Can you swim too much?

[TheDeceased]

I'm taking some time off drugs to get my mind and body back into shape.

I've joined up at a local swimming pool. Been swimming about 25 laps per day, which is all I can do before I'm totally exhausted. It's been years since I've done any exercise. The seniors overtake and outlast me in the pool...

Anyway I was thinking maybe I could go swimming three or four times a day but I'm not sure if that's bad for you. I'm obviously not a fitness expert. I just seem to remember there being some sort of warning about overexertion back in high school.

Does that apply to swimming or just really strenuous exercise like lifting weights?

 

[lostNfound]

Swimming has very little resistance on the body, however, it is easy to forget how hard you are working.

As you mentioned though, you're not tearing muscle fibres so much as you would be if you were lifting weights. You do not need to worry about the extra recovery time after being in the pool as opposed to lifting weights.

You're body will know when you are tired.
I don't see a huge problem with this, providing you know your limits.

I haven't had a problem doing it in the past.

 

[n3ophy7e]

Deceased, your body will tell you if you're pushing it too hard. You'll start to have aches and pains, or perhaps during swimming you might get sharp sudden pain. This indicates some kind of injury and you'll need to tone it down or even stop swimming altogether for a period of time while you recover.

It's a good idea, with any exercise, to stretch before and after, to warm up slowly, and end with a cool-down period (of say 2-3 laps of slow pace swimming). You can also supplement your swimming with doing some weights training a couple/few times a week to strengthen your muscles and add extra support to your joints. This should assist in preventing injury.

Also, make sure you're getting enough good nutrition, to fuel your body enough for the increased exercise you're doing.

Aside from all of that, swimming is a fantastic low-impact form of exercise and you're doing yourself a big favour by doing it!

Enjoy!

 

[AfterGlow]

Your body will let you know when you've overdone it. Muscle cramps while you are swimming is the most common signal that you need to get out of the water and take a little break.

 

[bighooter]

swimming makes me have the deepest nicest sleep goin

reason? coz its good 4 u!!! do as much as possible

 

[Dumbnam]

swimming

one of the most important things in swimming is having good form and to pace yourself; with an easy pace, i used to be able to swim 2mi (2x72 laps)

 

[Ds]

It's a good idea, with any exercise, to stretch before and after.

This is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! I screwed up and didn't stretch right before I ran last week and pulled several muscles! As with most cardio exercises be careful because you can over heat and go into shock. Come up with a plan, like every other day do cardio and the fallowing day do weight's.
If you want to join the old tymers and do the swim-robics. It sounds funny but hell if older people are doing it and living to be in their 90's then do it!

 

[cosmic charlie]

only on the internet

-SWIM

 

[keygen]

Cosmic Charlie beat me to it

 

[thujone]

lol. just don't drink the water you're swimming in. never know which geriatric has a weak bladder. although, ingesting urine is still technically safer than ingesting its volume equivalent of chlorinated water