<p>So sad, but that tennis game with Federer this morning was a heart warming victory. The American broke his neck in Athens, then his Dad died a few months later...4 years later, he comes and beats the #1 tennis player in the world.</p>
<p>wait WHAT. The US guy won that? I didn't get to watch. Thats epic I didn't think US had a chance in hell in mens tennis.</p>
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yeah, swimming is probably the best full body workout you are going to find.
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<p>If by swimming you mean olympic weightlifting, then I agree.</p>
<p>I am not talking about getting massive and having huge bulging muscles. I am talking about overall body and muscle health. You can make a statement about something like a clean and jerk working a lot of muscles, but that still misses a lot that swimming hits, not to mention the sheer cardio aspect of swimming, which is worked in about as many different ways as your muscles are since you are doing sprints and distance as well as holding your breath for quite a long time off of a good turn.</p>
<p>Don't confuse o-lifting with bodybuilding or even powerlifting. For general athleticism, I'd take o-lifting over swimming easily.</p>
<p>Swimmers always <em>looked</em> smarter than weightlifters to me. ;)</p>
<p>Weightlifters like breaking a mental sweat, too, galoisien.</p>
<p>nope, swimmers ARE smarter than weightlifters :p.</p>
<p>Cav, I'll have to do some more research into what exactly is involved in Olympic weightlifting.</p>
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Um, the Bryan brothers are one of the best doubles teams to have ever lived and the US Davis Cup team has the most wins in the history of the tournament.</p>
<p>I was just joking about the weightlifters, lol</p>
<p>It was absolutely amazing how he won the tennis! Swimming, overall for the whole body has to be better than weightlifting. You get muscle conditioning and cardio. As to intelligence, all I know is the big huge bulky guys at the gym every single day are reading Maxim while the swimmers are reading the Wall Street Journal.</p>
<p>Well I mean, breath control, long-distance time management and fine technique all seem to be things that require great skill, discipline and intelligence. </p>
<p>When I look at weightlifters I just think, "oh they are quite strong brutes". But hey!</p>
<p>ehiunno, a book or three on exercise physiology/strength training might be right up your alley for some leisurely reading. </p>
<p>canuck, don't confuse retarded Gold's Gym bodybuilders with olympic weightlifters. There's a tremendous difference.</p>
<p>galoisien, the training required at the high end of any <em>sport</em> requires a tremendous amount of discipline, focus and acumen.</p>
<p>I'm mostly joking too -- don't take my posts very seriously. It just seems to me that the nature of the intellectual discipline required for swimming is quite different from the one required for weightlifting.</p>
<p>Why doesn't breath control, fine technique, and discipline apply to weightlifters? Unlike Phelps' and his 12,000 calorie daily diet, professional weightlifters must carefully monitor their food intake to maintain a balance between protein, carbs, and fats to promote muscle growth.</p>
<p>btw, cav. I am growing quite fond of the phrase "A _____ or three" such as "A book or three". Mixes things up a bit.</p>
<p>Weightlifters don't do long-term breath control ... I don't think. </p>
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professional weightlifters must carefully monitor their food intake to maintain a balance between protein, carbs, and fats to promote muscle growth.
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<p>Their assigned nutritionists could probably just give them an IV tube, too.</p>
<p>Weightlifting 101. Breathe in before a rep and slowly exhale through the entire motion of the exercise. You wouldn't believe how many people hold their breath or take quick breaths.</p>
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professional weightlifters must carefully monitor their food intake to maintain a balance between protein, carbs, and fats to promote muscle growth
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<p>Are you talking about real weightlifters or bodybuilders? Because real lifters probably eat something closer to what Phelps does, unless they're cutting weight before a meet.</p>
<p>Real weightlifters and bodybuilders don't eat junk food like pizza. Period.</p>
<p>Bodybuilders are stupid and real athletes (football players, runners, o-lifters) eat stuff like pizza all the time.</p>