Swimming is a popular exercise because it is a low-impact activity that burns a significant amount of calories. It's an activity that's appropriate for people of all ages and fitness levels.
Other Factors
The total number of calories that you burn from swimming is dependent upon a few factors, including your current body weight. Larger individuals burn more calories per unit of time than those that weigh less. Also, the speed that you swim will make a direct impact on calories burned.
Estimated Calories
According to MayoClinic.com, a 160-lb. person will burn about 511 calories for every hour spent swimming laps. Use an online calculator to estimate the calories you will burn based on your current body weight.
Considerations
A substantial fitness base is necessary to continuously swim laps without stopping. To keep moving and maximize your workout time until you build endurance, break up your swimming laps with flutter kick laps performed on a kick board. This will keep your heart rate elevated and result in more calories burned.
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