Calories burned during swimming
Discussion
Righto, Im not trying to lose weight... more like put it on. I'm 77kg and 6ft 2in which puts me toward the bottom of the good region on the BMI thing for what its worth.
Im trying to figure out how much im burning, calroie wise in a typical day and how much I burn when that day involves a typical 60-90minute training session covering about 3000m/hour.
Ive never been able to find a heart rate monitor yet that works in a competitive swim training scenario. If the water doesnt impede the signal, then its the chest strap that wont stay put!! (its fine for one length, then you do a tumble turn, push off in a streamline and the damn things lolling round your waist). More to the point, is measuring HR a decent way of deriving calories burned?
I did get a friend to wear one when he went swimming, but how representative this is is unknown given I've been swimming for the best part of 20 years and have a proper, efficient stroke (10-12 strokes per length in a 25m pool, 1min 10 sec to 1.15 per 100m considered cruising speed, 24 seconds for a flat out 50m, all freestyle). For a typical session I would say the HR varies from 130bmp up to 190bmp if there was a sprint element. But you'd be looking at 140-160bpm for 80% of the time.
Im thinking that I might burn less calories per meter than say someone who comes to do an hour of public swimming, struggling up and down the lanes with a dodgy looking freestyle.
So is HR a good way to derive calories burned?
Are there any good HR monitors that work ok in the pool?
Anyone know of anywhere that might present good typical values for calories burned by someone swimming at a competitive level roughly around national level?
Im trying to figure out how much im burning, calroie wise in a typical day and how much I burn when that day involves a typical 60-90minute training session covering about 3000m/hour.
Ive never been able to find a heart rate monitor yet that works in a competitive swim training scenario. If the water doesnt impede the signal, then its the chest strap that wont stay put!! (its fine for one length, then you do a tumble turn, push off in a streamline and the damn things lolling round your waist). More to the point, is measuring HR a decent way of deriving calories burned?
I did get a friend to wear one when he went swimming, but how representative this is is unknown given I've been swimming for the best part of 20 years and have a proper, efficient stroke (10-12 strokes per length in a 25m pool, 1min 10 sec to 1.15 per 100m considered cruising speed, 24 seconds for a flat out 50m, all freestyle). For a typical session I would say the HR varies from 130bmp up to 190bmp if there was a sprint element. But you'd be looking at 140-160bpm for 80% of the time.
Im thinking that I might burn less calories per meter than say someone who comes to do an hour of public swimming, struggling up and down the lanes with a dodgy looking freestyle.
So is HR a good way to derive calories burned?
Are there any good HR monitors that work ok in the pool?
Anyone know of anywhere that might present good typical values for calories burned by someone swimming at a competitive level roughly around national level?
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