How does your sport compare? Calorie Cruncher

Talk

• 66

  8.15pm 24th April 2012
  Abi o

  Hi and I swim for a club my life long dream is to be on the olympics and swim for my country I am a big 12 year old and try hard nut fail at trying to cut down on fatty foods can any one help me for fill my dream or even get close! :(
• 65

  1.30pm 4th April 2012
  Katie Tomlyn

  Hi John,

  You may find this area of our site useful: http://www.swimming.org/swimfit/training-camp/  If you look on the left hand side menu you will also see some advanced technique videos which could teach you a bit more about stroke technique.

  Alternatively the next best thing would be to ask at your local pool about adult lessons. You may find that your local pool does technique based lessons. To find your local pool follow this link:http://www.swimming.org/bigsplash/pool-finder

  Thanks for your question.
• 64

  6.03pm 30th March 2012
  John R from London

  HI All,

  I’m wondering if you can help me out. I’ve recently started swimming, having done very little swimming in my childhood…my technique is ok but it could do with improving! I was wonder if you know of any good websites or links that will give me good tips on how to improve, good practice etc.

  Thanks

  John
• 63

  2.15pm 26th March 2012
  Mike Laird from Coulsdon

  HI. I have just found this site and have enjoyed reading it. I am involved in my first Channel relay later on in summer. I regularly swim over to the Isle of Wight and have the benefit of a small support boat. So if anyone out there wants to do some swimming with me please let me know.
  We might even have a place in our Channel relay team as one of our team isn’t quite as committed as they ought to be!
• 62

  8.19pm 12th March 2012
  Elaine Thompson

  Love the website. Got to hear about it from my colleague at work.

  Have dusted off my swimsuit and set myself my first challenge. So far have been to the local pool twice in 2 days and done 25 lengths so far!!!!! ..... and all this from a confirmed couch potato
• 61

  12.20am 27th February 2012
  Domonique Ector from The United States of America

  Thank-you so much this web-site has helped a lot from a swim diet to the amount of calories that I burn.  I swim fly and free and this web-site has hepled me find the amount of calories that I burn from spinting these all out for hours a day.  I hope to make it to the Olympics in four years I know that I can do it i just have to work.  Thanks again!!!!!
• 60

  9.26pm 28th January 2012
  bigdaveakers from Nottingham

  I have been coaching a Masters squad now for about a year. The club had an active Masters squad for a while, but when I took over very few people competed. We ended the year with several British records, both individual and relay along with an individual European Record and relay European record. We also had a number of National Champions.The squad has really come together and it is all down to inclusion, we cater for all abilities and it really promotes a sense of team when you are swimming with a group under the direction of a dedicated coach.
  In June this year 9 swimmers will be competing in the World Masters Championships in Italy, something that just 12 months ago was unimaginable. In order to support them on the 8th April I will be undertaking a 24 hour swim to raise funds for them and I am hoping to swim around 40 miles. I checked the calorie counter above and it seems I will need a lot of energy
• 59

  11.23am 27th January 2012
  david williams from bristol

  Rob, if you have swum the channel and the Thames, like David Walliams, I applaud you. All endurance feats impress me, especially when braving the elements. However, my problem is with organisations and web sites that encourage people to ‘swim’ the Thames and the channel in their local pool, ‘row the Atlantic’ in their locakl gym, etc, using an amazing web-based ready reckoner system. This is a very cheap, lazy, meaningless, rubbish ‘product’. It is no substituite for the real thing. And it is tedious and boring.

  You may not realise it but swimming clubs are at the heart of everything swimming in this country and around the world. I do not agree with systems and crusades, by the ASA or anyone else, that encourage lone-swimming and web-based reckoners and databases. Children who become swimmers and athlets and adults alike, need sociable clubs to motivate and bond and encourage.
• 58

  6.07am 27th January 2012
  Rob Greenoak from London

  These people who criticise really get my goat. I’ve been a member of a swim club, I’ve been coached, I’ve swum with friends and with strangers. I’ve swum the Thames, the Channel, the Cyclades. I love swimming in the pool, the lido, rivers, lakes and the sea. I also love to swim on my own… yes Mr Williams, on my own!

  It may surprise you, but it happens to be one of my favourite aspects of swimming. Your assumption that people who use the internet are friendless web monkeys is simply ridiculous. I for one would like to applaud the ASA - I’m not saying it will work for all, but if it works for some then great. You never know, it may help someone build up the confidence to join one of those clubs that you’re on about.

  I will certainly use some of the sessions and guidance to complement my swimming.
• 57

  8.38am 26th January 2012
  David Williams from Bristol

  This is how it works guys. If you are over 25, contact the ASA and get the details of your local Masters swimming club. Go along, be coached by a real person (not a virtual coach or some plastic cards on the pool side), meet like-minded people, socialise after, make friends, spur each other on…get fit and experience a real club atmosphere, to achieve your swimming fitness goals. That is the way it has been since time immemorial. Use it or lose it.

  Do we really want a society where people walk the streets with earphones on, make friends through Facebook, communicate by text and [now] have a virtual fitness coach for training on their own? I don’t think so.

  And PS, calories burned by 30 minutes butterfly = the same as 30 minutes running at 8 miles an hour. Er, don’t think so. Oversimplified, unscientific and just plain wrong.
• 56

  10.30pm 25th January 2012
  david williams from bristol

  What a load of complete tosh. How on earth the ASA think this is anything like a substitute for joining your local swimming club, and getting a coached session, is totally beyond me.
• 55

  1.39pm 20th January 2012
  Katie Tomlyn

  Hi Amy,

  My advice would be to login to Swimfit and set yourself one of the Challenges on your Dashboard. Here you will be able to download a training plan in aim of your goal.
• 54

  1.42pm 19th January 2012
  Amy from Bath

  i am swimming in the bath sports centre on the 28th april 2012,sat,4pm! i have only swum 100 lengths(in 96 mins) for Marie Curie Cancer Care before,but this time it will be 200 lengths..whats the best way to practise for this!. lolxx..
• 53

  12.28pm 15th January 2012
  Matt from London

  I am using the ‘Fitness’ programme to help me train for an Olympic Distance Triathlon - It is extremely helpful in giving each swim session structure and a time / # of lengths to aim for to keep motivation up.
  It’s great to hear everyone on here is doing so well, Keep it up everyone
• 52

  10.35am 3rd January 2012
  Katie Tomlyn

  Hi Adrian,
  Please could you send me your email address to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and I shall respond to your question.
  Many thanks
• 51

  3.41pm 10th December 2011
  adrian from barnoldswick

  started swimming fairly recently , i can swim front crawl ffor quite a distance but would really like to increase my speed . other swimmers around me tend to swim 20% faster than me .I,m quite strong have a reasonable technique so why cant i go faster?
• 50

  7.22am 3rd October 2011
  Katie Tomlyn

  Wow, Gill that is fantastic! Keep up the good work.
• 49

  7.14am 3rd October 2011
  Gill Thomas from Bangalore, India

  I have started swimming again to lose weight and get fit.  I am currently managing 1.5 to 2 miles a day, 5 day a week.  Am hoping this site will keep my motivation going as I am living in India and swim in the hotel pool each morning. I think I am the only person who ever uses it.  I have just started to swim the River Spey (107 miles) as I know this river well and it might help keep my homesickness at bay!
• 48

  2.44pm 27th September 2011
  Elise from London

  thank you for the information. I usually swim 30 min in breastroke. Really nice website
• 47

  2.45pm 25th September 2011
  Sarah from Poole

  Thanks for the post and comments, I just checked out the video for front crawl technique http://www.swimming.org/swimfit/shape-up-and-tone-front-crawl/ and found it really useful.
• 46

  8.21am 8th September 2011
  Mikel from Burnham on Sea

  Trying to work this site out but being a technophobe might take awhile.
  Done 80 x 25m this a.m. at local pool in 40 mins., so ho[pe to keep it up 3 times a week. Admire all you long distant people like Gill of Stockport (Landsend to John O’Groats)
• 45

  3.41pm 7th September 2011
  les from Staffordshire

  well done gill you should be on tv with that milage WELL DONE
• 44

  7.34am 7th September 2011
  Katie Tomlyn

  That is fantastic news Gill. Keep up the good work!
• 43

  8.03pm 6th September 2011
  Gill from Stockport

  Doing really well. Try to swim 6 times a week, Sunday is the day of rest. Swimming from Lands End to John o’Groats and covered about 231 miles so far (just south of Perth)  with 607 to go. Swim a mile each day three main strokes. Lost three stone as well. Not bad at 58!!!
• 42

  4.31pm 24th August 2011
  Les from Staffs

  well done maureen keep it up iam back to swimming and i have passed my MOT by the doctor he said that if only everyone had the same thinking as on the site he would be out of a job
• 41

  5.16pm 23rd August 2011
  maureen from cambridgeshire

  Started to use my pool again after I retired 18mnths ago. Although I can swim I hadn’t been swimming for years and could barely do two lengths without having to stop for 2 or 3 minutes to catch my breath. I persevered and now I swim 4 times a week and love it. I have been using the site for tips and have found it extremely useful. I have lengthened my stroke and this has slowed down my breathing, so no more gasping.  Last week on one of my sessions I swam a mile and a quarter and was sooo pleased with myself, went round with a smile on my face all day;D
• 40

  3.55pm 21st July 2011
  Joe from Cheshire

  This has really helped me get back into swimming after quite a while out but does anybody know how to access the 20% off Speedo products because I could do with some new gear.
• 39

  5.08pm 7th July 2011
  Les from Staffordshire

  its been great swimming since an illness doc was well happy with my outcome .Now i go every week for an hour working my way through the cards .  I feel fit once again and happy to be.
• 38

  4.00pm 8th June 2011
  Gill

  Thanks for the reply Kate I don’t know why I didn’t think of doing that myself. A digital counter would be a great help though. I will investigate.
  Gill
• 37

  8.55am 8th June 2011
  Katie Tomlyn

  Hi Gill,

  You could do a length of the pool and count your strokes, then once you have your belt attached count your total strokes and work out how far you have swum. This will give you a rough estimate to the total distance swum. (You will need to know the length of the pool to do this).

  You may be able to purchase a digital watch to count your laps/strokes, etc via http://www.speedo.co.uk Remember as a swimfit member you are entitled to 20% discount off Speedo products.
• 36

  2.23pm 7th June 2011
  Gill Kendrick from Sutton Coldfield

  I swim in a small pool using an elasticated training belt which fixes to the side of the pool. Is there any way of measuring how far I have swum? Have just found this site and I think it will be very useful. Thanks
• 35

  12.09pm 1st June 2011
  Katie Tomlyn

  Hi Leah,

  That is a good question. I too suffer from dry skin and would recommend either Palmer’s moisturizer - http://uk.palmers.com/product/detail.php?ID=23&SID=1#  or if your skin is particularly sensitive try plain old olive oil from your supermarket (the kind that you cook with).
• 34

  10.47am 1st June 2011
  Leah from South Yorkshire

  I swim regularly - have done for about 10 years now.  Have problem with dry skin due to the chlorine in the pool.  Have tried all the usual moisturisers - E45 etc.  Has anybody got any recomendations?
• 33

  7.29am 31st May 2011
  Katie Tomlyn

  Hi Denise Quinn,

  That is great news that swimming has helped with your anxiety/stress. You may want to view the videos we have online to progress with your front crawl technique: http://www.swimming.org/swimfit/shape-up-and-tone-front-crawl/
• 32

  2.20pm 30th May 2011
  Denise Quinn from rotherham,england

  I have been swimming for a year now, it has helped with my anxiety and stress.  I have just introduced the crawl to my workout, i am teaching myself, i cannot get the breathing correcct and swollow the water or it goes up my nose but i am perceviering.  u an going to give the actifit workout a try as i feel i need to progress.  I am also following slimming world diet, and have lost 9.5Lb to date.  I hope i can move some wieght from my stomach and “love handles”, these are the hardest to shape.
  I look forward to starting my actifit workout tomorrow when i go to the gym.
• 31

  4.19am 28th May 2011
  Ethan Sumpter from Stony Stratford.Milton Keynes.UK

  My Breastsroke is getting on. I want a break but I carry on. Swimming is a good sport.I injoy swimming very, very much
• 30

  1.23pm 16th May 2011
  Katie Tomlyn

  Hi Shirley,

  That is fantastic! Well done.
• 29

  1.14pm 16th May 2011
  Shirley from Haywards Heath

  Not in the first flush of youth (nor probably the second). Learnt to swim after retiring. Love it but don’t seem to have that much power in my upper arms so not as fast as some. Swim for an hour twice a week with friend and have devised our own program using various strokes, similar to Shape up and Tone. Since February 2010 have swum 70km and have lost over 10kg.
• 28

  9.19am 13th May 2011
  Katie Tomlyn

  Hi Alona,
  It is great to know you like the site. Good luck with your swimming sessions!
• 27

  6.24am 13th May 2011
  Alona from Ramsey

  I have a little boy of ten months and have needed the motivation to get my body back into shape, this website has made it feel more realistic to now get my body back to how it used to be.
  Swimming is actually amazing how it can be so much better for you than other forms of exercise!
  Thanks for making this site. It will help me so much. x
• 26

  7.17pm 9th May 2011
  Yuri Tzvetanov from Darwen

  I love swimming
• 25

  3.04am 3rd May 2011
  ako from swimmer

  teqnicue+training+drill
• 24

  12.55pm 11th April 2011
  caroline burrell from wingerworth, chesterfield derbyshire

  cant wait for my pool session after 10mile hard work fell run up kinder scout yesterday…swimming complements running perfectly,especially for those sore sore legs!
• 23

  8.13pm 10th April 2011
  christina howarth from todmorden

  Great!  I’m training to do the Great North Swim so I’m having fun working my way round this site.
• 22

  9.56am 6th April 2011
  Tessa from Cornwall

  Brilliant - Very useful since I am getting back into regular swimming - hoping to find some tips on use of equipment - I have largely made up my own training routine with a mix of strokes and use of floats to try and get all round work out. So good to see some programmes here, none quite fit so far but will keep looking.
• 21

  2.31pm 5th April 2011
  Will from Derbyshire

  A great site, many thanks.  Swimming plus running is a magic combination.  I’ve been swimming twice a week for about 18 months now and the low impact workout you get in the water really eases those parts of the body that running seems to aggravate (which is great for an oldster like me!).  Also, I found my breathing technique for running could be developed for the water and that a lot of my running motivation could also be carried over into my pool work - runners dive in there the two disciplines compliment each other beautifully!
• 20

  11.11am 7th March 2011
  A Clarke from Birmingham

  Hi I get a round 1 hours swim say two or three times per week, I do front back & others in that hour.I feel that I could go faster & maybe improve on
  stile, very happy to do swimming ,man of over 50.
• 19

  8.44am 7th March 2011
  richard from london

  I find it very difficult to find a pool that allows flippers,I know they can be used at club training but does anybody know any pools that allow them other than at a club?
• 18

  8.31pm 4th March 2011
  s

  i can not do breas butterfly is easy peasy
• 17

  10.39pm 1st March 2011
  rachel from chesterfield

  Hi, I can only swim breastroke and inverted breastroke are the cals burned the same. Thanks
• 16

  10.42am 1st March 2011
  Frank (British Swimming) from Loughborough

  Hi Alice, thank you for your comment.

  Sideways crawl is not listed as it is not one of the four main strokes. Sideways crawl is an old hybrid stroke, originally derived from front crawl and breaststroke.
• 15

  3.44pm 28th February 2011
  Alice from Wellington, Shropshire

  You don’t list sideways crawl among your strokes.
  I always use it, alternating with backstroke (changing every 2 lengths)
• 14

  5.18pm 26th February 2011
  Alex from Essex

  I suppose this calorific expenditure doesn’t /can’t take into account relative swimming efficiency. Some swimmers appear to expend huge amounts of energy simply through having inefficient strokes. Presumably they would be consuming rather greater amounts of energy than their corresponding;y more efficient counterparts??
• 13

  9.15am 24th February 2011
  megan from swimming yeah

  i love to swim
• 12

  10.33pm 10th February 2011
  margot from clitheroe

  Did first 2 sessions of shape up and tone yesterday. Legs a bit sore today.!!
• 11

  8.58pm 8th February 2011
  Paulette Brissett from WV11, Wolverhampton

  Just signed up. Able to motivate myself most of the time however, its good to have some guidance and support. Had been a gym member for many years, until my regular venue closed. I took up aqua classes, which help build confidence in the water with tips along the way. Could not swim prior to that. Now 46 and been swimming for 6 years now. Two or three times a week. This cite is great and will no doubt encourage me to do more, as the benefits have been obvious in lowering my high blood pressure, for which I have been diagnosed and take medication for. Thank You! British Gas. Well done.
• 10

  5.29pm 4th February 2011
  margot from clitheroe, lancashire

  Just signed up today. Looking forward to being shaped up and toned!!  Probably be Sunday before I can do my first session.
• 9

  8.05pm 2nd February 2011
  caroline burrell

  im a long distance fell runner and use swimming as cross training and for when im injured,its a great work out and leaves you positively glowing.
• 8

  9.48am 30th January 2011
  Graham Le-Gall from Eastcote, Middlesex

  The Gym has been my Haven for years but with repeated injuries and now the need for a knee operation low impact and less physical stress, swimming seems to be the answer. Just need to adopt a good swimming style. Our Grand Children love it, so will I.
• 7

  6.28pm 27th January 2011
  Les Davis from Matlock Debyshire

  Thanks! This will really motivate my wife and I to get fitter and push ourselves a bit more in the water.
• 6

  10.28am 26th January 2011
  Barry Wade from Loughborough

  Hi Sean, as people swim distances with different times we have focused on time. We don’t have generic distance and calorie burn figures.
• 5

  6.23pm 22nd January 2011
  sean

  Do you have any charts for distance swan vs calories used. I usually swim 800 mts or 1200 mts per session. This takes 15.5 mins or 24 mins
• 4

  8.26pm 20th January 2011
  elle from london

  brilliant info thanks.
• 3

  2.37pm 16th January 2011
  Greg from London

  weight is largely irrelavent due to floatation
• 2

  3.47pm 14th January 2011
  P. Oliver from wrexham waterworld

  what about taking a person’s weight when calculating the number of calories burnt.
• 1

  10.13pm 11th January 2011
  Emma Healey from Crediton

  A great site. Just what I have been needing for ages.