This study was designed to evaluate effects of long-term swimming training on maximal aerobic capacity and sernm lipid and lipoprotein profile of postmenopausal women. In the first study, 12 swimming-trained postmenopausal women (age: 58±3 yrs, BMI : 22± 2 kg/m², training distance : 3.6±1.6 km/wk, mean±SD) were compared cross-sectionally with 50 age-matched untrained women (58±5 yrs, 23±2 kg m²) . Swimming-trained women had higher maximal oxygen uptake (Vo2max) than untrained (34± 5 vs. 30± 5 ml/kg/min, P<0.05) . Serum total- and HDL-cholesterol (T-C and HDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) concentrations in swimmers were similar to those in untrained (T-C: 232±23 vs. 220±44 mg/dl, HDL-C : 69±15 vs. 72±17 mg/dl, TG : 83±21 vs. 99±67 mg/dl) . On the other hand, swimmers had higher serum LDL-cholesterol concentrations (LDL-C) than untrained women (161±28 vs. 138±25 mg/dl, P<0.05) . The second study was conducted to test the effects of a 2-year swimming program on Vo2max and serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations of postmenopausal untrained women. After the swimming program 10 trained women (age : 59±7 yrs, BMI : 23±3 kg/m², Vo2max : 30± 3 mlikg/min at baseline, training condition : one hour session, frequency: 1.5±0.4 times/week during the program) and 12 untrained women (60± 5 yrs, 23± 3 kg/m², 29± 5 ml/kg/min at baseline) were retested. No change in BMI was observed in the two groups. At the 2-year follow-up, the trained women increased Vo2max (34± 5 ml/kg/min, P<0.05), whereas no change in Vo2max was observed in the untrained women (30± 5 ml/kg/min) . No changes occurred in concentrations of T-C (Trained : 238±25 233±21 mg/dl, Untrained : 236±20 236±32mg/dl), HDL-C (Trained : 70 ± 15→74 ± 16 mg/dl, Untrained: 69 ± 15→69 ± 14 mg/dl), LDL-C (Trained : 150 ±29 144±27mg/dl, Untrained : 144±15→145±23mg/dl), and TG (Trained : 90±32 74±25 mg/dl, Untrained : 115±81 106±52mg/dl) . These results suggest that although a long-term swimming program can increase maximal aerobic capacity, favorable changes in sernm lipids or lipoproteins can not be expected for postmenopausal women.