re: Considering swimming laps to get in better shape..input needed

True. But swimming IS known to increase your appetite a lot more in proportion to how many calories you actually burn. Just be smart about it.

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True. But swimming IS known to increase your appetite a lot more in proportion to how many calories you actually burn. Just be smart about it.

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Have swam laps for 10 years. If you are smart you will get a swimmers body pretty quickly. Part of being smart is not consuming tons of shite food when you are done. Like anything you have to burn more calories then you put into your body.

If the goal is weight loss, combine swimming with weights. Swimming doesn't develop muscle mass which is critical. It is excellent cardio, though. I would advise an simple 45 minute routine consisting of a ten minute warmup, main set of about 1,000 yards for cardio and then a sprint set. 6-8x25s sprints at 1:30 is good for fat burn off. High intensity will activate fat burning fuels and combined with weights can be a perfect compliment.

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have never swam laps on a regular basis.

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then ignore the posts saying to swim nonstop for a long time or yardage. Unless you are training for a triathalon or a distance swim, this is pointless IMO. Do intervals - you'll get better results, see improvement faster, and not lose your mind swimming for days on end. Other than warmups and cool downs, we didn't ever just swim for long periods of time. Even intervals of 200yds were pretty rare.

Depending on your endurance, the following should be a decent start (add yardage and eliminate rest as you get stronger):

1. warmup - 200 any stroke(s)
2. 4x50 freestyle on 15 sec. rest (200 yds)
3. 4x50 back on 15 sec rest (200 yds)
4. 4x50 breast on 15 sec rest (200 yds)
5. 4x50 freestyle on 15 sec rest (200 yds)
6. 12x25 freestyle on 10 sec rest (alternating kick only, then pull only, then swim) (300 yds)
7. 12x25 freestyle on 10 sec rest (alternating easy, then medium, then fast) (300 yds)
8. cool down - 200 any stroke(s)

That's 1800 yds and should be a solid workout for most. If it's too much or takes too long out of the gate, just dial it back a bit and make it a goal. Once you are starting to see consistent times on your intervals (i.e., you are finishing most 50 free in 30 sec, then set a defined interval that should give you the right rest (i.e. 45 seconds) - if you finish early you get more rest, loaf it, and you get less)

Nothing is bible either other than a decent warm up and cool down. Change it up, throw in some underwater breast, make the set free, back breast as opposed to having separate sets for each, etc.

Oh, and don't join a masters team yet. You'll just get pissed watching those old frickers keep lapping you. Most of them are former competitive swimmers. I do, however, think its a good idea to maybe talk with the masters coach in your area and see if he'll help you put together a program or give you advice.

Regarding post swim hunger; it is believed by alot of people that the cooler water temps (78-85 most of the year) causes the body to lose heat and drop your core temp preventing the release of certain chemicals in the body that suppress hunger. To help combat post swim hunger, head straight to the hot tub, steam room or take a hot shower to bring your core temp back up and like with any exercise the sooner you follow your workout with a meal or drink with a good carb/protein ratio the less chance you have of over eating.

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This way you can crawl for longer periods to build up swimming stamina without having to concentrate on staying above the water. You can still kick, but more importantly, you can concentrate on your form

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This could be the worst advice regarding a swim buoy I have ever heard.

A buoy helps because it raises the position of the swimmer (hips) in the water. By raising the hips, it creates a buoyant effect similar to what a wetsuit does. The less you have to work on staying buoyant, the easier it is to swim.

You should not kick while using a pull buoy and should use it very judiciously anyway as people can get dependent on a pull buoy and never truly develop a strong core which is required for a strong position. When you do use a pull buoy you should really concentrate on lengthening your stroke and feeling the glide through the water, then a strong catch to initiate the next glide.

A good buoy workout might be a 1500 yard set of 10x150s). 25 kick on one side (right arm out, facing the left side of the pool, left arm by the side), 25 kick on the other, then 50 with the pull buoy, then a 50 swim. Take :20 rest and repeat 9 more times. This workout develops a strong kick (WITHOUT A KICKBOARD) by engaging the hamstrings on the side, then focuses the swimmer on his catch and glide, then the final 50 puts the kick and pull together to see what it should feel like.

I'm a terribly in efficient swimmer. Short and stocky and bulky upper body. Inflexible ahoulders. I took lessons with a lady from rice a couple years ago and she helped me a lot. I went to being able to swim about 700 yards without stopping but I was gassed at the end. I haven't really swam in a over a year and doubt I could swim more than 200 right now and I would be totally gassed. The key for me was doing drills that helped with form. I love the workouts but hate cold water and hate getting to a pool and fighting or waiting for a lane.

The pool is cold for a reason! To get your arse moving, nothing like a cold pool at 5:00 am.

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That sounds like a great idea..if anyone knows of any masters swimming programs in the Nola area, please let me know..

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Marshall Love aka Love's Swimming. He's the best you're going to find in the New Orleans area. He hold clinic 530 every morning at Newman. Look him up. At the very least you can use him for a month or two to get started then join the Reily Center at Tulane and train on your own.