climber better at slabs and rockovers.
In reply to jsmcfarland:
Surely if your goal is to lose fat over the long term, the 'best' form of cardio exercise is the one you don't give up after 3 months because you found it too tedious and/or painful. So just do the one that you enjoy the most or fits best into your lifestyle. Compared to that, questions over which is the most efficient at fat burning, or which is the best cross-training for climbing, or which produces the most unwanted muscle hypertrophy in undesirable places, are just splitting hairs IMHO.
Rock climbing (as opposed to eg alpinism) is not a cardio sport and using a cardio sport to cross-train for it is pointless, IMHO. If you enjoy swimming, swim to lose weight and for the overall fitness benefits, not because it will directly make you better at climbing.
Surely if your goal is to lose fat over the long term, the 'best' form of cardio exercise is the one you don't give up after 3 months because you found it too tedious and/or painful. So just do the one that you enjoy the most or fits best into your lifestyle. Compared to that, questions over which is the most efficient at fat burning, or which is the best cross-training for climbing, or which produces the most unwanted muscle hypertrophy in undesirable places, are just splitting hairs IMHO.
Rock climbing (as opposed to eg alpinism) is not a cardio sport and using a cardio sport to cross-train for it is pointless, IMHO. If you enjoy swimming, swim to lose weight and for the overall fitness benefits, not because it will directly make you better at climbing.
Post edited at 15:24
In reply to Jimbo C:
I'm no expert but I believe swimming and cycling build muscle that doesn't really help with those things whereas running does, to a certain extent.
> (In reply to jsmcfarland)
>
> What's wrong with beefing up the legs? It would make a climber better at slabs and rockovers.
>
> What's wrong with beefing up the legs? It would make a climber better at slabs and rockovers.
I'm no expert but I believe swimming and cycling build muscle that doesn't really help with those things whereas running does, to a certain extent.
In reply to Quiddity:
This thread is now closed as nothing more need be said.
> Surely if your goal is to lose fat over the long term, the 'best' form of cardio exercise is the one you don't give up after 3 months because you found it too tedious and/or painful. So just do the one that you enjoy the most or fits best into your lifestyle. Compared to that, questions over which is the most efficient at fat burning, or which is the best cross-training for climbing, or which produces the most unwanted muscle hypertrophy in undesirable places, are just splitting hairs IMHO.
> Rock climbing (as opposed to eg alpinism) is not a cardio sport and using a cardio sport to cross-train for it is pointless, IMHO. If you enjoy swimming, swim to lose weight and for the overall fitness benefits, not because it will directly make you better at climbing.
This thread is now closed as nothing more need be said.
In reply to Quiddity:
Good points. Also, if you are eating to lose weight (negative calories) the chances of significant hypertrophy occuring are slim.
Good points. Also, if you are eating to lose weight (negative calories) the chances of significant hypertrophy occuring are slim.
In reply to jsmcfarland:
Just come and live in New Mills and go for 2 walks a day up the hills around here.Wickedly steep.Very few mountain bikers tackle them...
Then of course,you might come and do some rather steep routes on the Torrs and then feel the concrete fill your legs as you walk up the steps back out.
Just come and live in New Mills and go for 2 walks a day up the hills around here.Wickedly steep.Very few mountain bikers tackle them...
Then of course,you might come and do some rather steep routes on the Torrs and then feel the concrete fill your legs as you walk up the steps back out.
In reply to Quiddity:
Couldn't agree more. Pretty much what I was going to say.
Personally I enjoy doing complexes with a barbell or Kettlebell. Full body, hard work, reasonably short compared with long steady state cardio and toy can change up exercises and sequences to make things interesting. But still, it isn't climbing specific and I'm doing it mainly for weight loss, not because I believe it's the secret to climbing 7a.
Couldn't agree more. Pretty much what I was going to say.
Personally I enjoy doing complexes with a barbell or Kettlebell. Full body, hard work, reasonably short compared with long steady state cardio and toy can change up exercises and sequences to make things interesting. But still, it isn't climbing specific and I'm doing it mainly for weight loss, not because I believe it's the secret to climbing 7a.
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...