[hell_o]

Ok, so I know swimming's good as it works out loads of different muscles, but are different strokes better for different muscles? What I'm trying to ask is what's the best stroke to target inner thighs and the underneath of you lower arms (i forget what this muscle's called)?

[Kate.]

Bump for this, as I'm wondering the same thing.

[sauce]

breast stroke

[cuzza]

You can't really 'target' a muscle with swimming...

There's no such thing as spot reducing fat from anywhere, so you won't get 'toned', plus it won't really build muscle... not an appreciable amount anyway, maybe just a tiny bit all around at best.

[Jenii]

bump...je suis also interested. I heard that swiomming is the sport which uses the most muscles at any one time- so which does it use?? I'm not looking to gain serious musle I'm just wondering what it's working.

[ch0c0h01ic]

Swimming, as said earlier is a whole body multi muscle exercise. Each stroke utilises many muscles. The best way to promote all round muscle work/resistance training, is to vary strokes and intensity to prevent muscle imbalances and enable total body training. It is just like the aspect of x training. Doing 30 mins on a treadmill, 30mins bike, 30 mins rower, uses more muscles than just doing 90 mins on a treadmill or x trainer.

[cutelilchica]

i was talking to my osteopath and he said that for general fitness front crawl is the best stroke to use. it targets the most muscles and more effectively than strokes such as breaststroke. apparently doing 20 lengths or so of front crawl after a workout session is the best time to do it. however as said above, swimming wont help individual muscles as it works so many.

[mjamesUSA]

Swimming does build muscle in a person that is lacking in areas not currently worked. A body builder would lose muscle while a normal person just starting a pt program will see a fast increase in shoulder, traps and most of all the back(lats). We do one mile swim fins to warm up, then one mile feet tied, floaty between the thighs breast stroke...Your pumped after this. Then 1 mile kick board(side stroke, breast S kick, or flutter). Go home, eat rest and then go for a run, hit the pool for a night easy swim of one mile breast to warm up for lifting. One muscle group per day, per week and you will have gas for days, a well balanced body and your strength will translate over into any action or sport. One warning though, make sure to watch our posture, as time goes on the lats become stronger and it causes your shoulder to roll forward and tightens the chest. This can be avoided with a weight routine to counter this. Good luck and sorry if some dont agree.

Matt