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I've been all over the interwebs trying to figure out how I should go about planning a new routine for myself instead of strictly following several I came across online. Usually, people either say stick with a lean build or bulk up.

My question is how do I incorporate swimming regularly while lifting weights without exhausting myself. When I swim, I swim for up to a hour and a half. When I'm lifting, I usually do high intensity workouts for 45mins- an hour. I alternate workouts every other day but my muscles are extremely sore and tired from the previous day that they can't really keep up.

Is there a more effective way that I should be doing this?
I want to swim and lift in hopes of obtaining benefits from both but my primary focus is with swimming and lean muscle building.

Any adivce/critics/opinions are welcome.

So what's your goal? To be a better swimmer? Or to be a better weight lifter?

Cardio increases your oxygen uptake, stamina, and overall cardiovascular health. It required lots of calories.

Lifting tears muscle fiber. The healing process requires lots of calories. Also, the healing process is what increases your muscle size.

In other words, eat a fuckload of food and get plenty of rest if you're going to both and still have muscle growth.

xrichx saidSo what's your goal? To be a better swimmer? Or to be a better weight lifter?

Yes a better swimmer, but I would still like to lift weights on the side for strength training as well.

paulflexes saidCardio increases your oxygen uptake, stamina, and overall cardiovascular health. It required lots of calories.

Lifting tears muscle fiber. The healing process requires lots of calories. Also, the healing process is what increases your muscle size.

In other words, eat a fuckload of food and get plenty of rest if you're going to both and still have muscle growth.

Any ideas on how I should be managing my workout schedules?

Post your workout routine/schedule.

Nickrolled said

paulflexes saidCardio increases your oxygen uptake, stamina, and overall cardiovascular health. It required lots of calories.

Lifting tears muscle fiber. The healing process requires lots of calories. Also, the healing process is what increases your muscle size.

In other words, eat a fuckload of food and get plenty of rest if you're going to both and still have muscle growth.

Any ideas on how I should be managing my workout schedules?

Get lots of rest...like at least two+ days a week.

As for myself, I hardly ever workout more than 3 days a week, including cardio.

Then again, I focus more on diet/food than anything else, since that accounts for over 80% of how your body looks.

xrichx saidPost your workout routine/schedule.

Mondays - chest and abs
Tuesday - estimated anywhere between 1200-2000m swimming
Weds - back and legs
Thurs - swimming again
Friday - biceps/triceps, shoulders
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Rest,easy legs, or easy swim

I should probably add that my workouts vary depending on how I'm feeling that day.

paulflexes said

Nickrolled said

paulflexes saidCardio increases your oxygen uptake, stamina, and overall cardiovascular health. It required lots of calories.

Lifting tears muscle fiber. The healing process requires lots of calories. Also, the healing process is what increases your muscle size.

In other words, eat a fuckload of food and get plenty of rest if you're going to both and still have muscle growth.

Any ideas on how I should be managing my workout schedules?

Get lots of rest...like at least two+ days a week.

As for myself, I hardly ever workout more than 3 days a week, including cardio.

Then again, I focus more on diet/food than anything else, since that accounts for over 80% of how your body looks.

I suppose that's why you look as good as you do.

paulflexes saidCardio increases your oxygen uptake, stamina, and overall cardiovascular health. It required lots of calories.

Lifting tears muscle fiber. The healing process requires lots of calories. Also, the healing process is what increases your muscle size.

In other words, eat a fuckload of food and get plenty of rest if you're going to both and still have muscle growth.

I'm with this guy, I think u're not eating enough, of the right things.

I think that trying to do both balls-out is probably counterproductive. What is your goal?

Based on what you've said above, it sounds like you're working out too much and not eating enough. Sounds counterintuitive, but if you're really looking to bulk up with lean muscle, you need to dial it back on the cardio and make sure you're getting enough protein to fuel the muscle growth.

I use an app called Lose It!, which can also be used for gaining weight/muscle in addition to losing weight. You input your current stats and goals as well as your daily workout regimen. It will tell you how many calories you should be consuming on a daily basis, as well as monitor protein, fat and carb intake so you're not only eating the right amount of food, but also good-for-you food. If you enter EVERYTHING you eat, you will likely realize that you're calorie deficient for your goals. With all of the cardio I do (between swimming, biking and running), I'm supposed to be consuming 3500 calories and 180g of protein each day, which is actually a bit of a chore. But I focused on doing what it told me, and I've been happy with the results I've had.

Hope that helps.

I did lose it and followed it to a t. I nearly killed myself. I don't think it takes enough things into consideration to be usable in this manner. I think it's good for understanding the correlation between what you eat and the calories consumed. There are much better systems for keeping track of your work outs/caloric intake.

I say do both; only if both workout the same areas and don't spread you too thin overall. I know lifting weights have finally given me the ability to swim properly I lacked before; but that is another story.

it might not help all that much but i would suggest the following combinations for your lifting schedule :

Chest and Arms (biceps/triceps)
Back and Shoulders
Legs and Abs

Also, take sunday off


Here's my thoughts as to why i suggest those changes. When you work out your chest, your arms are getting a slight work out also. they're being used but they're not the main focus. I think that this combo will allow you to not only have a better work out but will give you longer rest periods for each muscle group which is what your body really needs. Now, i'm no expert so i might be full of shit and what i suggest might not make a difference at all but it wouldn't hurt to try right. good luck

If you're swimming and lifting on the same day, do each at least 6 and optimally 12 hours apart.

showme saidI think that trying to do both balls-out is probably counterproductive.

Not if he eats a lot and gets lots of rest. That's how elite athletes get as ripped as they are. If they only did cardio for their sports, they'd look like bean poles.

I don't really want to cut down swimming as cardio too much because I do enjoy swimming laps. But what I'm getting is that your bodies either going to be lean or bulky. Rarely do I see bulky lean muscled men