Can You Build Muscle Just By Swimming?

Most athletes combine their regular training sessions with gym sessions in order to build not just form, but also strength. But do you need to use the gym to build muscle? Some research has shown that you can build muscle through swimming alone! Heather & Mark investigate, & show you some strength-building exercises you can use in the pool!

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Do you go to the gym as well as doing your regular training? Let us know in the comments!👇

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[HallieEva]

Of course it does. When I was in the best shape of my life I swam a mile 4x a week. My back and abs were ripped. I didn't really have to weight train to engage those muscles. Now I lift a lot and my back still hasn't looked as good since I no longer have access to a pool.

[steveco]

Swimming the day after weightlifting works well for me! I think it helps getting the sore muscles moving again and builds muscular endurance. Also a low risk recovery exercise, being that it's not weight bearing.

[SurferKroky]

I definitely get a massive "pump " in my shoulders and chest after doing a 1km freestyle . Similar to a gym workout

[milanchojankoski]

The sweamer's body type looks much much better than pumped bodybuilding muscles.

[dylanhunt]

Speaking of strictly swimming, I can't imagine anything more muscle building than max effort intervals. 30-60 seconds all out explosivity. Could do some fartlek-style swimming each length of the pool by alternating between maximum effort one way and cruising and recovering on the way back.

[JayJay-sqrv]

Initially u will build muscles yes but that is how far you can go.. remember muscles adapts hence you need constant loading the muscle fibres with more resistance so hit the gym and also swim .. aweseome combo 💪

[KNDCHV]

Simple push-ups after swimming and swimming on the next day make significant difference. And the best part is - you can do push-ups everywhere. And yes, swimming does build muscle. I am swimming for almost a year and I can definitely tell that there's a difference in my physique, so much that my friends told me: "Man your shoulders really gained since you started swimming, it's actually noticable". I noticed my triceps and a bit of the biceps grew up as well. Overall my arms feel really toned, although not ripped at this point.

[steveco]

5:40 - I'd also add make sure your swimming trunks are securely tied around the waist before doing many of those!

[TrevorBingley]

Of course you do. I swam with Ennis Swimming Club all my life and we were all absolutely shredded.

[christofit]

Weight training is superior! Swimming is great but its better for cardio. There may be some resistance in swimming but soon your body will adapt to this and then it will be hard to progress without using weighted exercises.

[donatina]

If you do fitness swimming, yes, you can. Especially the core muscles. did abs workouts but had a six packs at the age of 13 ahah... I was doing particular “drills”, isolating low and upper body... I only swam about 1km-1, 5km. I won’t advice doing too long sessions.

[bensrunningandfitness]

I’ve found doing pull sets at the end of your swim sessions really forces you to work your upper body muscle under fatigue

[normanzielke]

When you are swimming with a training buddy, an easy alternative to using a parachute is that the one swimmer grabs the ankles of other swimmer. The swimmer in front goes as hard as possible, while the swimmer in the back just stays a float.

[carole]

Love this! Thank you!! The vertical kicks ( which I do with flutter and dolphin kicks while holding my arms above head) as well as the L shape kicks are my personal favorites. 🙂

[nickyAbi]

That vertical board kick is a real killer !

[kawh]

The answer is yes, but it will take a lot of workouts haha. I do remember this worked really well for me in HS

[robohippy]

It is quite noticeable when both of you are doing the vertical kicking, that both of you pronate/go pigeon toed. This is one point that isn't stressed much in teaching how to flutter kick, or dolphin kick. I consider it a big point to make, especially with runners, which I am not, or people with poor ankle flexibility. For years, I tried my kicks with a gymnastic toe point. I was the slowest in the pool. Then I saw a clip from the Race Club that changed all that. When you go pigeon toed, you get an extra 20 or so degrees of dorsi flexion, and you are using the entire side of your foot rather than just your toes, . I do like paddles and fins. Don't see how you can use those huge hand paddles though, I guess I could get used to them. For sure when using paddles, stroke rate goes down.

One thing I have wondered is if swimming helps increase lung capacity? Mine is double normal, and I started swimming at about age 5. 72 now.

[linx]

Found swimming after heavy weights session help with midigating muscle soreness. Along with calories deficit diet to lower fat ratio.

[kimweidner]

Where the heck are you with those palm trees in the background and that gorgeous, shorts wearing weather? 😮❤🎉
Good tips, THANKS!!

[pathayes]

Love all this information! Will be trying these moves in my future swims. Just not all at once. Will try to master each of them, one at a time!