Swimming after weight lifting - not a good idea?

[michelleturner]

Hi.

 

I was told at the gym the other day that going swimming after lifting weights will waste all the work I have just done. ie. I won't get any bigger becuse the blood has been pumped to different parts of my body when swimming.

 

 

Is this true? The guy who told me was just another gym go'er like myself so I don't want to take JUST his word for it.

 

 

Any advice appreciated.

[mikkei]

Seems kinda bogus to me. I swim after lifting and I haven't noticed any set backs, and I know tons of people who do their cardio AFTER lifting and that seems like it would do the same thing regarding blood flow. My non-professional opinion is that you have nothing to worry about.

[joninvegaz]

there really should be no problem with it, especially if you're lifting more for increasing performance than building mass. that being said, make sure you are getting sufficient calories, and maybe even down a couple pieces of fruit or some fruit juice and some water in between your lifting a swimming to replenish glycogen stores in your muscles, and make sure you get enough rest in between workouts.

[mastertuner]

well most trainers will tell you to warm up with cardio, do weights, and warm down with cardio...

 

in my experience (as a high school competitive swimmer), i feel like doing a swim workout and then weights gets me better results.

 

how much would you be swimming? cause a full competitive workout after weights would be really draining.

[Guest]

Seems kinda bogus to me. I swim after lifting and I haven't noticed any set backs, and I know tons of people who do their cardio AFTER lifting and that seems like it would do the same thing regarding blood flow. My non-professional opinion is that you have nothing to worry about.

I second that. I know powerlifters who get on the treadmill or skip rope for 10-15 minutes after a lifting session.

[aryan]

I have heard that cardio directly after a work out can burn off the muscle you just gained, so I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss it. I don't know if it's true or not but I avoid doing cardio directly after a work out just to make sure.

[lobsteriffic]

I have heard that cardio directly after a work out can burn off the muscle you just gained, so I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss it. I don't know if it's true or not but I avoid doing cardio directly after a work out just to make sure.

 

My understanding is you don't "gain" muscle during a workout, but that your muscles grow during rest. Does anyone know about this?

[aryan]

I have heard that cardio directly after a work out can burn off the muscle you just gained, so I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss it. I don't know if it's true or not but I avoid doing cardio directly after a work out just to make sure.

 

My understanding is you don't "gain" muscle during a workout, but that your muscles grow during rest. Does anyone know about this?

 

I've heard that too, in which case, it would make sense that one needs to rest after a workout. Although your explanation is far more sound, scientifically. Thanks.

[Grεεn Disciplε]

I have heard that cardio directly after a work out can burn off the muscle you just gained, so I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss it. I don't know if it's true or not but I avoid doing cardio directly after a work out just to make sure.

 

My understanding is you don't "gain" muscle during a workout, but that your muscles grow during rest. Does anyone know about this?

 

I've read that keeping cardio brief and intense post-lifting is okay. A long running session right after lifting can possibly slow or reverse muscle growth. However, with proper refueling, and keeping the run brief and intense, it's a good way to go. Even an in between shake is a good idea, just make sure to have one right after the run. If you're a hard gainer (like me), I tend to keep my intense lifting, and intense running pretty far apart.