Swimming and Weight Lifting ?

Has anyone here incorporated swimming with weight lifting with some
success?

My goal is to use swimming as a cardio. I am hoping that swimming will
help in losing fat. I wanted to swim instead of run. But I wonder if
swimming will affect muscle growth.

"General Fear" <richmarin@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:1189033170.856571.118410@y42g2000hsy.googlegr oups.com...
>
> Has anyone here incorporated swimming with weight lifting with some
> success?
>
Some guys tried swimming with ankle weights in the Hudson River, but it
didn't turn out well..

"General Fear" <richmarin@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:1189033170.856571.118410@y42g2000hsy.googlegr oups.com...
>
> Has anyone here incorporated swimming with weight lifting with some
> success?
>
> My goal is to use swimming as a cardio. I am hoping that swimming will
> help in losing fat. I wanted to swim instead of run. But I wonder if
> swimming will affect muscle growth.
>

Swimming is great for cardio, but it sucks for losing fat.

"General Fear" <richmarin@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:1189033170.856571.118410@y42g2000hsy.googlegr oups.com...
>
> Has anyone here incorporated swimming with weight lifting with some
> success?
>
> My goal is to use swimming as a cardio. I am hoping that swimming will
> help in losing fat. I wanted to swim instead of run. But I wonder if
> swimming will affect muscle growth.

I suggest you focus on losing fat before you worry too much about muscle
growth. Swim, lift, eat sensibly (less and/or better than you are now),
and get to a decent body weight and composition before you start
planning to enter Mr. Universe. Best of luck.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com

"General Fear" <richmarin@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:1189033170.856571.118410@y42g2000hsy.googlegr oups.com...
>
> Has anyone here incorporated swimming with weight lifting with some
> success?
>
> My goal is to use swimming as a cardio. I am hoping that swimming will
> help in losing fat. I wanted to swim instead of run. But I wonder if
> swimming will affect muscle growth.

I set out a year ago to lose fat and (re)gain some muscle. I did a lot of
cardio and weights. The weightwork I did involved little rest and I tried to
keep my HR over 120 most of the workout. I'm happy with the results so far
in that I lost 45 lbs bodyweight but have a more muscle now, too (maybe 10
lbs overall??). As I understand it, your cardio and the things you do to the
end of losing fat might cost you some muscle gains, so you have to decide
what your priorities are and set your workouts accordingly.

If you like swimming then you oughta do it because it's a great exercise.
I've heard it's not great for fat loss because your body adapts to the need
for buoyancy, and since fat floats, it's harder to lose. Dunno if that's
true, and I see lotsa lean swimmers in great shape.

Three cardio exercises that have worked for me are roadbiking, indoor
rowing, and versaclimber. The latter two give an intense, full-body cardio
workout and I recommend them highly. I like rowing so much I just bought a
Concept 2 rower for the home.