{"id":255817,"date":"2025-10-28T03:21:24","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T03:21:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/255817\/"},"modified":"2025-10-28T03:21:24","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T03:21:24","slug":"everything-to-know-about-swimming-for-weight-loss-per-coaches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/255817\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything To Know About Swimming For Weight Loss, Per Coaches"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re looking for a new way to spice up your cardio routine, you should definitely consider dipping a toe\u2014literally!\u2014into the pool.<\/p>\n

Swimming is one of the best cardiovascular workouts<\/a> out there because it works the full body\u2014especially the core\u2014against the resistance of the water, says Kristen Hislop, a triathlon and swim coach based in Albany, New York. Plus, it can boost your endurance<\/a> and train you to utilize oxygen better. Because it\u2019s such a great workout, it may also help you lose weight as a result (as long as you\u2019re eating a healthy diet and staying hydrated, of course).<\/p>\n

Meet the experts: Kristen Hislop<\/a> is a triathlon and swim coach based in Albany, New York. Dan Daly<\/a>, CSCS, is a swim coach, competitive swimmer, and the owner of the coaching practice Train Daly.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s always best to consult your doctor before trying a new weight loss strategy, but swimming can be a great way to mix up your workout routine and work toward losing weight, if that\u2019s your goal. Ahead, learn about the best strokes to try and how to design your swim workout routine, according to coaches. <\/p>\n

How Swimming Can Help You Lose Weight<\/p>\n

Like any type of exercise, swimming will help you burn calories<\/a>, and if you\u2019re in a calorie deficit<\/a>, you\u2019ll lose weight, says Dan Daly, CSCS, owner of Train Daly and a competitive open water and masters swimmer.<\/p>\n

Related Stories<\/p>\n

For someone who is 155 pounds, 30 minutes of vigorous lap swimming can burn 360 calories, per Harvard Health<\/a>. By comparison, 30 minutes of vigorous stationary rowing can burn 369 calories, and half an hour of vigorous stationary cycling can burn 278 calories, according to Harvard Health.<\/p>\n

How To Start A Swim Routine<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a beginner, Hislop recommends swimming more often but for less time, so you can build strength and work up to more time spent in the pool. Try going four times a week for 20 to 30 minutes. \u201cGet out and come back the next day and try again,” she says. You’ll see progress faster if you get out before your stroke falls apart.<\/p>\n

Then, when you\u2019re comfortable with that, you can increase your time in the pool to 30 to 45 minutes, and add in some interval work<\/a> so you can become a faster swimmer, says Hislop.<\/p>\n

Related Stories<\/p>\n

Just remember that a calorie deficit is crucial for fat loss, says Daly. To figure out a safe, healthy calorie deficit for weight loss, you can turn to your doc or nutritionist, a few different formulas, or online calculators.<\/p>\n

To estimate calories burned during your swimming workout, you can consult an online calorie counter like this one<\/a>, which uses three inputs: your body weight, activity time, and activity level in units called METs, which stands for \u201cmetabolic equivalent of task,\u201d per Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health<\/a>. The Compendium of Physical Activities site<\/a> can help you determine what to enter for your swim workout\u2014to give you an idea, moderate-effort freestyle is listed at 5.8 METs.<\/p>\n

Types Of Swim Strokes<\/p>\n

Freestyle. Swim on your stomach and alternate your arms and legs with each stroke and kick. Freestyle is considered a long-axis stroke because you rotate around a long axis through the length of your body.Backstroke. Similar to freestyle, backstroke is also considered a long axis stroke since it works the full length of your body. You\u2019ll still alternate arms and kick your legs, except you\u2019ll be on your back.Breaststroke. Unlike freestyle and backstroke, breaststroke is a short-axis stroke because it requires you to take each stroke with two arms and kick with both legs at the same time. Breaststroke also has a frog-like kick, says Daly.Butterfly. Also a short-axis stroke, butterfly includes a kick that is similar to a dolphin\u2019s movement. You\u2019ll zip your legs together and move in a wave-like motion.Related Story<\/p>\n

Putting your face in the water might feel claustrophobic at first, Daly says. If you\u2019re nervous about being able to breathe in time as you turn your head, start with the backstroke, since your face will be up the whole time, says Hislop. Breaststroke is also great for newbies because you can breathe more often compared to the other strokes. Once you\u2019ve got the swing of backstroke and breaststroke, though, it\u2019s worth trying the remaining two because they\u2019ll work different parts of your body. <\/p>\n

Build muscle and lose fat with our exclusive strength training plan<\/a><\/p>\n

A great exercise to throw into your workouts every so often is the 100 IM, where you swim one lap of each stroke (that\u2019s 25 yards or meters in many indoor pools): butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, then freestyle, says Hislop.<\/p>\n

Best Swim Workout Gear<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll need a form-fitting and streamlined swimsuit<\/a> and goggles<\/a> that should fit comfortably (and aren\u2019t too tight), Daly says. Finally, you\u2019ll also want to shop for a swim cap<\/a>, especially if you have long hair, and note that many pools require caps, he adds. Some of our recs:<\/p>\n

\"On\"One<\/a>Speedo One Piece SwimsuitCredit: Amazon\"On\"Polarized<\/a>ZIONOR Polarized Swim GogglesCredit: Amazon\"On\"Adult<\/a>Speedo Adult Swim Cap Credit: Amazon\"Anti-Fog<\/a>JAWS Anti-Fog Spray For GogglesCredit: Amazon\"Wax<\/a>Peace&Quiet Wax Ear PlugsCredit: Amazon\"OpenSwim<\/a>SHOKZ OpenSwim Pro HeadphonesCredit: Courtesy<\/p>\n

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Swim Workout<\/p>\n

Warm up for your workout. Start with some dynamic stretches<\/a>, then ease in with an aerobic warm-up, like slowly swimming a lap or two. Then, practicing your technique can help you work on skills that you\u2019re trying to improve, like a particular movement or flip turn, Daly says. Finally, it\u2019s a good idea to \u201crev your engine\u201d with some bursts or builds to sprint to prep your body for the intensity of the workout, he says.Nail your breathing technique. Be strategic about when you’re breathing: When you\u2019re doing freestyle, for example, it can help you get in a rhythm by taking a breath during every other stroke so you\u2019re always breathing to the same side, says Daly. Inhale when you\u2019re above water, taking as big a breath as possible, then exhale, blowing bubbles, when your face is in the water, he adds.Once you\u2019re comfortable, amp up the resistance. You can increase resistance in the water by adding flippers, resistance bands<\/a>, or buoys. Any items that make it harder for you to kick and stroke through the water will increase your strength.Switch up your strokes every once in a while. \u201cIt’s really good to work on all the strokes because you end up working on things that you’re not as strong at,\u201d says Hislop. \u201cYou are going to use slightly different muscles for the different strokes and different breathing patterns.\u201d For instance, butterfly is a difficult stroke, but it\u2019s great for working hip flexibility and power, while you can work on ankle flexibility and pointing your toes during backstroke. Incorporate intervals into your training. Not only will playing with speed make your workouts more fun and interesting, but they\u2019ll also help you increase your swimming pace while challenging your muscles, breathing, and cardiovascular system a bit more than if you kept the same pace, Hislop says.When in doubt, tap a swim coach for help. They can give you the right drills that are tailored to your skillset and needs, Hislop says. Plus, it can take the pressure off to do things perfectly\u2014any fear or hesitation will melt away the more you learn and the more empowered you feel in the pool.<\/p>\n

When you’re starting your training journey, “try everything,” Hislop says. Thinking of the process as one of learning and testing things helps you be less critical of yourself, she explains. That’s the key to learning a new skill\u2014and sticking with it. <\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Erin Warwood is a San Francisco-based writer, runner, and sparkling water enthusiast. She holds a B.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and an M.S. in journalism from Northwestern University. In her free time, you can find her watching Survivor, trying new Peloton workouts, and reading Emily Giffin novels. Her ultimate goal: become a morning person.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Nikhita Mahtani is an NYC-based freelance writer with six years of experience specializing in design and wellness. She primarily writes home tours, service pieces, SEO stories, and features, offering readers practical tips to personalize current trends. Nikhita holds a master’s degree in magazine journalism from New York University, and her work has appeared in publications such as Veranda, SELF, Allure, ELLE Decor, Domino, and Dwell.<\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Ashley Martens is a wellness writer based in Chicago. With a lifelong passion for all things health and wellness, Ashley enjoys writing about topics to help people live happier and healthier lives. With a foundation in fitness, food, and nutrition, Ashley covers it all including sexual health and travel topics. Ashley is also a NASM-certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you\u2019re looking for a new way to spice up your cardio routine, you should definitely consider dipping…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":255818,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[4059,337,97],"class_list":{"0":"post-255817","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-core","9":"tag-fitness","10":"tag-health"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255817","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=255817"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255817\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/255818"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=255817"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=255817"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=255817"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}