Swimming vs Running

[CluelessSi]

Which is better to get rid of the extra love handles?

Swimming or running/jogging/walking? and usually for how long each day? I have been jogging most of the time but I am afraid that it will just build leg muscles but not burn up as much as I want to.

another option i guess is stairwalking...

[whitak24]

Originally posted by CluelessSi
Which is better to get rid of the extra love handles?

Swimming or running/jogging/walking? and usually for how long each day? I have been jogging most of the time but I am afraid that it will just build leg muscles but not burn up as much as I want to.

another option i guess is stairwalking...

i could look for some facts.....but i'm lazy....so i'll say this:

if you run for 2 miles a day and cut a few calories out of your diet, you will lose weight, although it will be relatively slow.

if you swim for half an hour or something, you will probably burn even more weight (at least if you push yourself).

stairclimbing (especially if you run the stairs) will probably burn more than either of the above activities.

[jase71]

If I remember right, swimming was the better overall workout. And it was definately easier on your joints than the pounding running gives them. (I had to give up running thanks to a bum knee).

But which one you actually DO is more important. It's a pain to drive somewhere to swim. You can run anywhere. It's better to run regularly than to occasionally swim.

[Memo]

I'd have to say running. Lots of people that I know that swim do not lose weight. Running a couple of miles about 3-4 times a week and eating right will make you lose weight fairly quick (couple of months). You'll for sure be able to noticce results in 1 month.

[DoPeY5007]

go bike'n too, that is a lil easier on the body then running....

[Merlin]

Running is more effective. For many years I was a competitive swimmer and in great shape but swimming does not work on those tough spots. If you really want to improve yourself stick to running. And not that jogging stuff. To get into shape - to get lean - you need to do windsprints. Afterall who looks better, Michael Johnson or some marathon runner? Sprinting builds fast-twitch muscle mass and burns lots of calories. Do 50 yard dashes. Start with 15-20 in the morning and another 15-20 in the afternoon. Be paticient. As with any weight loss/exercise program results will not be seen for two months at the earliest, but you will begin to feel great after a short while. And for the love of God make sure you stretch before sprinting else kiss your hamstrings goodbye.

[Sir_Froggy]

Originally posted by DoPeY5007
go bike'n too, that is a lil easier on the body then running....

doh i was gonna say that...ya biking is better...especially if you bike to a friend's house like i do. mostly because my parents won't drive me there.

but me i'd rather do swimming. swimming is so much more fun and especially since it's sumemr and it's so hot so i'd go with swimming and biking....or even better you could bike to the swimming pool

[Merlin]

Oh, but if you are dead set on swimming butterfly will give you far and away the best workout.

[DoPeY5007]

Originally posted by Merlin
And for the love of God make sure you stretch before sprinting else kiss your hamstrings goodbye.

yes, stretch!!!...



very important!!!





I think in High School, I got in the best shape during wrestrling season, but I don't see you going to "wrestle" like that

[whitak24]

Originally posted by Merlin
And for the love of God make sure you stretch before sprinting else kiss your hamstrings goodbye.

any stretches in particular that you'd recommend?

[ChrisMG187]

Originally posted by Merlin
Oh, but if you are dead set on swimming butterfly will give you far and away the best workout.

Damn straight. The only downside to it is that it's a whole lot of work. I swim competitively and butterfly is my stroke, and there's really no way to improve without swimming it, and going more than about 200 yards of it at a time is just killer. So, when I come home from practice, I'm dead tired. Hehe.

[Merlin]

Originally posted by whitak24

any stretches in particular that you'd recommend?

I think the hurdlers stretch is probably the most important. It gets hamstrings (most likely pulled) and quads. Also stretch claf well. Use a wall. Put both hand on wall and lean forward while attempting to keep your heel on the ground. Lastly, butterfly - sit with feet together and attempy to bring them as close to you as possible then push knees as far apart and toward the ground as you can.

Remember not to "bounce" while stretching. Lean into it and hold. Then as you exhale lean further.

[Merlin]

Here are some good ones with illustrations

http://www.footworksmiami.com/Corporate/topten.pdf

[Ladogaboy]

Well, it doesn't matter what you do as long as you do something.

There is a myth floating around that you will burn off fat in the region where you are exercising, but that is pure bull. Your muscles and your adipose tissue are separate, and there is no connection between which muscles you use and which fat you burn.

As far as running vs swimming, it all depends. Running is harder on your body, and depending on what you do, it might or might not burn more calories than swimming.

Here are a couple of things to remember:

You burn more fat by doing endurance type exercises. The reason for this is that your fat takes the longest time to be converted back into energy for your muscles, so it is generally the last to be used. However, if the pace of the exercise is slow enough, your body will draw from your fat stores first rather than your ATP, Creatine, and glycogen. So, to put that into use, you will (I'm making these numbers up, but it will give you a general idea) burn more fat calories by walking for 1 hour than by jogging for 30 mins. Mind you, you won't burn more calories over all, but you will burn more fat.

Second thing to note, and Merlin kind of hit on this with the sprint thing, is that by building muscle, you will burn more fat. The reason for this is simple. Say you increase your muscle mass by 5%. Your body will now be burning 5% more calories in order to maintain those muscles. Even when those muscles are not in use, they are drawing calories. In fact, when they are not in use, they are drawing more calories from fat than anywhere else, because they are burning energy arobically (i.e. with air). Anyway, I could go into a lot more detail about it, but hopefully, this explains a few things.

[CluelessSi]

Originally posted by Ladogaboy
Well, it doesn't matter what you do as long as you do something.

There is a myth floating around that you will burn off fat in the region where you are exercising, but that is pure bull. Your muscles and your adipose tissue are separate, and there is no connection between which muscles you use and which fat you burn.

As far as running vs swimming, it all depends. Running is harder on your body, and depending on what you do, it might or might not burn more calories than swimming.

Here are a couple of things to remember:

You burn more fat by doing endurance type exercises. The reason for this is that your fat takes the longest time to be converted back into energy for your muscles, so it is generally the last to be used. However, if the pace of the exercise is slow enough, your body will draw from your fat stores first rather than your ATP, Creatine, and glycogen. So, to put that into use, you will (I'm making these numbers up, but it will give you a general idea) burn more fat calories by walking for 1 hour than by jogging for 30 mins. Mind you, you won't burn more calories over all, but you will burn more fat.

Second thing to note, and Merlin kind of hit on this with the sprint thing, is that by building muscle, you will burn more fat. The reason for this is simple. Say you increase your muscle mass by 5%. Your body will now be burning 5% more calories in order to maintain those muscles. Even when those muscles are not in use, they are drawing calories. In fact, when they are not in use, they are drawing more calories from fat than anywhere else, because they are burning energy arobically (i.e. with air). Anyway, I could go into a lot more detail about it, but hopefully, this explains a few things.

cool thanx, I would like to do more weigth training to get the muscle mass up but the gym in the apt sux, does even have a universal. right now I am walking/jogging on the treadmill using the preprogrammed weight loss program (45min) then I go swimming afterwards. Maybe I will get some dumbells to work on muscle mass

[whitak24]

Originally posted by Merlin
Here are some good ones with illustrations

http://www.footworksmiami.com/Corporate/topten.pdf

thanks merlin.

i already use several of those, but i hadn't seen some of them before -- they look good

also, lagodaboy, good points there. the cool thing about building muscle mass is that muscle mass burns even more calories than other body tissues. so if you replace a pound of fat with a pound of muscles, you will burn A LOT more calories, because muscle tissue is harder for the body to maintain.

[Hiro]

Between the two, I prefer swimming. If I had my choice though, I would go biking.

[Jihforce]

When you compare muscle to fat. 1 pound of muscle will take up less space than 1 pound of fat. Thus, giving you a leaner look without a drastic decrease in total body weight.
Muscle is 73% water, so you should always keep yourself well hydrated.
Losing those love handles has just as much to do with how you exercise and what you eat. Combine cardio and weight training, eat right.

[molecularfire]

What Ladogaboy said

Very true. However, you have to keep working out because when the muscle starts to break down, it goes back to being fat.

[CluelessSi]

i always wonder since i workout before dinner if i should eat more before then less after or does the burning work after also =P

i wanted to eat first but problem with that is i will swim and don't want to swim when full

[SnowSurfer]

personnaly i think running if the worst thing you can do for your legs. the amount of pounding pressure seriously screws them up. some people love to run i wouldnt want to take that away from them but when they have leg problems later on and i dont we will see. i usually bike ride 20 miles then swim 10 laps. good work out and its nice to do every other day with regular gym work out inbetween.

i am a avid snowboarder during the winter that is the main reason i dont run. because if u screw up your legs then u are screwed all season which royally sucks!!

[molecularfire]

The burning does go on after you've worked out for a while as your body ramps down. However, it's not really the workout that burns most of your calories. Most of the calories is because when your body works out, it raises your metabolic rate even afterwards (more muscle tone, bulk, etc...) and that burns calories 24/7. So... it doesn't really matter what time you eat. But... if you eat before working out, it takes your body longer to digest the food so you stay full longer (I think... it's been a while since I learned about this).

[Merlin]

Originally posted by CluelessSi
i always wonder since i workout before dinner if i should eat more before then less after or does the burning work after also =P

i wanted to eat first but problem with that is i will swim and don't want to swim when full

Before working out eat carbs/fats as it will provide energy for your workout.

After working out eat protein as it will help your body rebuild the muscles you stressed during your workout.

Don't eat anything after 9:00pm (assuming you keep standard hours unlike some of the vampires around here ) as your body will only convert it to fat as you sleep.

[Ladogaboy]

Originally posted by molecularfire


Very true. However, you have to keep working out because when the muscle starts to break down, it goes back to being fat.

Why you always pickin on me? I know I have to work out...

[ZrEo0]

i would run, i have been for the past 4 years, and i think this next year ill be gaining wieght b/c im not doin cross-country or track or lacrosse, i think ill almost miss runnning...