Swimming after weight lifting - not a good idea?

[michelleturner]

Hi.

I was told at the gym the other day that going swimming after lifting weights will waste all the work I have just done. ie. I won't get any bigger becuse the blood has been pumped to different parts of my body when swimming.


Is this true? The guy who told me was just another gym go'er like myself so I don't want to take JUST his word for it.


Any advice appreciated.

[TylerDurden]

We,ll, I can only go by anecdotal evidence, and my own experience was that weight-lifting  was only temporarily beneficial while swimming indoors in addition wasn't as effective.

[Guittarman03]

There probably is a certain amount of truth to this.  I have read that long distance aerobics can hinder your strength gains in the gym.  I'm pretty sure it's related to catabolic hormones that consume your tissues for energy, though I would suspect this greatly reduced in a low carber who is in ketosis. Long distance exercising below about your 70% max is effective for fat burning but not necessarily for cardiovascular training improvements.  It probably is less harmful for muscle building, whereas above 70% is good for cardio improvement, but probably eats in to the lifting some. 

So I guess the answer is, it depends.  If you do it for a short warmup/cooldown, and not at very high intensity, you're probably okay.  But if you are getting in to that cardio training zone and doing this for any more than 10 mins after a workout, you're probably sacrificing some muscle.  I have also read that even if you do cardio on your days off from lifting, it can eat in to your gains. 

[Furion]

Hi.

I was told at the gym the other day that going swimming after lifting weights will waste all the work I have just done. ie. I won't get any bigger becuse the blood has been pumped to different parts of my body when swimming.


Is this true? The guy who told me was just another gym go'er like myself so I don't want to take JUST his word for it.


Any advice appreciated.

gotta love broscience... lol

You''ll still grow.  The swimming might actually help you recover faster too. 

[miles]

When I used to do part of my work out(I used to do different sections on different days, this was one - now I do everything, everyday, but to a lesser degree), outside at an unused park - Body Weight & Balance exercises, I always used to feel pumped afterwards and go for a run rather than going straight home. Felt good...

[anu]

It depends on your workout. I don't think it's a good idea generally if you have lifted weights though and you are trying to build muscle.

 

[kurite]

My trainer use to tell me to always do aerobic activity after your done lifting because it uses up all the lactic acid your muscles have built up, so the next day you wont be as sore. Maybe the idea of not feeling sore is why some people believe it hinders muscle growth.

[Spearhead]

Swimming pools are a cesspool for toxins, mostly from the chloroform. I was a swimmer for 5 years and still suffer greatly from damaged sinus and ear cavities. If you're going to swim at all, do it in the ocean, or a non-polluted fresh water source.

[Ronaldo10]

You should be fine, the reasoning that guy gave doesn't really make much sense to me. As long as you don't overtrain yourself. Be careful of joints like your shoulders and your hips, which are placed under quite a bit of stress when swimming.

Also, 300-400 calories? That's nothing. I guess I've been swimming for a while, but I think i could put down an entire day's worth of calories after I swim - it really gives me the munchies.

[cherimoya_kid]

Swimming pools are a cesspool for toxins, mostly from the chloroform. I was a swimmer for 5 years and still suffer greatly from damaged sinus and ear cavities. If you're going to swim at all, do it in the ocean, or a non-polluted fresh water source.

Chloroform?  Chlorine, I think you meant.

[Spearhead]

Chloroform?  Chlorine, I think you meant.

Chlorine vapors are chloroform.

I used to get ear infections once a month when I was a swimmer, naively thinking it was because the pool wasn't properly treated. Actually it was because it was overtreated. Nowdays I'd rather drink municipal tap water than swim in a pool.

[RawZi]

Chlorine vapors are chloroform.

I used to get ear infections once a month when I was a swimmer, naively thinking it was because the pool wasn't properly treated. Actually it was because it was overtreated. Nowdays I'd rather drink municipal tap water than swim in a pool.

    I could never stand public pools that use lots of chlorine and chlorinated showers.  My breathing passages and eyes always bothered me in those situations.  I don't like drinking tap-water either.  Not sure, I guess I'd agree, drinking is not as bad as breathing it.

[Spearhead]

    I could never stand public pools that use lots of chlorine and chlorinated showers.  My breathing passages and eyes always bothered me in those situations.  I don't like drinking tap-water either.  Not sure, I guess I'd agree, drinking is not as bad as breathing it.

Haha I see your point. I actually have a dechlorinator on my tap but if I had to ingest the pure chlorine I think I'd prefer to jump in the pool, but both are horrible options. Swimming pools scar skin cells, and pound the sinuses and body with horrible chloroform.

[wodgina]

Yep chlorine pools are pretty disgusting the chlorine stains your skin. I swim in the ocean and wear a wetsuit in winter. It takes a lot of motivation in winter but you feel invigorated. You don't get that swimming in chlorine.

[cherimoya_kid]

Chlorine vapors are chloroform.

So it is your contention, then, that swimming in a treated pool means that you are swimming in and breathing chloroform?  I'm afraid I don't understand you.

Be aware, I am not gentle with those who make scientifically inaccurate statements.  It might get a little ugly, you may just want to walk away from this particular discussion.

[KD]

Yes, pools gives off Chloroform, and the pool boy is just waiting for it to take effect so he can stash you in his trunk.

the chemical/element Chlorine, added to water, mixed up by lap swimmers, is known to make the dangerous weaponized sedative known as Chloroform. Who knew?

[kurite]

Chloroform? The stuff people use to knock out other people lol?

[RawZi]

Chloroform? The stuff people use to knock out other people lol?

    Non-organic chlorine, the stuff to confuse thyroid, ruin the faculty of memory and create chronic "brain-fog", the stuff used to bleach thick black fungus off of jungle roofs and bleack your sidewalk or toilet.  It's a little strong for most people to breath any.  Imagine how strong we'd all be without it.

[kurite]

So why don't swimmers have major health problems?

[RawZi]

So why don't swimmers have major health problems?

    Maybe between all the swimming and exercise etc it might not bother them as much as some people.  Elderly people with Parkinson's disease suddenly find themselves unable to tolerate chlorinated pools any longer.  It bothers some more than others. 

[pc701]

Better ask this question on a bodybuilding forum

[RawZi]

    Oops, this IS the bodybuilding section here.  But yeah, it would be good to hear what they have to say.  I have a friend, very muscular, very active, deals with lots of pools, says the saltwater pools don't attract bees like the chlorine ones do.

[Spearhead]

So why don't swimmers have major health problems?

Are you kidding? 5 years of competitive swimming wreaked havoc on my sinus passages and has dried my skin out immeasurably. That and I am sure it has caused some minor respiratory damage. Swimmers are notoriously known to suffer problems related to this later in life.

[TylerDurden]

    Maybe between all the swimming and exercise etc it might not bother them as much as some people.  Elderly people with Parkinson's disease suddenly find themselves unable to tolerate chlorinated pools any longer.  It bothers some more than others. 

  Chlorine in water makes my eyes go completely  bloodshot.

[kurite]

Same here my friends always ask me if im high after i swim...