Do you swim laps for exercise?

[Scuba]

I recently started because a foot injury has made my usual walks impossible for now. I love swimming and am currently swimming 1.25 miles per workout. Just wondering how other swimmers decide on your workout goals - do you swim a certain distance, amount of time, or And as you improve, how do you change your goals?

 

[VungTau]

I swim a couple times a week. I am building up my endurance now. My goals are distance based, not time. As I improve I have been increasing the distance per set and pushing my self a bit harder - it all amounts to less rest time per workout. I also increase the freestyle and butterfly versus breast and back which tend to be less tiring for me. A couple laps of butterfly is like a mile of breast, hehe! I have also put some sprints into my kicking segments - for example I used to kick 10 laps, now I kick 3 laps, sprint free for 2, kick 3...

 

[Scuba]

I recently started because a foot injury has made my usual walks impossible for now. I love swimming and am currently swimming 1.25 miles per workout. Just wondering how other swimmers decide on your workout goals - do you swim a certain distance, amount of time, or And as you improve, how do you change your goals?

I checked online and saw that the average person swims 2 mph. I’m swimming at 1 mph so maybe I should work on my speed.

 

[Dtail]

We just bought a house with a lap type swimming pool, so will get back to you at a later date. lol

 

[Ready]

I like swimming but find it a bit boring to swim by myself so I joined a swim team last year. They are part of the US Masters program and they have a coach at every workout. We have about 50 members on the team and we swim either for one hour on weeknights or 90 minutes on the weekend. I go three times a week now, and having a coach and a bunch of teammates keeps me from getting lazy and hanging out at the wall. It’s also helped me to improve my stroke and my overall speed and form. It’s a great way to keep up a swim routine if you don’t have the discipline to do it on your own.

 

[Jerry1]

I’m just getting back in the pool after almost 40 years. I swam in high school and took that into college just for an easy (for me) physical education class. That was the last time I swam a mile. Decades later, it seems unlike riding a bike as I feel I’m starting from scratch. I almost sank the first time I got in the pool and thought I could just push off the wall and start swimming (freestyle). Wow, this is a lot harder than I thought. So, I signed up for an open swim class at the community college where they have a swimming coach available if you ask for help. Otherwise you can just swim. I’ve only been twice but I’m just kicking for a few laps at a time and loosening up. I can freestyle pretty well until I need to turn to take a breath. Just not limber enough yet to do it with any fluidity. I remember when I had the ability to just barely break the water to get my breath. Maybe by the end of class (early April), I’ll at least be able to say I can swim again. If I’m able to swim several laps during the hour with minimal rest periods, I’ll feel pretty good about that.

 

[imoldernu]

You are ok to skip this ego trip... just resurrecting some memories.

It started when my mom tried to drown me at age 4, 'cuz I was so ugly, in New River, Lonsdale R.I. I floated to shore and that began my career. As a very shy boy growing up, when I got to high school, in 1951, it had a pool, and I brought my stringy body to the swim team and into some degree of popularity and respect as an athlete.

In 1952, I was third in the nation (backstroke) in HS Swimming, second in 1953, and first in 1954.

That brought interest and offers from 7 colleges, including Yale, Univ. Of Mich., North Carolina, M.I.T and some that I don't remember. The swimmers from Bowdoin invited me to the school in my junior and senior year... and I fell in love with the school. Fortunately my grades were good enough to get into these schools, and all offered me a scholarship.

A little different success in college. While I was first in New England Championships from Junior year on, in the Nationals, 5th, 4th and second. No ratings for freshmen back in those days.
(end of brag)... and end of swim career. Got me through four years of Bowdoin which is now $65,000/yr.

My best friend and swim team breaststroker, who retired as a doctor six years ago, stayed in shape and is still swimming in the Masters. I think he came in third in the over 80 class last year or the year before. He still teases me... Just too much trouble to go to the "Y", and though I'm still in pretty fair shape, too lazy to start in again.

Sheesh... thanks for bringing up the subject and the memories.
.................................................
Hey, Jerry1... I'll be watching the Masters for your name.
Good on ye'.

 

[Rianne]

I used to lap swim but switched to treading water for an overall body workout. The best results, for me, is deep water treading for an hour. For optimum results, strong ab muscles, leg and arm, neck and back I do several different movements. I've been doing this for years, 2-3 times/week. I don't use anything for support except body movement.

 

[MBAustin]

I regularly swam a mile in college and the first 5 years afterwards, then got away from it (and pretty much any formal exercise) for many years. For 17 years, I've been walking 1.5+ miles nearly every morning, and I do yoga. But when I tried lap swimming while visiting a friend last summer, I could not get the hang of freestyle breathing again. So based on Jerry1's post above, I guess if I want to go back to it, lessons are in order. At this point, however, I think working on lower body strength is more important.

 

[Nick12]

I swim laps in the 25 meter indoor pool that is part of the local gym. I would never open swim here in Florida. It's great exercise for the whole body.

 

[rodi]

That's my preferred form of exercise... Try to swim 3 times a week, 1 mile (36 laps, 72 lengths.... counting and doing math on the fractional completion of the mile is one of the ways I stave off boredom during swimming.)

I started out really light - 10 laps, worked up to 15, etc... I used to have to do every 4th length as back stroke to catch up on breathing/rest. I try not to stop. I can now do the full mile freestyle.

I am *not* fast. Just about 50 minutes to complete the mile. I just channel Dory and "just keep swimming".

I've been swimming a little less frequently of late. The YMCA keeps closing one of their pools, crowding the lap pool with water aerobics types and forcing a lot of lane sharing. I really enjoy swimming a lot less when I have to share a lane. I don't share well. LOL. So I've added strength training at the gym above the pool on days I don't swim.

 

[Gunny]

I swim almost every work out. 20 minutes cardio, 20-30 minutes weights, end with 500 meters in the pool. I try to do this at least three days per week, better if I can get in four of five times per week.

 

[gerntz]

No.

 

[mystang52]

I swim 4 to5 times a week. I do minimum of 1/4 mile (18 lengths) each time, usually at least 1/3 mile. Depending how I feel I will go longer. I had shoulder surgery last September so only now back in full swing. I did a full mile just last week, and twice did 1/2 miles as well.
Incidentally, the sole reason I had that surgery was to enjoy my swimming. I could have pretty much lived my life without much of an issue but my swimming was severely impacted. Glad I did the surgery despite the long recovery. I need my morning swim to start my day.

 

[Doribe]

I swim about 3 or 4 times a week. I either swim for 30 minutes or an hour. I do all freestyle in an indoor pool. I had to work up to being able to do all freestyle. I am not fast. I think I am 1.25 miles per hour. I lose track counting laps so I just go by time. I'm not sure how to progress.

 

[Scuba]

You are ok to skip this ego trip... just resurrecting some memories.

It started when my mom tried to drown me at age 4, 'cuz I was so ugly, in New River, Lonsdale R.I. I floated to shore and that began my career. As a very shy boy growing up, when I got to high school, in 1951, it had a pool, and I brought my stringy body to the swim team and into some degree of popularity and respect as an athlete.

In 1952, I was third in the nation (backstroke) in HS Swimming, second in 1953, and first in 1954.

That brought interest and offers from 7 colleges, including Yale, Univ. Of Mich., North Carolina, M.I.T and some that I don't remember. The swimmers from Bowdoin invited me to the school in my junior and senior year... and I fell in love with the school. Fortunately my grades were good enough to get into these schools, and all offered me a scholarship.

A little different success in college. While I was first in New England Championships from Junior year on, in the Nationals, 5th, 4th and second. No ratings for freshmen back in those days.
(end of brag)... and end of swim career. Got me through four years of Bowdoin which is now $65,000/yr.

My best friend and swim team breaststroker, who retired as a doctor six years ago, stayed in shape and is still swimming in the Masters. I think he came in third in the over 80 class last year or the year before. He still teases me... Just too much trouble to go to the "Y", and though I'm still in pretty fair shape, too lazy to start in again.

Sheesh... thanks for bringing up the subject and the memories.
.................................................
Hey, Jerry1... I'll be watching the Masters for your name.
Good on ye'.

Wow! Nice story.

 

[Scuba]

I googled this topic and I guess I am really slow. It takes me about an hour to swim a mile. Articles I found said average speed is 2 mph. Oh well. I feel that it’s really helping me get in better shape so even if I never swim much faster, I’m going to keep doing my 1.25 mile swims.

 

[ExitLeft]

I try to swim 3x per week and try to get all strokes in, but I haven't been doing it long enough to push myself real hard. I have an mp3 player and earbuds for entertainment, but they don't stay in very well and I waste too much time futzing with them. The other pain is getting to the pool at a time when there's space available... I don't much like sharing a lane either. Yet another problem is my fear of ingesting nefarious illness-causing bacteria. Sheesh, I sound like a big complainer. I really do love to swim, though! lol.

 

[JoeWras]

I do swim laps and my average speed is 1.5 mph. It used to be 2+ when I was 25 and swimming with an elite masters swim club. I mean, I was fit and stoked. To say everyone swims this fast is bogus. Only elite senior fitness swimmers achieve 2 mph. Not sure where that came from that it is "average." Maybe it includes the age group swimmers who can knock off 20 minute miles?

When I see the 50+ people in the lanes around me, I'd say 1.5 mph is fast, and 1.0 is typical. Please, if you want to swim, don't let this bogus 2 mph number stop you. It includes the 18 year olds. They are in a different league. Every now and then I wake up early and end up in a lane next to a high school club. It is amazing to watch them go.

We are not in high school.

I like swimming, but I'm currently down and not swimming due to shoulder issues. My body is a mess of osteoarthritis. I think I might try treading for a while. That sounds like a good idea. Thanks for the idea Rianne.

 

[HI Bill]

I swim 50 short laps, aiming to increase the number by 5 every week. Generally spend about 25 minutes, several times a week when I'm not too encumbered by w@#k.

 

[Scuba]

I do swim laps and my average speed is 1.5 mph. It used to be 2+ when I was 25 and swimming with an elite masters swim club. I mean, I was fit and stoked. To say everyone swims this fast is bogus. Only elite senior fitness swimmers achieve 2 mph. Not sure where that came from that it is "average." Maybe it includes the age group swimmers who can knock off 20 minute miles?

When I see the 50+ people in the lanes around me, I'd say 1.5 mph is fast, and 1.0 is typical. Please, if you want to swim, don't let this bogus 2 mph number stop you. It includes the 18 year olds. They are in a different league. Every now and then I wake up early and end up in a lane next to a high school club. It is amazing to watch them go.

We are not in high school.

I like swimming, but I'm currently down and not swimming due to shoulder issues. My body is a mess of osteoarthritis. I think I might try treading for a while. That sounds like a good idea. Thanks for the idea Rianne.

Thank you for the encouragement. Glad to hear my speed is not as bad as it seemed when I looked it up. I will say that I seem to swim longer than most, but I think I’m doing a longer distance, not just swimming more slowly.

Either way, I enjoy it. I think I need to do some shoulder exercises on off days to try to prevent issues, as my shoulders are beginning to bother me a bit.

 

[JoeWras]

I'm looking at Ernie Maglischo's classic mid 80s book, "Swim for the Health of it." Ernie was THE well respected coach from that era. He's not a nobody and instead was a major force in moving competitive swimming along in the late 70s by use of more rigorous science.

For COLLEGE swim classes which drew all kinds of skill levels from novice to elite, his research measured the 50th percentile swimmer at 1.62 mph. (Hopefully I got that right, I had to do some math. He listed it at 22:30 for 1,000 yds.)

Remember, college age.

Nothing major has changed since the mid 80s for fitness swimming. There's no radical changes like our grandparents saw in swim strokes, so I think Ernie's research is valid today.

So, folks, don't worry about your speed. Ernie's table goes from 12:30 (90th percentile) to 32:30 (10th percentile) time for 1,000 yards. 32:30 for 1,000 is way under 1 mph. If you are a senior doing 1 mph, congrats, you are fine. If you are faster than that, great. If you are kicking off 2 mph fitness swims, consider joining your local masters team and competing.

I'm not sure where this 2 mph "average" comes from on the internet. I saw some of it too. It is one reason I have abandoned more and more of the crap I see, especially on Facebook where there is some subtle superiority thing going on.

 

[Ronstar]

I sometimes swim laps in the lake in my back yard. It’s about 300’ from shore to shore across the lake. I do 3 or 4 laps. Only do it in the heat of summer though as a cooler alternative to running or biking.

 

[EastWest Gal]

I took a swim class my last quarter at UC Berkeley, spring quarter. It was right before lunch time free swim time. Each week we had a speed swim test, how many lateral laps in 5 minutes. I was horribly out of breath initially. But I stayed for free swim time right after class, then started swimming laps 5 days per week. After 6 weeks, I had a breakthrough-suddenly, out of the blue, I could suddenly swim “forever” with no shortness of breath. I increased my speed swim lap number by 60% in 10 weeks. I kept up swimming as my main aerobic exercise for years. Once in awhile I swam 2 miles, but usually swam between 1 mile and 2000 meters (some pools metric, some English measurements, counting laps) These days I’m sporadic with that.

There is a meditative quality to the noise of the bubbles, the rhythmic movement and breathing. And no dripping with sweat when you’re done.

Many years later DH I visited some friends in the Sierra foothills. We visited a clean but not too cold mountain lake. I decided to take a swim. I went straight out-for 30 minutes or so, at least 1/2 way. I turned around and swam straight back. That was really fun. Clear blue sky, clean lake, Ponderosa pine all around. And no one at the lake except the four of us.

Thanks for this thread. Triggered some great memories.

 

[Bir48die]

No. I love to swim but not for exercise