How many use swimming as their primary exercise?

 Good Afternoon!

I'm just curious...When I started my exercise program, I chose swimming as my primary exericse.  Why?  Well, I enjoy the water (always a plus), it's an aerobic activity, it uses more than just one set of muscles, and it's a warm activity...even in winter, you'll be in an indoor pool.  For those of us that don't care for the cold that much, that's a big one.  Being cold makes me unhappy, being unhappy means I won't exercise.

I was just wondering if anyone else was using swimming as their primary exercise, how they maximize benefits from it (I swim laps 3-4x per week, 30minutes per session), and what steps they take to ensure that all their muscles are being used...

Any thoughts are welcome!

-David

I swim 2-4 miles a week but it's not my primary form of exercise. LOL

That's cool that you have indoor pools. Where I am, they figure it's good enough weather to swim outdoors all year round. Except they're wrong! I don't pool swim in Dec. and I don't open water swim from Nov - Feb. Too cold.

I think the only way to make sure you exercise all your muscles is to cross-train though. Plus, when we're losing, strength training helps us not lose as much muscle.

As for what to do when swimming, I mix it up. Once a week I do a coached workout. We do drills, we do speed work, we do endurance work. The coach helps us with our stroke technique. Then, once a week I do a long swim. This time of year, it's maybe only a mile, but by the end of the season it will be 3+ miles.

I, like Marie, am a triathlete but I do swim 8-10 miles typically per week. I recommend, rather than just doing the same lap swimming everyday, mix in some focused workouts. I recommend 3 specific workouts a week. 1) Strength 2) Endurance 3) Speed... Strength could mean swimming with a pull bouey and paddles. Endurance would be trying to lengthen your long swim by 5-10 minutes each week to increase your aerobic / cardiovascular fitness. Speed... Try warming up with 250M then try 10 lengths of the pool, starting every 30 seconds or 35 seconds (Depends on your speed) then try to lower the time interval by a few seconds each week. Just some ffod for thought... I love to swim!!! 

I'm going to try and share with you the truth...The whole truth...And nothing but the truth.  Many many people will chose their exercise pre op, then find it doesn't work so well.  They then move from sport to sport to find the right one, then go with it.  Usually it's the one they've had most success with post op.  I was that way.  I too planned on making swimming my # 1 choice.  It didn't work for me.  Just me personally...It may work for you fine.  Two problems I faced (I was a pretty good swimmer over the years...knew all the strokes except butterfly).  The first problem I faced is I am cold all the time...ALL THE TIME!!  I kid you not.  One afternoon I was working in my security uniform and it was 102 in the shade.  I was cold!!  So even in a heated pool you may not be warm enough.  The other thing I faced was buoyancy.  After I dropped to a certain level (weight wise), I started sinking...No fat to keep me up above water.  Just saying don't get too frustrated if swimming doesn't work out.  Other fish in the sea.  I went from sport to sport before I found my zone.  My 2 cents.