Swimming is a good aerobic activity and the ideal exercise for those with joint issues. It is low on impact and very gentle on bones and joints, and the best alternative to running or jogging. Swimming tones muscles, at the same time, burns calories, helping you reduce weight. However, understand that you don’t get the results if you simply play water games or laze in the pool.

To burn fat, you need to do aerobic exercises for at least 150-300 minutes per week at a moderate intensity. It doesn’t matter how you swim- backstroke, front crawl, or butterfly, you will be able to burn fat when you swim with the right intensity.

You can practice laps in any public or community swimming pool. However, the experience of swimming in your own pool is entirely different. Owning a backyard swimming pool gives you the scope to exercise aerobically at your convenience. You will also enjoy the comfort and privacy that come along. If you are looking at pool options, a fibreglass pool can be a good choice.

Here are 5 simple tips to follow to maximize fat burn when swimming.

Have a definite purpose

You can’t burn the same amount of calories when you play Marco Polo with your friends and when you do laps. According to studies, a person weighing 155 pounds burns around 200 calories in 60 minutes when swimming for fun. The same person can burn around 490 calories in an hour when he swims with high intensity.

Before entering the pool water, it is a good idea to warm up for 5-10 minutes. You can, however, choose to warm up in the water too. Simply walk back and forth in waist-deep water while waving your hands for 10-15 minutes. You can also do laps at a slow pace before you actually splash the waters at high intensity.

A fibreglass lap pool is the perfect pool to practice laps.

Perform light exercises before swimming

Warming up before swimming is good. However, if you are seriously looking to cut down weight within a short span of time, we suggest you do strength exercises before swimming. Go for a walk or simply jog around in your backyard for some time. Your body first uses carbohydrates for fuel and then burns the excess fat. This means you need to burn the carbohydrates before being able to burn the extra calories.

Do light exercises for about 30 minutes. During this time, your body burns the carbohydrates. When you continue exercising in the pool, your body uses the excess fat as fuel.

Remember, you need not use all your energy before entering the pool. Simply choose an activity that engages your muscle groups and increases heart rate. This way, you can maximize fat burn and see results sooner. 

Swim before eating

Many people are confused when it comes to choosing the right time for swimming. While you can swim at any time of the day, it is ideal to swim when your stomach is empty. Do laps first thing in the morning to burn more calories. If you, however, don’t find time early morning or you feel the water is too cold in the early hours, wait for a couple of hours after breakfast/ meal to enter the pool.

But why?

Eating shoots up the insulin levels, which hampers the fat from being metabolized during swimming. So, plan your schedule and make sure you are on an empty stomach every time you enter the pool.

Focus on the fat burning zone

How do you determine your fat-burning zone?

Your fat-burning zone is 65-70 percent of your heart rate (maximum). This is 200 minus age.

For instance, if you are 25 years old, you need to subtract 25 from 200 which comes to 175. So, 65-70 percent of 175 is 113-122, as simple as that.

Swimming at the right intensity is important to stay in your fat-burning zone. Otherwise, you end up staying in the waters with no results.

Extend your swimming workouts

It is a fact that your body burns more calories after exercising for an hour. Your body works in the same way after exercising for three hours. This means you need to stretch and go the extra mile to burn more fat. Add minutes to your aerobic activity and enhance your swimming laps, but cautiously. Do not overexert yourself and compromise on safety.

Go slow. Gradually increase your swimming time and try to work out longer. Be careful if you are a beginner, though.

If you are planning longer workouts, it is advisable to have your own pool. A fibreglass pool can be quickly installed and used right away. Contact your local pool builder if you want to know more about the fibreglass pools designs and styles.

When swimming, maintain a consistent pace. Swim at the same intensity and pace for 10-15 minutes and take a short 2-minute break. Continue with the same pace for the next 10 minutes. Initially, you can start with a 30-40 minute session and gradually extend your swimming time. If you are an experienced swimmer, you can easily start with a 40-minute session while adding 10-15 minutes each week.

Once you are done with your workout session, cool down. Swim at a slow pace for about five minutes. This cools down your body and slows your heart rate.

In Conclusion

To conclude, swimming is a fantastic activity to burn fat. It engages almost every muscle group in your body. You can add equipment too if you want to make your fat burning sessions fun and interesting. Snorkel, paddles, and fins can be exciting as well as help you enhance caloric burn. Swimming faster and harder is the key to getting rid of the extra fat in your body. Kick, pull and crawl to attain the fitness you want.

Get in touch with your local pool company and check out the latest fibreglass pools. They are perfect for practicing laps while still providing fun and entertainment.