Swimming is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise. It is low impact, works all the major muscle groups, and can be done almost anywhere. All strokes provide a good aerobic workout and can be adjusted to any fitness level. It goes without saying then, that swimming is a great way to burn calories and stay fit. But which swimming stroke burns the most calories? Let’s take a closer look…
Which Swimming Stroke Burns More Calories?
Put simply, it all depends on the intensity of the swim, your body size, and your swimming experience. But as a guide, let’s break down the strokes.
How Swimming Strokes Differ in Net Calorie Burn
Freestyle (or front crawl) is the most popular and fastest swimming stroke, and it is usually the best for burning calories. According to the American Council on Exercise, a 135-pound person can burn up to 372 calories in an hour of swimming freestyle. That number can increase to up to 744 calories for a 200-pound person.
Butterfly stroke is the most difficult swimming stroke, and it can burn even more calories than freestyle. A 135-pound person can burn up to 463 calories in an hour of swimming butterfly, while a 200-pound person can burn up to 925 calories. The downside to Butterfly however is that it cannot be maintained as easily as freestyle can, therefore the likelihood of achieving such numbers is low.
Backstroke is also a good option for calorie burning. A 135-pound person can burn up to 372 calories in an hour of swimming backstroke, while a 200-pound person can burn up to 744 calories.
Breaststroke is a good option for those just starting out with swimming. The technique is easy to pick up, and it can be easily tweaked to suit all swimming abilities. A 135-pound person can burn up to 372 calories in an hour of swimming breaststroke. In truth, the type of stroke isn’t the main key to the calories you burn. This is a controllable only you can determine. Let me explain more below.
How Can I Take Steps to Increase My Calorie Burn When Swimming?
Here are our top five pieces of advice if you are looking to increase the number of calories you burn in each swim:
Increase the intensity of your swims. Try swimming faster or adding intervals of sprints.
Swim for longer periods. Increase the length of your swims as your endurance improves.
Add resistance to your swims. Use fins, a pull buoy, or a swim parachute to increase the resistance of the water.
Use different swim strokes. Alternate between different strokes, such as the breaststroke, backstroke, and freestyle to target different muscle groups.
Incorporate exercises. Do exercises in the water, such as flutter kicks, leg lifts, and arm circles, to work your core and increase calorie burn.
We hope you found this article useful and try out some of these techniques! Remember, the key to burning calories and ultimately losing weight is also about diet. Having a well-balanced diet alongside a good swimming routine is key if you want to drop fat