Swimming - is this slow a pace actually beneficial?

Hi, I am focussed on running at the moment (rather than triathlon) but I have hurt my leg so I took to the pool. I am a newbie swimmer and so in order to be able to swim for any length of time i have to go relatively slowly (or i get out of breath and sink).

I swam 85 lengths of a 25m pool in 1hr 10 mins (front crawl). I know this is super slow. However, what I would like to know is whether this type of swimming actually has benefits in terms of fat burning and improving endurance, or was i going so slow that i might as well have gone for a long walk. I don't want to waste an hour of my time if i am going too slow for it to be good for me in any significant kind of way. 

Also, I used the swimming calorie calculator at http://www.swimmingcalculator.com/swim_calories_calculator.php to work out how many calories I burned. I know it is not precise, I am just looking for a guideline number to work out how much pizza I can eat tonight It claims I burned 1218 calories (I am 168 lbs by the way). Now this number seems excessively high to me. What do you think?

If I swim that far I get hungry by the end, no idea on calories used but as the water is denser than air, more resistance means its likely to burn calories at a reasonable rate.

If you want to get good at triathlon you need to be swimming weekly at least as it is such a technical sport. Practicising slowly but with good form is good for you. It will also give a good cardio workout so the lungs will not feel so unfit when you return to running.

I swim slower than you and am quite happy that it is doing me some good, so take heart. Eat your normal size pizza tonight, not more.

i would take the calories burned with a large pinch of salt...........but yes you are going to burning a signifivant amount and would probably aid recovery more than a long walk

Thanks.

I was thinking it is going to be more like 600 calories than 1200! I am going to work on that basis as far as calories consumed is concerned.

I am glad to hear that swimming at this pace is still going to keep me fit while i can not run. I know it is not the same thing as running but i would hate to start slipping backwards. 

Khanivore - I think there's a glitch in that program. If you enter 85 lengths in a 25m pool, it equates to over 4500m, when it should be 2125m! If you enter the actual distance, it comes up with 557 calories. Which seems a bit more like it - I swam 2000m this morning and my Garmin measured that at 411 cals (I know this is not accurate either).

So, sorry, you'll have to put that pizza slice back

To late - already ate it Thanks Rafiki for shattering my dreams and for correcting me too Appreciate it bro.

K - if you can't run, can you bike??   you'll get a more intense session and ultimately burn more cals doing an hour's turbo, than an hour in the pool.   

FB - was thinking about that but when i air cycled at my office desk some bits in my leg did twinge. The swimming was a stop gap until i see the osteopath guy to get a second opinion on Thursday. I will update you via email to get some advice once I have seen him if you don't mind. I was going to mail you today but didn't want to waste your time. I figured with more info from the osteopath/physio chap I would be able to give you something to work with.

One thing I can say for sure is that I have been regularly stretching and the side of calf muscle is feeling much less stiff. Now the knee is worrying me instead /sigh.

OK - ping me a mail over when you have some more info and let's see what we can do to keep you going

i use about 90 calories for every easyish 400m which takes about 8 minutes, my efficiency is low 40's if thats any use, as far as pizza eating goes - i eat as much as i can - even more if its a meaty one - and think about the consequences later

DK - i like your style No idea what the efficiency number is - will google it. 

I guess it depends on your stroke efficiency,  heart rate and HR zones as to whether you are burning fat. (you probably are). Zone 2 stuff is best for fat burning apparently. but it is not necessarily the fat burning per se, it is also that you are training your body to get better at burning fat as an additional fuel source - to make your carbs last longer.

a contrary view would be that shorter faster intervals or gym work will build more muscle mass. Muscle mass burns MORE energy when inactive ie for LARGE parts of the day. so although you burn less in the exersie your burn MUCH more outside of the exercise.

i reckon we should all do both

If I try to go fast my lungs give up first - they are the weakest link. That's why i go slow - but now i'm not so sure there is any point in it. 

FB - i cancelled the second physio appointment mate. I figured that the best he could do is tell me to rest my leg. So that is what i'm doing. I am stretching it regularly and now it feels a bit better although it does still feel like it's going to fall off as the whole knee area feels a bit dodgy. I just need to bite the bullet and rest it.