Training & Nutrition - Swimming to supplement biking?

I've recently lost a fair amount of weight cycling and my legs are looking pretty good, but my upper body shows nearly no improvement. I was thinking of joining the local YMCA and swimming regularly to help amend the issue.

Does anyone else swim to work out their upper body or are there other good workout routines to increase upper body strength? I find lifting weights too repetitive and boring.

i sink like a rock. can't swim, don't know about it helping your upper body, but i mean, i would guess it does???

i do push ups and jump rope. Jump Rope is really fun and very challenging/under-rated.

I find lifting weights too repetitive and boring.Good luck swimming back and forth in a pool long enough to build muscle...

It will help with muscular endurance of the upper body and might help firm up your muscles a bit. It won't do a whole lot as far as adding muscle mass or making you much stronger though. Only lower rep / high resistance training can do that.

I've recently lost a fair amount of weight cycling and my legs are looking pretty good, but my upper body shows nearly no improvement. I was thinking of joining the local YMCA and swimming regularly to help amend the issue.

Does anyone else swim to work out their upper body or are there other good workout routines to increase upper body strength? I find lifting weights too repetitive and boring.

Cycling won't build you great pecs, that's for sure. And most swimmers spend a lot of time in the gym to develop the chest and shoulder muscles. Even at the training volumes they do, swimming on its own won't cut it.

So it's weights or some other resistance training, I'm afraid. There's lots you can do using your own bodyweight - push-ups, pull-ups, other core exercises...

Bummer...maybe I should take up rowing? I like sports where the effort exerted actually pays you back while you do the exercise i.e. bike acceleration, etc

weight lift: bench press, flys, shoulder raises, tricep extensions, curls, lat pulldowns... 3 sets of ten each, that should get you started. Keep going to the gym and watch what others do or even better ask. You'll learn quick

Bummer...maybe I should take up rowing? I like sports where the effort exerted actually pays you back while you do the exercise i.e. bike acceleration, etc

If you have rowing teams in your area, that would add some bulk to your shoulders and it's aerobic as all get out.

Something else to consider would be something like Crossfit.

Not quite sure why the swimming nay-say but I vehemently disagree. Swimming is fantastic for working out the upper body (and the rest too). No, it isn't body building in the sense of packing on loads of bulky, short muscle but why would one want that as a cyclist anyway? You WILL however build muscle, increase tone, improve your cardio, and as an added bonus work out the kinks in your entire musculoskeletal system. It is a FANTASTIC cross train for cyclists so don't hesitate if you are interested. Go swim!

Rowing is great exercise- but it's very leg-intensive, so if you're looking to work out but rest up your legs for cycling the next day, it might not be ideal. Rowing great for strengthening the back and arms too, but if you want to develop some glamour muscles (pecs, abs) it would be better to canoe, kayak, or swim.
It's also pretty technical, so it's fun to improve bit by bit. When you get a boat running well it's very satisfying.

Not quite sure why the swimming nay-say but I vehemently disagree. Swimming is fantastic for working out the upper body (and the rest too). No, it isn't body building in the sense of packing on loads of bulky, short muscle but why would one want that as a cyclist anyway? You WILL however build muscle, increase tone, improve your cardio, and as an added bonus work out the kinks in your entire musculoskeletal system. It is a FANTASTIC cross train for cyclists so don't hesitate if you are interested. Go swim!

Don't disagree with any of this but it's slow. Swimmers don't just swim, they tend to spend a lot of time in the gym to build the sort of muscle that maximises their performance, just as track sprinters don't just rely on riding their bikes to build those thigh muscles. But swimming is great exercise, I agree.

True, competitive swimmers will do resistance training to increase their power but we are talking about a cyclist who wants to improve their general upper body strength and physique not compete in swimming right? Swimming is a good, low impact way of doing that w/ little to no need for weight training. Sure, if someone wants bigger biceps then swimming isn't going to cut it. But for simply improving musculature and toning swimming alone is fine. Any waterman can tell you that. Most of the swimmers and surfers I grew up with never stepped foot in a gym or lifted iron but they have rocking upper bodies and cores due to pulling the natural resistance of H2O. Beyond that a regimen of pushups and situps usually obviates the need for "lifting." Of course you then also have the argument of weight training for bone density, so....

I basically want to look good naked....ha! i'm not so worried about actual strength training or the such.

I basically want to look good naked....ha!

Then forget about which training regime is better, and choose the right parents.

I bicycle about 130 miles per week, swim (in a 25 meter pool) about 4-5 hours per week, do a lot of varied resistance exercises - i.e., 90 second planks, 1 and 2 legged bridges on a fitness ball (really important for bicyclers to keep hamstrings strong), 20-25 full body dips x 3 or 4, bench press, wall squats, etc., etc. walk many miles per week, and stretch daily.

I don't count on the swimming for muscular development, and at 71, I don't worry too much about how I look naked!! :)

Lift free weights and not machines. or maybe you can do body weight exercises? I used to swim on swim team and all we did was resistance training with the bands during dryland days.
I am the opposite, I bike to supplement swimming.

well I haven't done it recently and I'm behind on most training stuff since our first baby was born (April 11 - a girl!)
but I used to think swimming was really cool for --- lung workouts.
I try to use breathing as a way to turbo charge cycling. And without really straining my muscles I used to do pool workouts and underwater swimming (not dangerously extended or anything) just to do lung and hypoxy work which I believe helped with cycling. Legs felt good later, and I had more turbo breathing power.
And a little upper body workout into the bargain.
I can't remember if I started this based on any scientific reading, but I was convinced it was helpful. Note: my goals are modest, your mileage will vary, I'm a decent swimmer in short distances but I don't really float and I can't see too well with swim goggles / no glasses so I just take it easy in the pool.
And now I want to do some more swimming. Let me see what I can find...

Not really what you're after, but I find swimming helps loosen up my neck and shoulders, and stretches me out. I also think that it improves my posture. Cycling tends to leave me with some tightness in my shoulders and neck, so I think swimming is a great counter balance.

I cycle to supplement my swimming ;). Swimming, real swimming, not playing grab tail and splish and splash but real lap swimming is one of the best all around exercises there is. Yes, it will work your upper body and improve your cardio capacity and help flexibility.

LC

Good luck swimming back and forth in a pool long enough to build muscle...

Well, you know, I afraid you don't know what you are talking about. Bulk, yeah, get on the weights and supplements, fitness and muscle, swimming will in fact do it all by itself. Certainly cross training, swimming, cycling and running with a good weight/resistance program will be the best track but swimming is a resistance exercise, again, all by itself.

And it makes my wife really mad when the women talk to me because I do look good naked or in a swimsuit or jeans and I rarely lift a weight.

^^ bravo! people are very ignorant about swimming. I played water polo for years and was cut with a six pack. Swimming works all your muscles and tones you out and builds muscle. If you want to be a body builder take creatine and power lift.

Yep, it is sometime hard to convey the reality of swimming as a resistance workout to non-swimmers. Plain and simple it is a great total body workout for cyclists and provides cardio, muscle building, and also stretches/lossens up the whole system. Sure, there are some muscles that benefit from supplementation but situps, pushups, and pullups can pretty much complete the picture. About the only thing swimming and cycling don't do well is providing resistance and impact for increasing bone density so some "resistance" in gravity IS a good idea but that can be from a myriad of other, non-weight/gym activity as well.

ok if you want to look good nakes (a noble goal) I'd say swim over rowing. Rowing is awesome, especially being out on the water. Swimming will do more for your abs and pecs.
Though, being a part of a rowing club is also a great social thing, unlike going to the pool alone to swim. You arrive, chat, go to races together. If you're looking for people to admire your naked body, that might be another strategy.

ok if you want to look good nakes (a noble goal) I'd say swim over rowing. Rowing is awesome, especially being out on the water. Swimming will do more for your abs and pecs.
Though, being a part of a rowing club is also a great social thing, unlike going to the pool alone to swim. You arrive, chat, go to races together. If you're looking for people to admire your naked body, that might be another strategy.

Then there is the Master's program. Most pools have a couple free Masters and begining Mstrs programs each week. Nice to have others to push and suffer w/ you...

Just did 40 mile ride and finished it off with a 30 minute swim. I really enjoy that.

If you're looking for people to admire your naked body, that might be another strategy.

i lol'd. thanks for the feedback everyone, joining the YMCA may end up being worth my time.