cannot run; will biking and swimming work?

[rainbowmoon]

I want to do a cardio exercise I can do outside, and I am wondering what I should do. I am too overweight to run and it hurts my knees very much. I used to run so much that I really overdid it and kind of messed my knees up. I was thinking about doing biking or swimming as prime cardio activities with a couple gym/eliptical days thrown in there. I am just wondering if I can get the same amazing toning results in the abs, arms, legs, ect., from swimming, biking, yoga, and weights. I am starting to get really active again but the eliptical...its just not working out for me the way running used to.

[zoebird]

yes, biking and swimming work.

do interval training.

[CaptainSwab]

Swimming kicks my butt. I think it is a great overall body workout.

[Gnome Chomsky]

biking rocks.
dunno about overall toning though.

ebola

[healthnut32]

Swimming is incredible exercise-it makes me feel so good. I swim for an hour, 3x a week. Wish I could do more. I've become so strong and my shoulder muscles are amazing.

[rainbowmoon]

I think swimming is killer cardio and toning. I can only swim like, 5 laps and then I have to stop and catch a few breaths! In the summer I like to swim in the lake in the morning, its freezing and it gets me all energized for the day.

[zoebird]

ok, yeah, interval training in the pool here goes:

start by doing an easy breast stroke--comfortable for 200 m. this can be 4 50s to start with. do each 50 and take a break in between each one. as much time as you need when you're first starting.

then do 2 50s free style

then try to do 2 100s free style

then 50 free style arms only

then 50 free style legs only (kick board

and then cool down with another 200 breast stroke (divided into fifties).

remember, you rest in between each 'duration' that you do.

once you feel comfortable, you can do the warm up and cool down as 2 100s. then, increase the distances of anything in between warm up and cool down: a 50 to a 100; a 100 to a 200. If you want, you can add intervals in like this:

100 br warm up
100 br warm up
50 free
50 free
100 free
100 free
50 free arms
50 free legs
100 br cool down
100 br cool down
---

200 br warm up
100 free
100 free
200 free
200 free
100 free arms
100 free legs
200 br cool down
----

200 br warm up
100 free
100 free
100 br
100 back stroke
100 fly (optional, sometimes i like to do 'fly kick' on my back instead of the whole fly stroke or just fly arms, no legs)
200 free
200 free
100 br arms
100 br legs
100 free arms
100 free legs
200 br stroke cool down
---

and here was the last swim i did (which was a bit ago, sadly):

200 br warm up
100 free
100 br
100 free
100 br
200 free
200 free
500 free
500 free
200 free
200 free
100 br
100 free arms
100 br legs
100 br arms
100 free legs
100 back fly legs only
200 br cool down

i was also working for time at this point. but you get the idea about how you can play with strokes, distances, time, and the whole thing here?

[rainbowmoon]

That looks really good! I'm not sure I'm really fit enough to do all that without taking any stops, but I can make that my goal!

[gas4]

Swimming is definately a good idea. I can't run either because last time I did I got myself a stress fracture. Swimming doesn't even hurt. Once you get your speed and breathing right it's actually really enjoyable. You're not like 'oh my god, this sucks' the whole time you're doing it. Yesterday I swam 1km freestyle - first time I've ever gone that far, and I'm not even sore at all. It's great for overall fitness and body toning as well.

[April]

The author of Fit or Fat suggests that swimming may not be the best exercise for losing subcutaneous body fat, as your body maintains it to help insulate you when you're in the water. He based this on his experience with overweight people who were using swimming as their cadio exercise and he also made a comparison to other swimming mammals- they're all fat animals. I don't have any personal experience with this so I can't say for sure what I think, but I wanted to put that out there.

Do you rollerblade? I think that's a fun outdoor option. You can get a more vigorous workout with old fashioned rollerskates. I still have a pair, and I have to work much harder to travel at the same speed as I do on blades.

[eggplant]

Another vote for swimming! It's a great overall body workout, assuming that you're a competent swimmer to begin with (ie. you have good form).