Starting to swim - how long to see results?

[Peachesandcream20]

I used to love swimming. Wasn’t a professional or anything but used to swim in my local pool.

I’ve just started again this week going for 30 mins and doing a very slow breaststroke. Am I likely to see results if I keep this up? Or will it not make much difference?

I’ve been three times this week and hoping to do that for the next six weeks or so.

In your speed? Fitness? Stamina? weight?

Results for what? What is the aim?

So I have started swimming regularly too. I am 46 and not big but not mega slim either.
I noticed toner legs and arms, less impact in the middle. It took a couple of weeks (but I am swimming more 4/5 times a week if not more).
I did not notice any weight loss.

Ooo sorry!! I meant for a more toned body and/or weight loss.

and for me to see any improvement in speed/fitness. I am going relatively slowly. I do about 26 laps of a 30m pool in Maybe 35 mins or so?

Ita not fantastic for weight loss. Obviously its better than doing nothing and does burn calories but I've seen people swim 14 plus hours a week at quite high intensity and not lose weight.

That said you will feel more toned and I find it is excellent for mental health. And as with anything if you are consistent you will start to see improvements in speed/fitness.

I'd expect you to slowly see results in your stamina and speed, but more after 6 weeks. No weight loss or noticeable tone. I mean everyone is different but I don't think swimming works like that.

If you want weight loss you're going to need to adjust your diet.

Swimming slow breast stroke for half an hour is a very gentle exercise but the advantage is its your whole body getting a work out. It must do something As an hour tires me out. It's real advantage is that you are less likely to injure yourself than say running or lifting weights.

Work your way up from 35 mins to an hour. You should be able to do that in your 6 weeks. Also move on from breast stroke to front crawl and work on getting faster. You aren't going to do that in 6 weeks but I'd encourage you to stick with it.

You can look up training programmes that help you swim for weight loss but you need to be able to do front crawl and back as well as breast stroke.

See also weight lifting (light weights) arm work outs (20mins or so) to improve strength in your arms and increase your speed.

I think its a fab exercise. My arms and legs and bum are toned but I still cary weight around my middle. I need to diet as well. I don't just swim but it's my main and favourite exercise and good for improving back pain.

Good luck.

I'd get some lessons so you do more strokes and get faster. It's a great all body work out and you will definitely start getting more toned and no damage to joints.

Following
I've lost 8 kgs in the last three months through IF and have now recently returned to the pool after a long absence.
I'm looking to get toned through swimming. This is more difficult than it seems. I've been working through getting movement coordinated.
Basically my technique has been lost through the absence. If it doesn't come back through my own efforts then I will seek out lessons from a coach.

Tbh you'll see quicker results just by doing weights at a regular pattern

I forgot to mention cardio as well.

I think you'll need to keep pushing yourself faster to see results OP. Are you getting out of breath by the end of each lap?

I think it depends how old you are, but I don't believe 30 minutes of slow breaststroke three times a week will do all that much, to be honest. Try to build it up to an hour, and do some other strokes, as well as breaststroke. How old are you? If you're in your thirties, you would probably see results after two weeks of doing an hour every day. If you're in your forties, it will take longer (I'm a mad keen swimmer, and I speak from long experience!)

Fat loss is all about diet. You can swim all you want, but if you're not changing your diet then nothing will change.

I did blocks of ten lengths without stopping and worked up to fifty lengths in total over a few weeks.

Then things like taking fewer breaths, doing a length with fewer strokes ie improving your technique.

Then doing every tenth in a fast crawl and gradually increasingly the number of crawls you can do.

I swim 2km of breaststroke is 50 minutes 3 times a week. I have nicely toned arms and thighs, it’s excellent for headspace. The fat didn’t go from my stomach until I started dieting.

I swim once a week. I'm not doing it for weight loss (although I need to lose weight) but I find it helps with general aches and pains and is great for my mental health. Monday morning is my swim morning and it starts the week off right. 20-30 lengths I average a length per minute then 10 min sauna then a cold shower. Then my reward of a warm shower 😂

Most people don't swim at an intensity that's going to do much for weight loss. I lose weight swimming but that's doing 3k an hour (120 lengths) and a mix of intervals not just steady swimming. It's still beneficial exercise though.

I swim 10k a week, but if I don’t watch what I eat, I will put on weight. I think it’s great for toning and general fitness.

It's a fab thing to do with your body so please don't be put off just because maybe it's not the best for fat loss or whatever. It's GREAT, keep going. And for what it's worth I think you will see results

This!

I’ve just started it again too OP. Aiming for 30 mins three times a week as that’s what I can fit in. I have swum loads in the past and I know I will feel better and feel more toned after six weeks. I’m doing slimming world as well.

to see any improvement in speed/fitness

I base this reply on my experience when we got back in the pools after Covid, when I was age 53. Age relevant because I reckon gains in fitness come more slowly as you get older. The 1st few swims back were hard, I had kept fit in other ways but breathing in swimming is so unique, nothing keeps swimming fitness like actually swimming keep swimming fitness.

I would say, depending too on your natural ability, about 2 months of regular (minimum once, preferably twice weekly?) swimming to get close to your natural potential (speed & fitness) in terms of speed and aerobic ability. Faster if you have good technique (I probably don't) or a lesson to refresh your technique. Most people get faster with practice. I am defining "fitness" as "feeling energetic about it" btw.

I'm really lucky in that I get a great endorphin high from swimming, which helps a lot to get me in, knowing the reward is coming. I hope you're so lucky too.

Any tips for getting faster MinnieMountain? I can swim 2k no problem, but it takes me about 70 minutes. I swim twice a week, but not getting any faster,even though I'm not at all out of breath or fatigued. I just can't move any faster 😂

It'll be down to technique. it's always technique. Have a look at some videos to see the correct technique.

I do the Swim England training plans (there are 20 of them online starting quite basic and working up) mainly to keep trying different things and keeping it bit more interestingthan just laps. They follow a warm up, skill set, main set, cool down programme and I think I am getting faster. Agree no weight loss with it as I just eat more! I think it helps to do some gym strength work too.