FitSugar

Swimming For Weight Loss?

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:30:25 -0700

Swimming has gotten a bad rap as an exercise for weight loss. Unlike running, which curbs your appetite, swimming seems to increase it.

Studies comparing swimming with walking and cycling weight-loss programs found that swimmers gained five pounds on average, while the other two groups lost between 17 and 19 pounds. The culprit seems to be the increased appetite that follows working out in water, since swimming lowers your body temp and the body crave calories to help heat it back up. Plus the swimmers weight gain could be attributed to an increase in lean muscle mass, which would have changed their body composition without weight loss.

See how I think you can make swimming part of your weight-loss plan, when you read more.
If you are swimming for weight loss, I don't believe you should give up on the pool entirely - swimming is a great full-body exercise. I do think you should add some cardio training on land. I am a firm believer in cross-training, so adding strength training and walking or running will help burn calories as well as build bone density, which is another benefit of weight-bearing exercises that you miss out on when swimming. When you do finish a swim workout, take a sauna, a steam, hot tub, or a hot shower to help heat your body. Also try sipping on some hot herbal tea as a post-workout drink.

Check Your Breath

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:40:16 -0700

Breathing is fundamental to every form of exercise I can think of; the first concept I teach new Pilates clients is how to breathe. I might know this intellectually, but Hannah my swim coach at Equinox decided my freestyle breathing needed an overhaul.

To prove her point, she even took a video of my form. Since my swim lesson last week, I have been paying extra attention to my breathing in all forms of exercise, from yoga to running, as well as when I am in the pool and I urge you to check your own breath. Are you unconsciously holding it at any point when you're working out? Are you raising your shoulders to inhale? When you inhale are you only filling the top portion of your lungs? This is a great little tool and if you're feeling bored with your workout, it gives you something productive to work with rather than watching the clock.

Natalie Coughlin: From the Olympics to DWTS

FitSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:50:41 -0700

Last season on Dancing With the Stars, we saw gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson win gold, and this year we're watching Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin compete on land.

She made it through the first week, dancing a salsa with Alec Mazo and wowed us last night with her quick step. Although busy dancing and rehearsing, Natalie took time out of her day to answer a few questions on topics ranging from Pilates to her opinion on the ban on high-tech swimsuits.

To learn what Natalie has to say, just read more.

FitSugar: I have read that you do Pilates. How does this method of exercise help your swimming? Since it is somewhat dance-based, do you think it will help you on DWTS?
Natalie Coughlin: Pilates is an awesome cross-training exercise for any sport because it focuses on functional movement. It relies on strength along with flexibility, which is perfect for both swimming and dance. My two favorite pieces of equipment are the Balanced Body Exo Chair and Pilates Arc. I personally own both, and they make a nice addition to my home gym.

FS: I loved your "I'm a runner" piece in Runner's World. Do you still run regularly? Do you ever participate in road races? Were you able to run before your wedding ceremony?
NC: My first and only road race was the H2O Audio Surf Monkey last month, which was a 5K run on a mixture of sand, cobbled rock, and pier. It was so much fun, although I had no idea how to run on sand or cobbled rock! A few days before my wedding, I got a little overzealous with my running and ended up straining my right obliques, which forced me to take a bit of a break. Oops! I still love running, but I'm currently spending five to six-plus hours dancing every day, so I'm taking a break. I don't think it would be a good idea to add any unnecessary stress to my feet or legs.

FS:Your swimming career has spanned two Olympics, and you're planning to compete in 2012 - how do you maintain focus in training over those four-year periods?
NC: My focus is constantly evolving. I took three months off immediately following the Athens Games and returned to competition with a series of two-day meets throughout the world. The short format of the meets along with the world travel kept me motivated and interested in swimming. After Beijing, I needed a much longer break both mentally and physically because I have been competing for 21 years now! Dancing With the Stars is providing me with an amazing competitive outlet in something so different than my sport.

FSWhat's your favorite core exercise?
NC: I use the TRX suspension system for strength training and I absolutely love the atomic push-up because it's a killer exercise that works your entire core and upper body.

FS: Is your running playlist different from your swimming playlist? If so, how?
NC: Nope! They're usually the same, but it changes depending on my mood. It can be anything from pop, rock, alternative, to hip-hop . . . and H2O Audio's new Interval lets me listen to multiple playlists in the water or while I'm out on a run.

FS: Swimming can be hard on the skin and hair. What are your go-to beauty products postswim?
NC: Oh dear! I love products . . . Pureology for my hair, Kinesys sunscreen for my face/body preswimming, Palmer's Cocoa Butter for my body post-swimming, and Oil of Olay SPF 15 for my face.

FS: How do you feel about the ban on high-tech swimsuits?
NC: I think it's a good idea because our sport can now get back to the swimming and eliminate the distraction of "who are you wearing?" Eliminating zippers and legs is strange because both have been a part of many of the suits for over a decade. Either way, I'm happy.

Learn to Love: Backstroke

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:00:32 -0700

As a child who refused to swim because of a strong fear that sharks might live in my swimming pool, my relationship with swimming has come a long way. I now consider it one of my favorite ways to get my heart rate up. One lasting emotional holdout was the backstroke; I just didn't like it. These days, however, I am loving it.

I find the backstroke to be the perfect antidote to hunching over a computer all day. Backstroke opens my chest and I feel my entire body lengthening out as I reach back to pull the water forward. Swimming backstroke outside in the early morning or evening allows me to enjoy a view of the sky. Freestyle and backstroke are perfect complements to each other, working opposite muscle groups. I like to use backstroke as a break when training for swims with lap after lap of freestyle. How do you feel about backstroke? Do you love it or hate it?

Golden Boy Phelps Gets Silver

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:40:11 -0700

After breaking world records left and right, and taking home a record-setting eight gold medals from Beijing, Michael Phelps came in second place.

This is his first loss in four years in an individual race at a major international meet. German swimmer Paul Biederman bested Phelps in the 200-meter freestyle buy 1:22 seconds. Biederman placed sixth in this event in the Olympics last August. Needless to say, Phelps was upset by this upset. He told reporters,

Deep down inside, I can't be mad. I can't be disappointed. Paul swam a great race. He split that 200 free pretty much perfect. I didn't have anything in the last 50. And when he pulled away from me, I kind of got left pretty quick.

The high-tech swimsuit controversy continues, though. To see how, read more.

Earlier in the week FINA, the international governing board of competitive swimming, decided to regulate both the type and amount of fabric swimmers are allowed to wear in competition. The era of high-tech swimsuits ushered in by Speedo's LZR will end next April. Phelps competed wearing his high-tech suit, but the LZR is now considered old school. Swimsuit manufacturers, Arena and Jake, have created suits that contain even more impermeable panels making swimmers even more buoyant and streamline, and therefore faster. Phelps's coach, Bob Bowman, believes the newer suits are giving swimmers an unfair advantage and he wants a "level the playing field," ditching the high-tech suits. When asked if the swimmer or the suit out swam him, Phelps simply replied, "The swimmer."

What do you think?

Tips For Open-Water Swimming

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:00:57 -0700

Summertime is swimming time, and if you're looking to swim in the great outdoors - in the first stage of triathlon or an open-water swim - you should check out these tips from Sugar user runningesq. She's a veteran triathlete and currently training for the Ironman Cozumel this November. Needless to say, she has experienced many open-water swims and we can all learn from her experience.

See if the race is wetsuit legal. If it is, buy or rent a wetsuit . . . it makes a big difference.
If you are new to open-water swimming start near the back and outside of the pack. The front is a human washing machine!
Expect to get knocked around a bit . . . with all the bodies, it's impossible not to knock into/ get knocked into other swimmers.
Every 4-5 stroke look UP . . . This goes against everything you've been taught in swimming, but you need to make sure you are going in the right direction. It's called "sighting."

Have any tips to add? Please share them in the comments below.

End of an Era: High-Tech Suits Banned From Competition

FitSugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:30:59 -0700

It seems like it's been years since we've been able to gaze at the long, lean bodies of competitive swimmers - they're all covered by high-tech swimsuits like the LZR by Speedo. Well, times they are a changing. FINA, the international governing board of competitive swimming, just created a new rule for both the shape and material of the swimsuits worn in competition. The rule limits the amount of skin that can be covered by a suit, and the fabric must be water permeable - no more polyurethane. Speedo introduced the LZR 17 months ago, and its designs were quickly imitated by other swimsuit manufacturers. Watching the 2008 Olympics, these high-tech suits help many swimmers break world records. According to the New York Times, only four world records in Olympic individual events still stand from the prepolyurethane days. This is why the high-tech suits are considered "doping on a hanger." The ban goes into effect in 2010.

Michael Phelps is pleased with the new rule, are you?

Get It Up, Your Heart Rate That Is: Swimming

FitSugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:00:13 -0700

I know many runners and cyclists who though tempted by the triathlon ultimately skip these races because they're intimidated by the swim. I found a useful piece of advice about training for tris in, of all places, Runner's World.

Swimming, unlike running, is considered a "skill sport" similar to tennis or golf so technique is important. Taking lessons to hone your stroke is helpful, and long sessions of laps might not necessarily be the best way to train. Many tri coaches recommend interval training with sprints so you challenge your speed, before tiring and losing your form.

Here's a workout I have been doing lately. It is mostly freestyle, but I like to add a little backstroke to work my muscles in a different way.

Check out the workout.

The Skinny on Swimming Terms

FitSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:37:05 -0700

If you feel like you're underwater when it comes to pool distances, swimming lingo, and lane etiquette, then here is a short primer for you. I have put together a few swimming terms to help you navigate poolside life.

Distances

Length = Swim one length of the pool
Lap = Swim down and back, or two lengths
Swimmers mile = 1500 meters or 1650 yards
30 laps in the 25 meter lanes
33 laps in the 25 yard lanes

Lingo

Split a lane: Two swimmers share a lane, splitting the lane down the middle.
Circle: When three or more people share a lane, they swim down one side of the lane and back on the other. At most pools this is done in a counter clockwise direction.
Pull: Put a buoy between your legs and just use your arms to "pull" yourself through the water.

Learn some etiquette too.

A Simple Solution For Swimmer's Ear

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:00:00 -0700

It seems that even simple Summer fun comes with risks, and if you're cooling off in the pool this season, you're at risk for swimmer's ear. When your ear is exposed to excess moisture, whether from swimming or bathing, water can become trapped in your ear canal.

The delicate skin inside your ear can then become soggy and begin to break down. When this happens, water dilutes the acidity of the ear canal, allowing bacteria or fungi to penetrate the skin, causing a painful infection. And according to otolaryngologist Dr. Barbara Schultz, it can happen to anyone. Fortunately, swimmer's ear is easy to prevent.

Learn how to make your own preventive ear drops when you read more.

The infection that causes pain, tenderness, ringing, and itchiness in your ear is often treated with antibiotics, but you can take an inexpensive preventive measure. Schultz recommends putting drops in your ears at the end of your day in the water to restore the healthy pH balance of your ear canal. There are over-the-counter ear drops, costing around $3, or you can make your own simple solution. Mix equal parts white vinegar with rubbing alcohol to use as drops. Don't be tempted to stick a Q-tip in your ear to remove the water, as that can irritate and puncture the skin lining your ear canal and set the stage for an infection.