Running. Does it help your swimming or is it an interesting diversion? A lot of people here seem to cross train with running. (Some are obviously triathletes). USS teams now have their swimmers running. But does running really help swimming?
For me, I'm not so sure. I think it helps a bit on the cardio side and may build leg strength. I do it to tighten everything up, because I like being outside and it gives my shoulders a break. But I'm not sure I wouldn't be better off with more pool time if my body could take it.
Leslie, you should try a triathlon. They are fun! Here is how I do them:
1. All-out sprint the swim. Save nothing.
2. Savor the moment of glory exiting first in your heat on the swim.
3. Watch bikers pass you. Tell yourself it's because they have really expensive bikes.
4. Watch runners from 4 heats behind you pass you on the run. Remind yourself about 'winning' the swim.
5. Finish and hit the food tent.
:D
i'm not his coach, so I have no idea. However, I would say if it's working for him, he should keep doing it. if he cuts all that extra stuff out, he will have to make some serious changes to his current swimming program. I am not so sure if he could gain back what's lossed from dropping the cross training.
If it's not broke, don't fix it.
Do we know why he runs?
why else? for laundry. :cool:
it's a part of his dryland routine - to stay fit and for all those other reasons the pro-cross trainers have listed.
Clearly, Ian has a well rounded training program (as i imagine most athletes of that caliber do), but running three miles a couple of days a week is one activity that i cannot identify as having specific benefits (or that are not made redundant by other activities on the list)
Am I wrong?
You can read this entire 5 or 6 page thread - it's obvious no one can agree on whether running helps your swimming performance or not.
I think the consensus is to do what works for you.
Lisa,
I have read the entire thread. (some of it was very painful) I'm sorry if I am taking the title a bit too literally, but i think the key word is help...as in does ct with running HELP swimming?
if you're asking ME - i say yes. if you're asking terry laughlin, he says no. if you ask aquageek, he says yes. leslie is on the fence (i think). george says yes.
Like I said, if it works for you, do it. Obviously if you're doing it and you like it and you feel like it helps your level of fitness, your leg strength, your aerobic endurance, your heart, stamina, whatever your reason that you think you are benefiting from - do it. It's certainly not going to HURT you. How can it not help you? If you're doing anything that will benefit your endurance, stamina, strength - that will help you in the pool.
As a controled experiment:
Take two weeks off from swimming and spend that time on the track or the road, or on trails, or on stairs. If you enter the water a better swimmer after that, I will go buy a pair of running shoes (and a singlet too).......deal?
This is one of the longest winded threads I have seen as of late!
Interesting how much time Crocker spends training out of the pool. I also found it interesting that he did his weight lifting after swimming (I recall having a debate with a few people about that last month on this website). I always say that everybody is different and the same training plan will have different effects on various people. Having said that, I happen to think that cross training can provide a real benefit to ANY swimmer; Masters or otherwise. Cross training will not bridge the gap between our own speed demon Mr. Rasmussen and WR holder Ian Crocker, but I do think that everybody would benefit in some fashion.
