We all know that nothing can match the quality of workout you obtain when you’re in the weight room 6 to 8 hours per week moving the metal. Let’s be honest – that’s where bodybuilding gains are made. (That, and in the kitchen!) There are a lot of workouts out there which can help to minimize muscle loss during periods of extended rest, or to deal with limiting injuries. However, it should be noted that none of them are going to help you build muscular weight in the same way that lifting weights will. You might get ‘toned’ and you might feel great, but just as with the gimmick machines you see on television infomercials, the gains will not be there.

That being said, there are some fun ways to complete your required cardio and give your muscles a good workout at the same time. One such way is underwater training. Using a swimming pool and a little bit of imagination, you can perform your cardiovascular training and at the same time give your back, legs, and abdominals some serious stimulation!

Begin by swimming a few laps to get your heart racing and blood flowing to all of your extremities. At this point you’ll want to decide if this will be a full-body workout, or strictly cardio. If your goal is simply shed body fat, then you’ll want to swim a series of laps, followed by quick breaks, to keep your heart rate elevated to the desired levels for 20 to 45 minutes, depending upon your cardiovascular goals. This isn’t rocket science. Swim until you’re tired, and then rest until your heart rate is just about back to normal. Then swim again until you cannot swim anymore. You’re not swimming to failure – this could lead to you finding a final resting place at the bottom of the pool. Instead, you are swimming to a point where your breath is short and you know you cannot swim another lap safely. If cramping or falling short of breath is an issue, you need to be in the shallow end, or not in the pool at all. Complete your time in the water and get out and have a great meal of lean protein sources and quick delivery carbs!

If your goal is to stimulate the muscle groups, then you’ll want to dedicate your swimming to more exercise-oriented movements. Large sweeping movements of the arm while swimming, along with flexing the lats, can result in a terrific burn in the back muscles. Practicing holding the abdominals flexed while doggy paddling is a great way to build up the abdominal walls. Using the legs in a kicking motion, or doggy paddling with an emphasis on the hamstrings, is a great way to flush the legs with a great deal of nitrogen-rich blood. Above all, you should remember that swimming is a good way to keep healthy and deliver a good cardio workout, as well as give the muscles a slight workout. However, the gains you need for bodybuilding success can only be achieved in the weight room!