Swimming as cross training

It is simple I don't do 100 x 2, I do 2 x 100m or 5 x 50m, and if you go to a master workout they usually post the workout at the end of the pool. I have taken a sheet of paper in a protector with the workout marked on it. When you do 5 x 50 on 50, that is you start a 50 every time the clock or pace clock hits 50 sec, some coaches call out the rest. I do my 50s and 100 splits by watching the pace clock. George

Originally posted by knelson I hope they don't swim in the pool fed by the hot springs! :D I've done laps in the pool there (Glenwood Springs.) Interesting experience. Certainly can't push it too hard for too long... And (at least at the pool I was at) the lap lanes were differing lengths. The walls at the two ends are not parallel. The lanes get increasingly longer as you move away from the water slides. So I can't really know how far I actually swam that day. But it doesn't matter; it was one of those unique experiences that I can now say I did.

I am also a lifelong swimmer(non-competitive) but took up running 9 years ago when I quit smoking (needed to do something different). Gradually I built up my endurance & do a marathon or ultra every other month with shorter races in between. I assume that it would be the same 10% rule for swimming as it is for running--to just increase the distance over the weeks & months. I have signed up for my 1st competitive swim, the Big Shoulders 2.5K in Chicago & plan to build up to an hour & work on speed. Running really helps my swimming tremendously & makes the breathing so much easier. And swimming helps my recovery from running races--it gives a good aerobic workout without the pounding, uses different muscles, works the arms and keeps the body flexible.

The 10% rule for running Building Miles Too Quickly Stick to the 10-Percent Rule. The 10-Percent Rule states that you should never increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent over the previous week. In addition, you should follow the 10-Percent Rule when building up the length of your long runs as well. Jumping straight from 7 miles to 11 miles is a mistake. Do 8 or 9 miles instead. 2.5 k swim is a very easy work out for most swimmers and is a short work out for most swimmers. Swim the distance and build your speed up gradually. If you can do 2500 meters slow get your speed up with a varied workout that you will easily find. George

One time that I think the 10% rule can be more conservative than it needs to be - I'm going through it right now. After doing a tri last August, I have really dropped off on my workouts - swimming or running - up until a couple of weeks ago. I went from being able to swim 2000 yards followed by a 4 mile run to barely being able to complete 500 yards. (It's a whole lot easier to get out of shape than it is to get into shape!:( ) Anyway, I have been able to increase pretty quickly - I think because I'm not to far removed from the tri. Today, I did 1000 yards followed by 2.5 miles. That's a couple of weeks. But, I wanted to do more on the run. But my body was talking to me so I backed off the plan. That is the bottom line. Listen to your body!!! But when I first started down the path from blobby couch potato to being a guy with good cardio conditioning I followed the 10% rule. But always listen to your body. The goal is to help it - not hurt it.