Does swimming build muscle or is it more of a cardio activity?

Experts weigh in and provide swimming workouts for your goals.

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an elite triathlete, experienced gravel cyclist, and triathlon coach

We chatted with experts to find out.

Does swimming build muscle and strength?

Strength training is a high-resistance, low-impact activity.

Woman walking on a treadmill at the gym.

Swimming is also a high-resistance, low-impact activity.

This is similar to any repetitive movementnot just swimmingwhere youll build specific strength to that movement.

Hand paddles

Swim paddles are a fantastic tool for increasing upper-body strength, Dunkle says.

Full body female athlete in sportswear using rowing machine during fitness workout in gym.

They increase the surface area of your hands, creating more resistance as you pull through the water.

When usinghand paddles($20, Amazon), maintain proper technique.

This allows you to focus solely on your arm strokes without worrying about kicking or your legs in general.

Happy woman dancing and listening to music near a green empty wall outdoor in the city.

an elite triathlete, experienced gravel cyclist, and triathlon coach

Swim fins

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Healthy female training in the gym, performing a hip thrust.

This increased muscle engagement can significantly tax the cardiovascular system, making them beneficial for highheart rate training.

Theyre shorter and wider than standard snorkeling fins, which are long and narrow.

They work by increasing resistance while kicking and helping build leg strength.

A young black woman doing post-run stretches in the park on the road amidst green grass and trees.

KJ Kroetch, CPT

Does swimming improve your cardiovascular system?

Cardiovascular workouts often mean you are breathingand your heart is pumpingfaster than when youre at rest.

If youre looking for a great cardio workout, you dont always have to hit the treadmill.

The workout below is for yards or meters.

Incorporate at least 30 seconds of rest in between each interval; take more rest if needed.

If youre looking to add swimming to your workout regimen, Kroetch has some tips.

Kroetch recommends swimming laps two-to-three times per week to see steady improvement in both cardiovascular and swim-specific strength capabilities.

Charmas M, Gromisz W. Effect of 12-Week Swimming Training on Body Composition in Young Women.

Int J Environ Res Public Health.

2019 Jan 26;16(3):346. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16030346.

PMID: 30691153; PMCID: PMC6388213.

Personal activity intelligence and mortality Data from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study.

2021 Jan-Feb;64:121-126. doi: 10.1016/j.pcad.2020.05.005.

Epub 2020 Jun 16.

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