The number of calories you burn swimming depends on your stroke, effort, speed, distance, duration, gender, weight and ability. Since most people swim with a combination of strokes at various intensities, it’s difficult to calculate the exact number of calories.

For example, a 150-pound athlete burns about 272 calories swimming 1,500 yards in 30 minutes; swimming butterfly for 30 minutes burns 38 percent more calories, breaststroke burns 25 percent more and breaststroke 12 percent less. Compare that to a 120-pound athlete burning just 218 calories swimming the same 1,500-yard workout (60 lengths in a 25-yard pool).

Generally, the faster an athlete swims, the more calories they burn in an hour. For example, if the 150-pound swimmer above swims one more length per minute, he burns 102 more calories in the same 30-minute period, but it works out to be almost half a calorie LESS per length. This anomaly occurs because it swims more efficiently.

The following table lists the approximate calories burned per hour for a person weighing 150 pounds:

Swim moderate effort 272 calories
Swimming ocean, river, lake 408 calories
Swim without lap, leisure 408 calories
Swim span, moderate to light effort 476 calories
Backstroke 476 calories
Swim crawl/freestyle, 50 yards per minute 544 calories
Side Stroke Swimming 544 Calories
Synchronized swimming 544 calories
Fast swim, vigorous effort 680 calories
Swimming breaststroke 680 calories
Swimming butterfly 748 calories
Front crawl/freestyle swim, vigorous effort, fast 748 calories

Your weight affects the number of calories burned, and heavier people spend more than lighter people doing the same exercise. For example, a 100-pound person burns 1/3 fewer calories, so multiply the numbers above by 0.7; a 200 pound person burns 1/3 more so multiply by 1.3.

Because most people can’t do the butterfly continuously, the front crawl or freestyle is the most effective swimming stroke, burning between 540 and 750 calories per hour.

Inexplicably, elite swimmers have an average of 5% more body fat than their running counterparts, even though they burn the same and sometimes even more calories with their high-intensity interval training that lacks the more consistent pace of distance running.

It’s also interesting that women, regardless of their skill level and weight, typically use fewer calories per mile than men due to their higher body fat percentage. They stay afloat naturally without having to burn calories doing so.

Swimming non-stop for half an hour is realistic for a beginner, but push yourself for an hour. Vary your strokes. For example, warm up by doing 4 lengths of freestyle, 4 lengths of breaststroke, then get your heart rate up by swimming 4-6 lengths of freestyle at a faster pace. When you feel tired or out of breath, switch to breaststroke or backstroke or even skateboard, and when you catch your breath, go back to freestyle.

If you can, incorporate butterfly. Flip rotates too; they ensure continuous training without the need to pause between lengths.

If swimming appeals to you, but you’re not strong enough to swim for an hour, consider wearing fins along with the kickboard in front of you. Because your head is out of the water at all times, breathing is not a problem; while your legs and buttocks get a fabulous workout.

Despite being surrounded by water, you sweat when you swim. Be sure to prevent dehydration by drinking water before and after your session, even if you’re not thirsty.

Swimming is an excellent aerobic exercise, using a large number of muscle groups and burning as many calories per hour as running or cycling at the same intensity. Increase your heart rate throughout, you breathe harder and work your whole body.

Swimming strengthens the heart muscles, thus improving the supply of oxygen to all parts of the body, improves physique, flexibility, endurance and balance. If you do other exercise, swimming serves as an excellent cross trainer, lengthening and strengthening your muscles.

Mentally it relaxes you and frees you from tensions; socially you can enjoy it with friends and family to develop a spirit of competitive camaraderie.

Swimming doesn’t put pressure on connective tissue or joints, so it’s safe for the overweight, the elderly, people with lower back and leg problems, and those whose joints can’t handle it. high impact sports. Since water supports the body, swimming is recommended as a rehabilitation exercise.

Ideal for pregnant women, swimming strengthens the abdominal and back muscles, allowing them to better carry their extra weight. High blood pressure, joint stiffness, and discomfort commonly associated with pregnancy can be relieved by gentle exercise in the water, although you may want to check with your doctor beforehand.

Whether you splash around burning 400 calories per hour, or spend 748 calories per hour perfecting your butterfly stroke for tough competition, swimming burns calories. In fact, whatever sport you enjoy is the one that will burn the most calories in the long run.