Training & Nutrition - Swimming

I'm looking into swimming as a why to tone my upper body some more. Do you guys think it's worth my time?

I have no plans on becoming a triathlete, I'm just a cyclist.

I think you would benefit more from weightlifting than swimming to tone your body.

I have been swimming as a crosstraining for the past few years. It doesn't "tone" as you say, but it does work more of the aerobic conditioning.

Its time to pump some iron. Go buy some dumbells...

Any cross training for cycling (http://cycling.dingdangdo.com/training/cross_training_for_cyclists.php) is a great idea. swimming is zero impact and great for building mass and providing a great cardio workout at the same time. great for your VO2 max

Any cross training for cycling (http://cycling.dingdangdo.com/training/cross_training_for_cyclists.php) is a great idea. swimming is zero impact and great for building mass and providing a great cardio workout at the same time. great for your VO2 max

+1

Swimming is not only a great way to cross train and, build body tone and muscle, its fun. Good for joint flexibility too. I thoroughly enjoy swimming and, do it about 50 minutes 3 days a week. Before cycling a lot I was doing it 5 days a week - swimming a mile or more each time.

Think about joining a local masters club. You will meet new friends and get good safe workouts.

Swimming is nearly all upper body so it is a great cross training. You can probably get stronger and get a more specific work out for the upper body by doing the right weight lifting regimine. But swimming is a really good choice also. Weights would be more strength oriented and swimming would be more endurance oriented.

Thank you for all the input.

pull-ups/chin-ups, push-ups, dips, calasthetics man, do it up. If you become a pull-up technician you will get more props at the gym than the muscle heads who cannot do more than 8 pull-ups.

Swimming is dope, I am in my second season as a triathlete. And it is not nearly all upper-body, remember you have to kick, well you don't have to, but this helps loosen up your hamstrings which are tight from cycling.

I swim about 30 to 45 minutes 3 or 4 times a week, laps. Probably about .5 to .75 miles. I love it and am working up to a mile. I had forgotten how much I like to swim, and it's fun to work on form. A great workout.

its good in the middle of a ride and if you swim in your bike shorts it keeps you cool on a hot day

its good in the middle of a ride and if you swim in your bike shorts it keeps you cool on a hot day

Does the chlorine shorten the life of the shorts? I know most cycling shorts say no bleach, and a swimming pool is bleach-ish

Does the chlorine shorten the life of the shorts? I know most cycling shorts say no bleach, and a swimming pool is bleach-ish


Yes, it does. Not immediately, but soon your riding partners will probably be complaining about seeing more from behind than they had before you started swimming in your shorts.

Does the chlorine shorten the life of the shorts? I know most cycling shorts say no bleach, and a swimming pool is bleach-ish

Swimming is a great workout, and much more fun than boring gym-sessions, but I wouldn't swim in shorts I'd ridden in. For a start, riding afterwards in a soggy pad isn't much fun (unless tri-shorts, which have a much thinner pad). But also, they'll be loaded with sweat and bacteria, even if you rinse off before you go in, and that means the pool management have to put even more chlorine in to keep the nasties down. (If everyone was made to shower properly before they swam the level of chlorine in pools would be much lower and more pleasant.)

But if you do, try to rinse lycra shorts in water mixed with wetsuit shampoo as soon as you get out of the pool. (Carry a small container of it with you and do it in the bathroom sink.) It very much increases the life of lycra and pays for itself pretty quickly.