Can you get fit just by swimming?

[DuckDuckDiva]

I really struggle with exercise. I have a nerve injury which I got through childbirth and have been struggling with for 4 years. My diet is quite good now, and I've lost a fair bit of weight. I really want to get fit but the only thing that doesn't leave me in pain is swimming. If I swam for about 30 mins non stop 4 or 5 times a week, would this be enough in conjunction with a good diet to get fit? Don't want to become an Olympic swimmer, but would be nice to be able to run for a bus without feeling like I'm going to suffocate!

Swimming is fantastic exercise as it works all your body while supporting it. I think it sounds like the perfect exercise for you.

Yes, it’s good for lung capacity and works a lot of muscles. It’s not such a high calorie burner as some other exercises, but excellent for general fitness.

Yes swimming will get you fit.

Swimming is great exercise and brilliant for getting fit. Ideally a combination of a few different exercises allow for different muscle groups but I got very fit (sadly not now) swimming and walking.
if walking is out for you then could you do different strokes? As just doing the same stroke all the time may just work the same muscles (but is still worth it!)

Yes and it happens quite quickly, I love swimming but have a tendency towards laziness so won't go for months will then go 3 times a week and I always find that the first week I'm struggling but the next week I can nearly double my lengths and it grows quickly. You do need rest days between at least at first because you'll feel your muscles straining on those days in between and they need to recover a bit.

I did swimming club as a child and was very fit. I was then good at other sports purely because of being fit. So you’d defo get better at running for the bus!

Deffo

Yes I did this but I’ve recently not been able to swim as I’ve had a bad groin injury. My fitness level and muscle strength has gone down hill so much.
I can’t wait to start again, I absolutely love it.

Fantastic for fitness but worth bearing in mind it's not weight-bearing so you won't be reaping the benefits of weight-bearing exercise (eg bone strength, reduced risk of osteoporosis). I'd go for it as your main form of exercise but do also think about whether you do enough walking to cover the skeletal stuff or if that's a gap you need to address once the swimming habit has stuck.

Yes!! I started lane swimming last January and won’t ever look back now. Have lost 4.5 stone in total (2.5 swimming alone). I started out slow managing about 50 lengths in an hour in the slow lane and now do roughly 100 in the fast. My fitness levels have gone up SO much, I’ve made new friends and my mental health has massively improved.

Yes. I would caution that (for me at least) swimming is an activity where it is very easy to kid myself I have done some exercise when in fact I have gently meandered up and down the pool and may as well have gone for a wander round the shops for all the good it did me. If you have the discipline to get out of breath and gradually increase the number of lengths and/or the speed you do then it will do wonders.