Calling all USMS members. Your response to this post will be used to create an article in Swimmer magazine about cross training. What types of training do you most commonly do outside of the pool? How often? What cross training works the best, and what types are the least helpful for swimming? :bliss:
Stretching/Yoga:
Most stretching I do are through yoga poses. I find the achieved flexibility quite valuable and do it as a warm-up for weights or swimming, and sometimes to relax before bedtime. If my hamstrings are tight, my back can go out for no reason so I have to maintain a level of flexibility to function. Yoga also seems to improve my balance and control in the water. I don't actually go to yoga classes or understand the art per-say, I just do the poses (I'm a poser:D).
Weights:
On most days when swimming and weight lifting overlap I make one trip to do both. I copied Chris's approach by lifting first and it seems to work better this way. Swimming seems to drain my strength if done first, which defeats any weight lifting efforts. I try to avoid lifting for at least 48 hours prior to AFAP days, but it usually doesn't work out this way and results in a slight taper of speed
Stretching/Yoga:
Most stretching I do are through yoga poses. I find the achieved flexibility quite valuable and do it as a warm-up for weights or swimming, and sometimes to relax before bedtime. If my hamstrings are tight, my back can go out for no reason so I have to maintain a level of flexibility to function. Yoga also seems to improve my balance and control in the water. I don't actually go to yoga classes or understand the art per-say, I just do the poses (I'm a poser:D).
Weights:
On most days when swimming and weight lifting overlap I make one trip to do both. I copied Chris's approach by lifting first and it seems to work better this way. Swimming seems to drain my strength if done first, which defeats any weight lifting efforts. I try to avoid lifting for at least 48 hours prior to AFAP days, but it usually doesn't work out this way and results in a slight taper of speed
