The amount of calories you burn while swimming depends on your stroke, effort, speed, distance, duration, gender, weight, and ability. Because most people swim a combination of strokes at various intensities, calculating the exact calorie count is difficult.
For example, a 150-pound athlete burns about 272 calories swimming 1,500 yards in 30 minutes; Butterfly swimming for 30 minutes burns 38 percent more calories, breaststroke burns 25 percent more, and backstroke 12 percent less. Compare that to a 120-pound athlete who burns just 218 calories swimming in the same 1500-yard workout (60 laps in a 25-yard pool).
Generally, the faster an athlete swims, the more calories he burns in an hour. For example, if the 150-pound swimmer above swims one more length per minute, he burns 102 more calories in the same 30-minute period, but equates to almost half a LESS calorie per length. This anomaly occurs because you swim more efficiently.
The following table lists the approximate calories burned per hour for a person who weighs 150 pounds:
Moderate effort swimming 272 calories
Swimming in the ocean, river, lake 408 calories
Swimming without lap, free time 408 calories
Swimming laps, moderate to light effort 476 calories
Backstroke 476 calories
Front crawl / freestyle swimming, 50 yards per minute 544 calories
Stroke swimming 544 calories
Synchronized Swimming 544 calories
Swim fast, vigorous effort 680 calories
Breaststroke swimming 680 calories
Butterfly swimming 748 calories
Front crawl / freestyle swimming, vigorous effort, 748 fast calories
Your weight affects the number of calories burned, and heavier people spend more than lighter people doing the same exercise. For example, a 100-pound person burns 1/3 fewer calories, so multiply the numbers above by 0.7; a 200 pound person burns 1/3 more, so multiply by 1.3.
Because most people cannot butterfly continuously, the swimming style or freestyle is the most effective swimming style, burning between 540 and 750 calories per hour.
Inexplicably, elite swimmers average 5% more body fat than their running counterparts, despite burning the same and sometimes even more calories with their high-intensity interval training, which the more steady pace of distance races.
Interestingly too, women, regardless of their skill level and weight, generally use fewer calories per mile than men due to their higher percentage of body fat. Naturally, they stay afloat without having to burn calories doing so.
Swimming nonstop for half an hour is realistic for a beginner, but life is one hour. Vary your strokes. For example, warm up by doing 4 freestyle lengths, 4 breaststroke lengths, then increase your heart rate by swimming 4-6 freestyle lengths at a faster pace. When you feel tired or out of breath, switch to chest or back stroke or even use the kicking board, and when you catch your breath, go back to freestyle.
If you can, incorporate the butterfly. Flip also rotates; ensure continuous training without the need to pause between laps.
If swimming appeals to you but is not strong enough to swim for an hour, consider wearing fins in conjunction with the kicking board you are holding in front of you. Because your head is out of the water all the time, breathing is not a problem; while your legs and glutes do a fabulous exercise.
Despite being surrounded by water, you sweat when you swim. Make sure to avoid dehydration by drinking water before and after your session, even if you are not thirsty.
Swimming is an excellent aerobic exercise, using a large number of muscle groups and burning as many calories per hour as running or cycling at the same intensity. You increase your heart rate for the entire duration, breathe harder, and work your entire body.
Swimming strengthens the muscles of the heart, thus improving the supply of oxygen to all parts of your body, improves your physique, flexibility, endurance and balance. If you do another exercise, swimming serves as a great elliptical machine, lengthening and strengthening your muscles.
Mentally it relaxes you and frees you from tension; socially it can be enjoyed with friends and family to develop a spirit of competitive camaraderie.
Swimming does not put pressure on connective tissue or joints, making it safe for the overweight, the elderly, those with lower back and leg problems, and those whose joints cannot handle high-impact sports. Because water supports the body, swimming is recommended as a rehabilitation exercise.
Ideal for pregnant women, swimming strengthens the abdominal and back muscles, allowing them to better support your extra weight. High blood pressure, joint stiffness, and discomfort commonly associated with pregnancy can be alleviated with gentle exercise in the water, although you may want to check with your doctor beforehand.
Whether you’re splashing burning 400 calories per hour or expending 748 calories per hour perfecting your butterfly stroke for tough competition, any swim burns calories. In fact, whatever sport you enjoy is the one that will burn you the most calories in the long run.