swimming running

If you want to swim fast it's important to have good ankle flexibility. Running too much might hinder this, unless you're keeping the distances somewhat short (3-4 miles), and you work on stretching. Triathletes often have a difficult time swimming because they have such a poor kick. No ankle bend means no kick. Half of the horsepower in the water is lost. If you're already loose in the ankles, be careful! A quick mistep on a rock a divet in the road could lead a pretty bad injury. Look for smooth surfaces, and pavement. But to answer your question, there are some pretty serious swimmers who train on the road as well as in the pool. Upper body muscles can always use a day of recovery and land training is a great way to work the cardio while giving the "oars" a break. Biking is also an excellent option.

If you want to swim fast it's important to have good ankle flexibility. Running too much might hinder this, unless you're keeping the distances somewhat short (3-4 miles), and you work on stretching. Triathletes often have a difficult time swimming because they have such a poor kick. No ankle bend means no kick. Half of the horsepower in the water is lost. If you're already loose in the ankles, be careful! A quick mistep on a rock a divet in the road could lead a pretty bad injury. Look for smooth surfaces, and pavement. But to answer your question, there are some pretty serious swimmers who train on the road as well as in the pool. Upper body muscles can always use a day of recovery and land training is a great way to work the cardio while giving the "oars" a break. Biking is also an excellent option.