The Student Room Group

Does swimming make you lose muscle ?

Hi all, I hope you're all well, having fun and treating each other nicely.

I am 25, I have been in the gym as a member for about 10 years trying to put muscle on , I am in decent shape but not as good as I probably should be for somebody who has been working out for this long.

I am about 11 stone in weight

Anyway I decided to go in the pool at the gym today, I'm currently not a great swimmer and can only swim in my front at the moment, and I am very wary of swimming in deep water, my confidence in water is not great yet.
However I did swim the length of the pool but only one way as I didn't have the confidence to let go off the sides to swim back from the deep end, lol

Anyway, I really enjoyed my swim today, I would like to use the pool on a daily basis but I'm a bit worried if I swim too much that I could lose muscle, can that happen ?


Thanks
Reply 1
Original post by Cleverboy1991
Hi all, I hope you're all well, having fun and treating each other nicely.

I am 25, I have been in the gym as a member for about 10 years trying to put muscle on , I am in decent shape but not as good as I probably should be for somebody who has been working out for this long.

I am about 11 stone in weight

Anyway I decided to go in the pool at the gym today, I'm currently not a great swimmer and can only swim in my front at the moment, and I am very wary of swimming in deep water, my confidence in water is not great yet.
However I did swim the length of the pool but only one way as I didn't have the confidence to let go off the sides to swim back from the deep end, lol

Anyway, I really enjoyed my swim today, I would like to use the pool on a daily basis but I'm a bit worried if I swim too much that I could lose muscle, can that happen ?


Thanks


using your muscles doesn't deplete them of muscle...
Swimming makes you gain muscle, especially in the shoulder and back area! Using new muscles= growth
Nope, but it will do if you don't eat enough. Now that you're swimming alongside weightlifting you need to readjust your caloric intake to whatever your current goal is, whether that be bulking, cutting or maintaining
Swimmer are well known for having no muscle...

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Ellie_baker34
Swimming makes you gain muscle, especially in the shoulder and back area! Using new muscles= growth


Nope you can only really gain muscle through progressive overload. As he has been lifting for a while swimming won't provide enough stimulus for hypertrophy. But it will certainly benefit him health wise
Original post by Meany Pie
Swimmer are well known for having no muscle...

Posted from TSR Mobile


That's due to their diet and lack of weightlifting, not swimming
Original post by TheFarmerLad
That's due to their diet and lack of weightlifting, not swimming


Sarcasm

Posted from TSR Mobile
Afaik only if you're under 10% BF


Most swimmers don't have a lot of muscle but because they have such low body fat percentages it gives the illusion of them looking more muscular
Original post by TheFarmerLad
Most swimmers don't have a lot of muscle but because they have such low body fat percentages it gives the illusion of them looking more muscular


See, I think that my diet is the reason I'm not as big as I should be for the years I've been in the gym. I am a good size and visibly toned and in good shape . Trouble is I have never been a big eater, I don't eat breakfast, I'll usually have a microwave meal or balm cake for dinner and cook up a meal for teatime.

So is it true that swimming makes you more toned and builds muscle ?


I thought swimming was good for people who want to lose weight
Original post by Cleverboy1991
See, I think that my diet is the reason I'm not as big as I should be for the years I've been in the gym. I am a good size and visibly toned and in good shape . Trouble is I have never been a big eater, I don't eat breakfast, I'll usually have a microwave meal or balm cake for dinner and cook up a meal for teatime.

So is it true that swimming makes you more toned and builds muscle ?


I thought swimming was good for people who want to lose weight


It's entirely the reason - no matter how good your workout routine is if you don't eat enough food you won't grow the way you'd like. Swimming will improve your muscular endurance and cardiovascular health tremendously. Like all exercise it will burn excess calories and overtime help you achieve that 'toned' look, but this can be done through manipulation of your diet alone.
Original post by Cleverboy1991
See, I think that my diet is the reason I'm not as big as I should be for the years I've been in the gym. I am a good size and visibly toned and in good shape . Trouble is I have never been a big eater, I don't eat breakfast, I'll usually have a microwave meal or balm cake for dinner and cook up a meal for teatime.

So is it true that swimming makes you more toned and builds muscle ?


I thought swimming was good for people who want to lose weight


As a skilled swimmer, I can say that swimming alone won't give you the massive muscles. Even Olympic swimmers spend like 3 hours a day in the gym building up that muscle mass. Swimming however gives you unimaginable stamina and endurance.
Original post by TheFarmerLad
It's entirely the reason - no matter how good your workout routine is if you don't eat enough food you won't grow the way you'd like. Swimming will improve your muscular endurance and cardiovascular health tremendously. Like all exercise it will burn excess calories and overtime help you achieve that 'toned' look, but this can be done through manipulation of your diet alone.


Thanks.

I don't like dairy foods, fish, e.t.c

Can you recommend what I could eat for breakfast , dinner and tea in order to have the right diet to build muscle. Thanks
Original post by Cleverboy1991
Thanks.

I don't like dairy foods, fish, e.t.c

Can you recommend what I could eat for breakfast , dinner and tea in order to have the right diet to build muscle. Thanks


Farmers diet; meat, carbs and veg then adjust the calories depending on your goal
Original post by Cleverboy1991
Hi all, I hope you're all well, having fun and treating each other nicely.

I am 25, I have been in the gym as a member for about 10 years trying to put muscle on , I am in decent shape but not as good as I probably should be for somebody who has been working out for this long.

I am about 11 stone in weight

Anyway I decided to go in the pool at the gym today, I'm currently not a great swimmer and can only swim in my front at the moment, and I am very wary of swimming in deep water, my confidence in water is not great yet.
However I did swim the length of the pool but only one way as I didn't have the confidence to let go off the sides to swim back from the deep end, lol

Anyway, I really enjoyed my swim today, I would like to use the pool on a daily basis but I'm a bit worried if I swim too much that I could lose muscle, can that happen ?


Thanks


As a swimming teacher, I can safely say that swimming does no make you lose muscle. In fact, it does rather the opposite; it's a fully body resistance exercise so it is good for building muscle. In relation to other parts of your workout/eating, I'd take the advice of others on this thread as that's not particularly my area of expertise :colondollar:

Also, have you considered adult swimming lessons? They would be good for building your confidence and abilities. :h:
Original post by Cleverboy1991
Hi all, I hope you're all well, having fun and treating each other nicely.

I am 25, I have been in the gym as a member for about 10 years trying to put muscle on , I am in decent shape but not as good as I probably should be for somebody who has been working out for this long.

I am about 11 stone in weight

Anyway I decided to go in the pool at the gym today, I'm currently not a great swimmer and can only swim in my front at the moment, and I am very wary of swimming in deep water, my confidence in water is not great yet.
However I did swim the length of the pool but only one way as I didn't have the confidence to let go off the sides to swim back from the deep end, lol

Anyway, I really enjoyed my swim today, I would like to use the pool on a daily basis but I'm a bit worried if I swim too much that I could lose muscle, can that happen ?


Thanks


Never heard that swimmers losing muscles by swimming daily. The only one what may happen to you are pains everywhere by swimming too long and without to take a break. :redface:

Quick Reply

Latest