Swimming to Burn Calories

Swimming is a fabulous workout that benefits the whole body. This is because swimming engages every muscle group in the body. It is also an excellent calorie burner and provides great cardiovascular benefits.
Swimming is classified into four groups or types. These are as follows:

Freestyle/Front crawl
Breaststroke
Butterfly
Backstroke

Calories Burnt in Swimming

The number of calories burnt in swimming depends on various factors such as weight, age, speed, length, gender, skill fitness levels, and the type of stroke. It is a bit tricky and number crunching exercise; however, in general, a 150 pounds athlete will burn 272 calories swimming 1372 meters in 30 minutes, while a 120 pound athlete would expend only 218 calories swimming for the same distance and time.

A butterfly stroke for the equal length and time will expend 38 percent more calories, while a breaststroke will exhaust only 25 percent more calories.

A backstroke will burn 12 percent lesser calories.

Burning Calories by Swimming Laps

Swimming laps is an excellent cardio workout. All the muscle groups are employed to combat resistance from the water. The weightlessness and the soothing effect of water sustain the swimmer longer, without any weariness or exhaustion.

Most swimming pools have defined sizes and proportions. Usually, pools are of 25 or 50 meters in length; however, some exclusive pools may have different specifications. A 25 foot pool is smaller as compared to the 25 meter pool, as 1 meter is equal to 3 feet.

A single lap is described as swimming the entire length of a pool, from start to other end and back to the start. A 60 lap swim covers 3000 feet in a 25 foot pool, which is equal to six tenths of a mile. Swimming laps can burn up to 500 calories an hour. However, this number is a general standard, and the actual figure may differ in accordance to speed, intensity and age.

Calories Burned Swimming a Mile

The effectiveness of the stroke is the main basis for calories burned in swimming a mile. Nonetheless, time, intensity, and proper swimming gear also play a major part in calorie reduction. A mile of a breaststroke swim burns 2.27 calories/pound, and a mile of backstroke burns 1.59 calories/pound.

Calories Burned Swimming 1 km

A normal swimmer finishes 100 meters in 2 minutes at moderate intensity; hence, 1 km would be accomplished in 20 minutes. Even if the pace slows down midway, an average 150 pound swimmer would burn 250 calories swimming 1 km.

Calories Burned Swimming for One Hour

Determining the exact calorie expense can be tedious. There are varieties of factors that decide the exact amount of calories burnt in swimming and the number may not be always constant. Nevertheless, according to standard specifications listed in various researches and studies, an average person of 150 pound swimming with moderate intensity burns abut 511 calories in an hour.

References:

http://www.cdc.gov

Submitted on January 16, 2014