Category Archives: Swimming

Yes, Women Can Bulk Up through Exercise

23 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in Exercising, Health and Wellness, Muscles, Running, Swimming

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“You won’t bulk up.” How many times have we heard this? For those of us who are convinced we can bulk up with certain exercises, but hear countless times that it’s not possible, well the later are wrong. We can. And I am one of them.

Despite having lower testosterone than men and regardless of watching what we eat, women with certain genetic makeups – especially those with small body frames – can build muscle easily and quickly, particularly in their thighs and buttock where fast twitch muscle is also often found. The muscle build up is often accomplished with resistance training, which is ANY form of exercise that causes a muscle to contract AGAINST an external resistance, creating a burn and a pump then a build in muscle. Not only is this with accomplished weights, but with popular cardio equipment including the treadmill, elliptical, and bicycle.

So what is a girl to do if that is the look she isn’t going for? What if she just wants to be tone and not overly muscular? Train for leanness and endurance.

We all know weight-training tones your muscles and can build muscle size. Increasing the weights used and the speed of reps can result in building muscle. So for muscles responding quickly to resistance, do the opposite. Perform more repetitions (15) with lighter weights completed within 90 seconds. Rest time should only be between 15 to 30 seconds for a cardio burn.

You may continue with your indoor cardio – running on a treadmill, pumping on an elliptical, and spinning a bike – but lower your tension on the equipment and limit your time to no more than 30 minutes a day.

If you can run outside versus on a treadmill, then do so. A treadmill forces your run through it’s push and pull resistance while a run outside is powered by 100% of you. You can also increase your cardio to longer than 30 minutes with the mechanical resistance now gone and up your days to five week since the movement of outdoor running will only make you leaner with amount of calories burned.

Also, incorporate exercises into your daily routine that helps to elongate your muscles, such as stretching, yoga, Pilates, swimming, walking, hiking, skating, and cross-country skiing. Sign up for a recreational soccer or basketball league. Join a running club. Play tennis, racquetball, or pickleball. Walk the course when playing golf.

Undoubtedly, you will need to do trial and error with your muscle-strengthening exercises before determining which workouts work best for you and your personal genetic makeup. Once discovered, set your limits and stick within those boundaries. Your goal is within reach.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana

The Refreshing Perks of Waterskiing and Wakeboarding

09 Tuesday Aug 2011

Posted by in Exercising, Skiing, Sports, Swimming

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To me, there is something ever so alluring about water. Put me in a swimming pool, take me to a lake, or bring me to the beach, it is my instant nirvana when my eyes see a body of H20. So it will come as no surprise that I also love to play in the water, even being past 40. Swimming, floating, splashing, chilling, snorkeling … I simply love it all! This also includes boating of all types and its associated activities, such as tubing, waterskiing and wakeboarding.

I remember the first time I went waterskiing. It was down in Florida. I slipped on the vest, slid my feet into the skis and sat patiently at the end of the dock waiting for the boat that would pull me to be ready. I had snowed ski for years. How hard could waterskiing be? When it came time to go, the boat gently took off and I instantly began gliding across the water. All my years of snow skiing came into play as I picked up waterskiing as if I had done it for years. What a great rush!

Last summer was the first time I tried wakeboarding. This time I was at the Jersey Shore. Again I slipped on a vest, but this time I stood on the back of the boat on the water trying different stances. Should I lead with my left foot or right? I thought back to my skateboarding days and knew the left lead felt more natural. When it was my turn, I jumped off the back of the boat with the board hinged to my feet and drifting away while adjusting my rope. I waved to the driver and he slowly placed the boat into gear. What a refreshing surprise when I popped right up out of the water, during my very first attempt, and began swishing side to side as the boat pulled away.

These two water sports are an amazing feel. Since waterskiing and wakeboarding are so much fun, one can easily forget how they also make great workout activities. One of the biggest benefits is that it is a complete body workout, exerting just about every major muscle group from your head to toe, especially once you begin holding yourself up with the taut rope which also improves your balance and coordination. Your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and gluteal muscles will all be worked in addition to your abductor and adductor muscles from all of the lateral moves across the water.

Looking for a new fat burner? Well, these warm weather activities are also an excellent means to burning calories and fat. A 150-pound person can easily lose over 400 calories an hour. A person with more body mass even more. Waterskiing and wakeboarding will also boost your metabolism and lift your mood … that is as long as you remain up on your skis or board!

Waterskiing and wakeboarding are also excellent ways to stretch and strengthen your leg muscles, particularly in the thighs and around the knees, as well as help with joint mobility. Your endurance will increase, the longer you stay up and more frequent the trips, as will your stamina. These sports also help to build your overall strength and agility, develop long lean muscles, and tone your entire torso.

What is there to loose in trying these water workouts? Even if you do lose your balance and fall in, you are left with treading water and swimming, two more excellent exercises. It’s a win-win situation all around. So the next time you have the opportunity to water ski or wakeboard, give it a try. You might find two more sports to add to your beloved list of activities just like I did.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana

Splish. Splash. Swimming is a Blast of a Workout.

07 Tuesday Jun 2011

Posted by in Exercising, Sports, Swimming

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Ever since I was a child, I love to swim. Maybe it’s my Aquarius zodiac sign to blame, but regardless, I would swim every day if I lived in a hot climate year round or had a heated pool behind my house. But mainly due to my weekly schedule and all my other commitments, I only manage to get in two to three swims in a week on average. My preferred times to swim at the gym is at the crack of dawn or late in the evening. With goggles tightly wrapped, cap securely on and one ear plug in my left ear, I swim 30-40 laps nonstop, depending on my restlessness of swimming just laps in a single lane. I do have an underwater MP3 player, but have yet to use it.

Contrary to a popular belief, swimming is not great way to drop excess pounds. While you burn a good amount of calories while swimming, it isn’t as effective with the calorie burn with cardio activities on land. Swimming burns about three calories per mile per pound of bodyweight. So if you weigh 150 lbs. and it takes you 30 minutes to swim one mile, then you will be using approximately 900 calories in one hour. The serious swimmer easily achieves that or better, but the recreational swimmer typically does not swim at the speed, distance or duration so their calorie burn is significantly lower. Also, once you get of the pool, the calories stop burning unlike exercising at land when the increased calorie burn can continue up to 18 hours after your workout.

Nonetheless swimming is an excellent workout and is one of those exercises that, once learned, can be performed well into the late ages of life. The low impact exercise tones your entire body and provides an excellent cardiovascular workout with little strain. Regular swimming builds endurance and builds muscles. Swimming also strengthens your heart and improves the delivery of oxygen to your muscles. It can also better your blood pressure and help to lessen a chance of injury with the total body workout. There are psychological benefits as well, such as complete relaxation, stress reduction and a form of meditation. I love it so much because of the endorphin high I get during and afterward plus the overall toning and conditioning. There are no phones underwater, no interruptions, no pressure, no demands; just you and the clear blue water. Ah nirvana, at least for me.

For my swim workouts, I mainly swim freestyle, but sometimes will add the breast and back strokes to work other muscles. I often use swim paddles to strengthen my stoke mechanics, a kickboard to work my legs, and a pull buoy to push my upper body. I would also use training fins more regularly, as I love the quickness I gain through the water by using them, if it weren’t the muscle build I quickly gain with the added resistance. Whentraining for an upcoming triathlon, I will then do a lot of sprint work in the water to simulate what I will be doing in the first leg of a sprint tri.

In addition to swimming laps, one can participate in a water aerobics class, water walk or jog, or participate in a water yoga class and other options at a nearby gym or swim club. What is so great about swimming is that it exercises almost your entire body – heart, lungs, and muscles included – with very little joint strain. It is great for general fitness and it’s great for anyone at any age. So now that it’s summer and warmer weather has arrived, hopefully you will find an opportunity or two to get out there and splish splash about and make your own wonderful waves.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana

My Secrets to Aging Young – Part 2

21 Monday Feb 2011

Posted by in Anti-Aging, Cardio, Cycling, Diet, Exercising, Fitness Classes, Swimming, Weight Training

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In Part 1 of “My Secrets to Aging Young,” I discussed some of my own secrets of how I stay fit and look young-looking and shared my cardio and ab routines. Slowing down the aging process can definitely be achieved with a commitment to fitness and wellness. Documented studies have shown that people who are in good fitness shape are able to delay the signs of natural aging, including the decrease in physical resistance and muscular mass, flexibility and slower metabolism. In Part 2, I am going to continue sharing some of my secrets to anti-aging; what I do for weight training, fitness classes, swimming, and cycling.

Weight Training. I typically start my weight training with the circuit, which provides a total body strength and aerobic workout. There are an assortment of pieces I often utilize, based on what is available at the facility I am using, and usually a minimum of seven machines. I usually start with lat mid rows, working my back, followed by vertical press machine to improve my chest muscles. I also use the hip adductor and abductor machines for my inner and outer thighs and will other circuit machines to work my triceps, biceps, abs, gluts and legs. I then move on to a free weight workout with dumbbells for my upper body. My weights range from 25-10 pounds, depending on the exercises, and include presses, flys, extensions and kickbacks.

Fitness Classes. I have taken an assortment of fitness classes over the years, and now currently partake in four classes regularly and, when my schedule permits, two additional. On Saturdays and Sundays, I’m in the gym three hours each day. Saturdays I run my long run, complete a circuit training rotation, lift free weights, perform abs, then wrap up with an one hour Lift It Class that works all my major muscle groups using a variety of equipment chosen by the instructor. Sundays, I run five miles, perform abs then take a one hour Yoga Strength Class for strength training followed by one hour Boot Camp Class of intense lifting techniques. I additionally try to make two other Yoga Strength Classes during the week. When my calendar allows, I attend Pilates Classes for core strengthening and take Zumb Classes, a fast-paced dance workout that firms and tones. On the days I can’t make the Pilates classes at the gym, I get the exercises in at home by following a DVD.

 

Swimming . On average, I only manage to get in two to three swim workouts in a week. I typically swim at the crack of dawn or late in the evening. With goggles, cap and one ear plug in my left ear, I swim a minimum of 30 laps (60 lengths) nonstop. I mainly swim freestyle, but sometimes will add the breast, side and back strokes to work other muscles. I frequently use swim paddles to strengthen my stoke mechanics , a kickboard to work my legs and a pull buoy to push my upper body. If it weren’t’ for the fact that my legs build out when I use training fins, I would definitely use them regularly as I love the speed I gain through the water.Whentraining for an upcoming triathlon, I will perform a lot of sprint work in the water to simulate what I will be doing in the first leg of a sprint tri.

Cycling. While I could easily ride every day, I have restricted this workout to once a week. Like the step aerobics classes I use to take and swimming with fins, this workout also increases my leg size.  I typically ride hard just for 30 minutes, either inside on a stationary or outside on one of my three bikes.

By now you are probably think that I never sleep and live for the gym. Well, I must admit I do love to work out as it seems like playing to me, and I love the endorphins that kick in when I have a long, thorough workout. In my final installment of “My Secrets to Aging Young,” I will lastly divulge what I do for my daily diet, skincare and sleep, other important areas to anti-aging that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana