I have enjoyed getting better at swimming and spending time in the pool. But I am getting enormous from it. I am adding a lot of bulk (obviously in the arm/back/quad region) and I’m wondering if this is something I just have to deal with as a consequence of swimming? I feel a lot more weighed down during runs because of it, and I don’t find it to be a particularly attractive bulk at all; instead of looking like added muscle, the bulk seems to have disguised my stringy runner muscles. Anyone have tips on balancing this mass buildup while not sacrificing being able to fit into old clothing and still feeling light enough to run and bike?
There may be your answer. Swimming does stimulate your appetite to make up for the coolness of the water, plus the exertion of your new activity.
Swimming is predominately an upper body sport, so the quad development you describe is hopefully minimal compared to the muscle necessary to pull through the water.
Take an unemotional look at elite female triathletes; is “bulky” how you would describe them?
The cold water (and hence lowering the core temp.) can play into an increased appetite. I have found I’m definitely hungrier and able to eat more after a swim than a run. It’s the same reason those in climates that have a cold winter tend to eat more in the winter. It’s a natural survival thing.
A couple things that may help are: a short period of non-swimming exercise to raise the core temp after a swim. Or, I have found drinking a recovery drink (I like Recoverite) will help me not overeat after a swim when I get home.
I feel your pain, I went from a 34 to a 36 in bra size from increased swimming. I had no lats before but I do now! I can rip on a lat machine or do rows without any weight training. I think it looks nice to have some muscle and tone on your upper body. It’s keeping me swimming through pregnancy even though I get horrible nauseated almost every time I swim.
One question, are you consuming huge amounts of protein? That might be bulking you up but I’m no body building expert.
I struggled with it a bit when i became bulkier on top, but now I like it and I would never choose to swim less in order to get rid of my new muscles.
!(file:///tmp/moz-screenshot.jpg)
!(file:///tmp/moz-screenshot-1.jpg)
Are you using paddles when you swim? Thats a pretty easy way to get bigger shoulders than you may desire.
I can appreciate all of that, and they are indeed muscles. But they definitely don’t look like muscles. As I said, it just looks like bulk, underneath which are the muscles that used to show through. I guess we accept some extra meat and slower running times for being faster swimmers?
…it just looks like bulk, underneath which are the muscles that used to show through.
If it just looks like bulk, then it’s fat and you need to re-evaluate your eating. You said it yourself, you eat a lot.
Getting big lats and shoulders is part of swimming.
I will slightly disagree with TC though. I swim with 2 women who are super fast and VERY thin. They have impeccable form. I don’t doubt that when they swam in college they were ‘bigger’ than they are now, but I doubt they were even close to approaching how big I would be if I swam as much as I they did in college.
As for your quads getting bigger. Swimming shouldn’t do that. Are you biking a lot too?
I know I gain muscle when I swim a lot, but I also still tend to get skinnier (I weigh more, but my clothes from last year are too big).
there is a girl in our gym (around late 20s) and she swims a lot. she looks like a giant! huge shoulders and lats but looks so lugubrious while running. she thinks she’s a triathlete. I don’t like her. Sometimes, i am a hater.
I learned a new word today!
(had to look that one up)
There is a thread on the main forum about swimmers being good cyclists - quads? I think part of the theory, I skimmed through, not anything Id associate together. I think a lot of great swimmers make great triathletes in general. Since Ive been swimming way more (see my thread here-using paddles!) have to admit I ‘feel’ huge, but I am sure this is in my head.
I learned a new word today!
(had to look that one up)
There is a thread on the main forum about swimmers being good cyclists - quads? I think part of the theory, I skimmed through, not anything Id associate together. I think a lot of great swimmers make great triathletes in general. Since Ive been swimming way more (see my thread here-using paddles!) have to admit I ‘feel’ huge, but I am sure this is in my head.
heck…it has nothing to do with quads. Bunch of BS. What swimming does is develop your lung capacity especially if you start swimming from childhood. It increases your inspiratory volume as well residual lung volume. Once a huge swimming base been established early on, it is easier to do other sports. You might not be a natural runner etc (phelps can’t run good) but certainly make a decent biker. I am also a hater of people who come to the gym dressed up in the race t shirts and sporting some sort of ironman memorobilia. fu***** hate it!!!
Why do you hate it when people use race shirts as workout gear?
.
i despise them. Is that a stronger word?!. It is very pretentious. the intent is not the use of it a workout it but a show off. You are one of them???
So in your angry little world when would be the appropriate time to wear race shirts or do you think that they just should not manufctured and handed out at all.
So in your angry little world when would be the appropriate time to wear race shirts or do you think that they just should not manufctured and handed out at all.
What do you do with your race shirts?
.
i opt out of them. Once in a while i take them but end up donating them to Salvation army. They should not be manufactured. Damn it, you are up early for me to start hating!
