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Originally Posted by Taurus
When you begin to cut up, walk, dont run or jog. The metabolic process to burn fat takes about 25 minutes to kick in when running, but when you walk quickly it only takes about 5-7 minutes. Walking will be easier on your knees and hips as well. Swimming is a jewel for cutting up, especially if your good at the BUTTERFLY or free-style. Its no-impact, and the water holds you back by a factor of about a 90 times, depending on body size, so you'll maintain muscle, yet burn fat. About 15 -20 minutes every other day will do. You dont have to swim hard, just keep moving.
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The only problem I see with swimming is you can't get ultra ripped when doing it, as a sole activity for cardio.
There was a study or article that was mentioned by Charles Poloquin on third world pearl divers that would swim all day long, to the floor of the ocean to retrieve pearls. Even though these pearl divers had single body digit fat they still weren't as cut as they should have been at that level of fat percentage.
Now the theory is that when you are in the water you lose alot of body heat. Your body is very effecient at trying to stay in homeostasis, so to prevent this, the body holds an extra layer of fat. This in turn works as a layer of insulation, as you would have on a house. That extra layer prevents, that you lose to much heat while your in the water.
Don't get me wrong I still think swimming is a great cardio exercise, but I have never seen an extremely ripped swimmer. They are lean and if that's the physique you are striving for then more power to you. But, for the bodybuilders that want every single striation to show, swimming should be used sparingly, as a cardio tool.
We are all different in our goals, as I don't strive to have a swimmers physique. I would much rather be built like Branch Warren, who is around my height. This keeps me striving everyday to get to the gym, eat good, and do my cardio, so I can achieve a physique that I'm happy with.
So, good luck to you all, whatever your goal is!