Swimming - omg I'm addicted to it (bike, fast, workouts)

[belovenow]

I started swimming laps a few weeks ago after a fighter fighter friend turned me on to doing them. She is ripped and credits swimming to a great degree (I'm not kidding, she has a 6 pack and looks fantastic). Our first time together she could go on for over an hour and a half, but I got one heck of a workout initially with just 15 intense minutes and now I'm up to about 45 minutes doing intense interval style training.

I have to say, swimming laps is awesome - never had such an overall body workout and never have I ever seen such quick gains in my cardio endurance! After about 45 minutes I feel an overall mental mellowness that continues throughout the rest of the day. My joints don't hurt (I don't feel like I'm wearing anything out unlike with running), and I find it to be a meditative experience as well.

My personal preference is doing laps outside (if that's available to you, try it!). I am finding myself waking up every day looking forward to my next swim. Anyone else swim regularly for exercise? One question I have is does anyone use waterproof ear buds and iPod for music while doing laps?

[hawaiiancoconut]

I swim often when im training for an upcoming Ironman event. Im usually in the water for 1.5 hours and dont carry any electronics, other than my fitbit. Im addicted to running and have my first 100mile/24hour ultra-marathon in a few weeks.

[Luckyd609]

I enjoy swimming. It is a very good workout. I always feel so great after a good swimming session.

[stan4]

I love open water swimming.

[Ginge McFantaPants]

Swimming is one of my favorites. All summer I bring the kids down to the pool in our complex, and they play while I do laps. The first couple of weeks I'll really be feeling it, and wiped out at the end of the day.

[dynamo fan]

I love swimming as well, but I am more of an outdoor runner. When training for triathlons I usually try to do 1-1.5 miles, but I really only swim when I am training for a specific race.

[G-fused]

We have a center that offers swim workouts in the am before the pool opens to lap swimmers. It's led by an awesome instructor/coach who uses a laptop and some crazy type software that does all sorts of things. The workouts are intense and awesome. So if you enjoy swimming, I would absolutely recommend joining an instructor led group.

Best of luck and have fun.

[himain]

I used to swim in high school so that's how I got my wide back. Our pool here at the complex is nice. Maybe I'll do some laps tomorrow after working out. I just have to find a proper bikini

[metalmancpa]

I'm currently training for a sprint tri on Aug 16th. I've been doing 1/2 to 1 mile laps. I'm not a great swimmer, but I'm getting better. I definitely like the bike and run training better, but until I do some OWS training next week I won't know if I like it better than pool laps.

[Italian (x)lurker]

I'm a kind of addicted to swimming like the op
when summer breaks, that's to say late may/early june here, I begin to swim basically everyday
even the days I have to work I use to wake up very early, say 5 am, and take a couple of hours in the water
this until late september/early october
I like to compete with myself, at the end of the season I can reach a distance miles and miles at a fast pace without feeling any weak or having any arm hurting
I also prefer to swim when the sea is a little rough because it takes you to be smarter in playing with the waves

I also enjoy smelling the salty water, the scent of junipers, pines and sunscreens

I'm not ashamed to add that, sometimes in the water when I'm "high" I begin to swim at at the fastest speed I can (for a short time of course) and my thorax rises above the level of the water a bit, people see me and think I freak out but I don't care at all