muscle definition & exercise

How to prevent unwanted weightloss, and/or even gain muscles
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summerwave
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muscle definition & exercise

Post by summerwave »

I have a friend who is a Master's swimmer. She is 50 years old; followed a raw diet then Wai for the past 3 years, doesn't take any hormones etc., and says she thinks her regular exposure to cold water (including swimming outdoors) gives her a "sleeker" look than the stringy, or more 'ripped' look of athletes in other sports.

She says that regular exposure to cold water slowly builds up superficial fat all over the body, and she prefers this in her physique. She notes she thinks she will never look as "ripped" as someone on Wai who doesn't swim.

She also works out with weights like RRM does, so it is not just a matter of different contours from the muscles demanded by swimming that would give her this look. Even in younger athletes, she says, if you look at Olympic swimmers they look less ripped/defined for this reason; smoother overall.

Does this sound like science, RRM? (From looking at other longterm swimmers, I cannot tell, as so few follow a Wai diet, I think...) She is comparing herself before and after a Wai diet, and says she never sees the 'ripped' effect from reduced retention of water (which, again, she doesn't mind).
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RRM
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Re: muscle definition & exercise

Post by RRM »

summerwave wrote:She says that regular exposure to cold water slowly builds up superficial fat all over the body
Yes, thats correct. Swimmers never look as ripped as top athletes in others sports, because the layer of superficial fat simply prevents that.
summerwave
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swimming and musculature

Post by summerwave »

Very good information.

That is an important footnote to all of the Wai b-board material on looking 'ripped'-- thank you.


Like my friend, I desire most of all a healthy body, but with that said, I prefer the look of it with more, rather than less, superficial fat.

I swim, too, but have done less of it since being on Wai-- I will be sure to observe this effect as I take up more swimming, now, including swimming outdoors in cool-to-cold water.
summerwave
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sport

Post by summerwave »

I do not watch any organized sport (especially the highest levels of it) because it seems like such straining of the body: the movement is not natural; the body pressured to perform; the whole body in a state of end-gaining and forcing the body to obey. However, I always liked swimming because despite the race to succeed, swimmers simply *looked* healthier, and less ropy/muscled.

Perhaps this was in part a trick of the mind, as now I see it is in part due to the fat issue.

I used to swim in an inefficient way, though I never tried to race or force the body in any way. I always wanted to swim efficiently and smoothly, as one is taught to do in movement classes that stress natural, fluid movement.

Perhaps I will look for a good swim trainer who is conscious of the body in this way as I take up swimming again.

I just dislike seeing the body straining for results. I cant even begin to watch women's gymnastics-- it is pure abuse of the body's capability.
Kookaburra
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Re: sport

Post by Kookaburra »

summerwave wrote:I do not watch any organized sport (especially the highest levels of it) because it seems like such straining of the body: the movement is not natural; the body pressured to perform; the whole body in a state of end-gaining and forcing the body to obey.
What do you mean by organized sport? Soccer, basketball?
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Re: muscle definition & exercise

Post by Kookaburra »

RRM wrote:
summerwave wrote:She says that regular exposure to cold water slowly builds up superficial fat all over the body
Yes, thats correct. Swimmers never look as ripped as top athletes in others sports, because the layer of superficial fat simply prevents that.
Does regular exposure to water accelerates aging? Because after a swim, your feet and fingers will be wrinkled.
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Oscar
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Re: sport

Post by Oscar »

summerwave wrote:I used to swim in an inefficient way, though I never tried to race or force the body in any way. I always wanted to swim efficiently and smoothly, as one is taught to do in movement classes that stress natural, fluid movement.

Perhaps I will look for a good swim trainer who is conscious of the body in this way as I take up swimming again.
You might want to look into Stephen Shaw, who combines swimming with the Alexander Technique. I've seen 2 dvd's and it really looks great. Effortless, efficient, and so natural that I, a non-swimmer, almost wanted to go swimming. ;)
The Shaw Method: http://www.artofswimming.com/
summerwave
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sport

Post by summerwave »

Yes, Oscar-- that's what I would be looking for in technique....

I don't really follow any sport except from time to time swimming. I find the very short distances in running, and Olympic relays, in addition to sport like gymnastics look very stressful to the body and runner (grimacing; lots of injury; complete forcing of the body). Rowing (sculling), too. Athletes are so highly trained to develop their muscles for one set of motions peculiar to a sport that as soon as they move outside that, they're injured for weeks.

There is a photo of Lance Armstrong on a magazine cover in the U.S. about to come out: his face looks like it is made 100% of muscle. I think it is because he is counting down to the Tour and his body fat must be in the low single digits %-wise. Also, he has that telltale look distance cyclists get before races like this -- hollows in the cheeks. It is that common observation: top athletes don't "look" particularly healthy! And often, because of all the forcing and injury, aren't.
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RRM
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Re: muscle definition & exercise

Post by RRM »

Kookaburra wrote: Does regular exposure to water accelerates aging? Because after a swim, your feet and fingers will be wrinkled.
Thats a very different kind of wrinkling than wrinkling caused by aging.
This wrinkling is due to a temporary loss of water-tension in the skin (an osmosis issue).
summerwave
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superficial fat

Post by summerwave »

Is the observation about superficial fat and swimming true for the face, too? (I would suppose it to be....)
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RRM
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Post by RRM »

I suppose so.
panacea
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Post by panacea »

Wouldn't just being in a cold room/climate without excessive clothes (to keep you normal warmth) do the exact same thing?
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RRM
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Post by RRM »

Cold air is much less invasive than cold water; water is an excellent heat conductor.
Much better than air.
But yes, i do think that people living in warmer countries all over have more ripped bodies, even when they have a fat belly,
because even if you wear enough clothes, your body will still notice that its cold outside,
and that a little fat all over might be beneficial.
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