maximizing my pool time
October 5, 2010 6:14 PM Subscribe
Back into the groove of exercise, need advice for swimming
I love to swim so i joined a gym with a pool. I swim a quarter mile three times a week( its x number of laps). When I told a physical therapist I do this for exercise she said it wasn't very much whereas i thought she would be impressed! So, the quarter mile is 13 laps at this pool. I am rather fast but instead of swimming for an extended amount of minutes I like to have a number of laps. Is there any suggestion that might be more. Is a quarter mile not much? Also, any suggestion on other pool exercises?
I love to swim so i joined a gym with a pool. I swim a quarter mile three times a week( its x number of laps). When I told a physical therapist I do this for exercise she said it wasn't very much whereas i thought she would be impressed! So, the quarter mile is 13 laps at this pool. I am rather fast but instead of swimming for an extended amount of minutes I like to have a number of laps. Is there any suggestion that might be more. Is a quarter mile not much? Also, any suggestion on other pool exercises?
What I mean is, if X number of laps in a period of time (e.g. 30 minutes) keeps your heart rate at Y level (depending on your age) for that period of time, then that's the number of laps you should do.
If you're just doing 1/4 of distance, but taking huge breaks between each lap, the cardio goal of the workout isn't super-duper, although your muscles are getting a workout.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 6:20 PM on October 5, 2010
If you're just doing 1/4 of distance, but taking huge breaks between each lap, the cardio goal of the workout isn't super-duper, although your muscles are getting a workout.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 6:20 PM on October 5, 2010
Honestly, I would consider 13 laps not worth changing into a swimming suit. You say you are a fast swimmer – how long does it take you to complete a quarter mile?
posted by halogen at 6:22 PM on October 5, 2010
posted by halogen at 6:22 PM on October 5, 2010
When I used to swim a lot, I felt like I got about the same workout from swimming 500 yards as I got from running a mile. You did almost 500 yards, but that's really just the start or finish of a good workout, just like running a mile might be. I find swimming more than 1000 yards to be unbearably boring so I've never been able to do it, but it's a great complement to other forms of exercise.
posted by bluejayk at 6:23 PM on October 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by bluejayk at 6:23 PM on October 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
It depends on your fitness level, weight, and age but I would say regardless of those numbers it's not very much.
A 30 year old female swimming at a moderate pace burns about 100 calories swimming .25 miles.
Anyway, it depends on your goals and what your trying to do for if it's "enough" or not.
posted by zephyr_words at 6:29 PM on October 5, 2010
A 30 year old female swimming at a moderate pace burns about 100 calories swimming .25 miles.
Anyway, it depends on your goals and what your trying to do for if it's "enough" or not.
posted by zephyr_words at 6:29 PM on October 5, 2010
Ditto Cool Papa Bell. Determine your maximum heart rate. Get a heart rate monitor or learn to measure yours accurately. Then swim for 20-45 minutes within your target heart rate range (60%-80% of your maximum). Mix up speeds and durations as your heart rate becomes more efficient over time.
posted by cocoagirl at 6:31 PM on October 5, 2010
posted by cocoagirl at 6:31 PM on October 5, 2010
If you like having a number of laps, figure out how many laps you can swim in half an hour (or 45 minutes, or an hour, or whatever is appropriate for you) then make that your goal. Periodically add a few laps to that number, and also make sub-goals related to how many laps you can do without stopping. If you are a fast swimmer, a quarter mile should take you WELL under 10 minutes, which is not much of a workout.
posted by juliapangolin at 6:35 PM on October 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by juliapangolin at 6:35 PM on October 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
I would say that a quarter mile is not a lot. When I was only exercising to the level of being kind-of fit (and still had a BMI of over 25) I was swimming 2km 3 times a week, which is about a mile and a quarter.
posted by gaspode at 6:43 PM on October 5, 2010
posted by gaspode at 6:43 PM on October 5, 2010
When you start swimming, before you build up a good tolerance for the breathing and the type of exercise, a quarter mile is a lot. When I started swimming I'd try to do five laps before chilling out and then trying to do five more. That said, for fitness swimmers, they're usually swimming more than that. THAT said, what people have said about heart rate and the rest is important.
So, I am a fitness swimmer. When I was swimming a lot, I'd be swimming a mile a few times a week. That was, for me, maybe a little too much and I wound up with a shoulder injury. Now I've dialled it back and I try to do a half mile at a time, and bump it up more if I'm feeling energetic. I try to do this a few times a week but I intersperse it with running.
And running, oy, I suck! For me to be able to run without stopping and run a mile is a BIG deal. I'm sure if I asked other runers, they'd be all "A mile? Pshaw!" but whatever, I have my own reasons for running and it's a suitable amount of tire-me-out exercise.
So I'd either swim for time, or pick a number of laps that feels like just one or two more than you feel that you can do. I have a minimum number of laps [15] that I won't go below and every time I swim I try to swim until I'm tired out and then go one or two more laps. I'll do a few laps kickboarding if I'm having trouble getting my breathing working right [more of a problem before than now] and end it all up with a cool down lap where I mostly float and relax.
posted by jessamyn at 6:56 PM on October 5, 2010
So, I am a fitness swimmer. When I was swimming a lot, I'd be swimming a mile a few times a week. That was, for me, maybe a little too much and I wound up with a shoulder injury. Now I've dialled it back and I try to do a half mile at a time, and bump it up more if I'm feeling energetic. I try to do this a few times a week but I intersperse it with running.
And running, oy, I suck! For me to be able to run without stopping and run a mile is a BIG deal. I'm sure if I asked other runers, they'd be all "A mile? Pshaw!" but whatever, I have my own reasons for running and it's a suitable amount of tire-me-out exercise.
So I'd either swim for time, or pick a number of laps that feels like just one or two more than you feel that you can do. I have a minimum number of laps [15] that I won't go below and every time I swim I try to swim until I'm tired out and then go one or two more laps. I'll do a few laps kickboarding if I'm having trouble getting my breathing working right [more of a problem before than now] and end it all up with a cool down lap where I mostly float and relax.
posted by jessamyn at 6:56 PM on October 5, 2010
I find swimming more than 1000 yards to be unbearably boring
I haven't done much swimming for years -- which I should really change -- but I used to deal with this problem by giving myself a workout. The idea here is to set yourself a varied collection of small goals to achieve during the course of your time in the pool. You don't need much for this beyond a pace clock or a waterproof watch to keep track of time. (Strictly, I guess you don't, but I would get bored when I didn't have some time restrictions matched to my distance goals.)
So, OP, if boredom is part of the problem, consider this: a quarter mile is a little under 500 yards. Instead of hopping in and just trying to swim 500 yards, try this (assuming a 25 yard pool):
There are plenty of variations you can add: different strokes, different drills, fixed rest instead of fixed time per task, etc. Done properly in the context of a well-designed workout, all will help different aspects of your development as a swimmer. But they'll also keep your attention longer.
posted by Serf at 7:36 PM on October 5, 2010 [5 favorites]
I haven't done much swimming for years -- which I should really change -- but I used to deal with this problem by giving myself a workout. The idea here is to set yourself a varied collection of small goals to achieve during the course of your time in the pool. You don't need much for this beyond a pace clock or a waterproof watch to keep track of time. (Strictly, I guess you don't, but I would get bored when I didn't have some time restrictions matched to my distance goals.)
So, OP, if boredom is part of the problem, consider this: a quarter mile is a little under 500 yards. Instead of hopping in and just trying to swim 500 yards, try this (assuming a 25 yard pool):
- 100 yard warmup
- 8x50 yards on 1:30 intervals (or whatever length of time translates into 90% work / 10% rest at a pace high enough to keep your heart rate up, but low enough to be sustainable)
- 50 yards easy kick w/ kickboard
- 4x50 yards hard out / easy back on 1:45 intervals (or whatever time works for you)
- 50 yards warmdown
There are plenty of variations you can add: different strokes, different drills, fixed rest instead of fixed time per task, etc. Done properly in the context of a well-designed workout, all will help different aspects of your development as a swimmer. But they'll also keep your attention longer.
posted by Serf at 7:36 PM on October 5, 2010 [5 favorites]
I agree with what Serf said. I used to go lap swimming by myself and would get bored or "tired" after ~1000 yd. Now I'm taking a class where basically we are given a workout plan at the beginning and we just go do it. 45 minutes fly by and suddenly I've swam 1600 yd or more (with some prescribed rests). And I'm on the slow side. Here are some other beginner workout plans.
And counting laps is not really a good way to judge how much you've "done" physically. Some people can swim 0.25 mi in 5 minutes. Others it may take 8. The one who took 8 may have been working as hard as the one who did it in 5 but was slower because of mechanics and efficiency.
posted by bread-eater at 7:50 PM on October 5, 2010
And counting laps is not really a good way to judge how much you've "done" physically. Some people can swim 0.25 mi in 5 minutes. Others it may take 8. The one who took 8 may have been working as hard as the one who did it in 5 but was slower because of mechanics and efficiency.
posted by bread-eater at 7:50 PM on October 5, 2010
Response by poster: Thank you so much for all your answers. i do find one a lil harsh."it isn't even worth putting on a bathing suit", its far better than most slobs. I'm going to try to work on heart rate instead, I just like the goal aspect re:numbers but I figure *just pick it up as I can* is the synopsis...
posted by femmme at 8:56 AM on October 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by femmme at 8:56 AM on October 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 6:17 PM on October 5, 2010