Does cross-training with running help swimming?

How true. Swimming alone gets dull. I may learn to row this summer for some aerobic cross training. That would seem to have more benefits for swimming than running in any event. Weird coincidence here. A swim friend got stitches the other day and asked for ideas on something to do for seven days since he couldn't swim. The only two things we could marginally come up with were the elliptical trainer and the rowing machine.

For me, the biggest benefit of cross training is keeping my interest in swimming high by diversifying my workouts. me too, plus you can wake up at 5:55, out the door at 6:00, have a great 45 minute run, in the shower at 6:50 out the door again at 7:05. No driving to the pool, changing in and out of a swimsuit, using public showers etc...

youse guys don't swim enough for it to be dull. Fish don't swim enough compared to you.

youse guys don't swim enough for it to be dull.

Why does running shread your legs so much more than say kicking? There is nothing you can do in a pool to your legs that remotely comes cloose to track sprinting. The foot strike forces in sprinting are astronomical, the turnover rate astronomical, the range of leg motion astronomical, the stresses on tendons are near the breaking point. The legs don't do this in swimming: YouTube- 60m World Record

I think when many people think of adding running to their swimming, they add aerobic running. What would happen, for sprinters like Fortress (for example), if sprint running (e.g., train like Usain) was added as a dryland exercise complement to the pool? My hypothesis would be that training for a 100 yard/meter run might be beneficial from a leg explosiveness for starts/turns for people training for a 50/100 yard swim.

I think when many people think of adding running to their swimming, they add aerobic running. What would happen, for sprinters like Fortress (for example), if sprint running (e.g., train like Usain) was added as a dryland exercise complement to the pool? My hypothesis would be that training for a 100 yard/meter run might be beneficial from a leg explosiveness for starts/turns for people training for a 50/100 yard swim. I tend to agree. I'm not on Fort's level, but I do think my HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) on the treadmill and the track help my explosiveness. These things are like weights though, so I think you have to be careful with how much you do so that you don't get too broken down. Although I like to do it every now and then, supposedly, doing aerobic running works against keeping certain muscle fibers in fast-twitch mode. Lately, if I want to get out and enjoy the nice weather without an intense workout, I just walk. I find that doing at least one hard run a week keeps the nerves in the legs sharp. I love to kick, but I've discovered that there is nothing like being in decent run shape to keep my legs from dying or cramping on a swim race. My best 50 fly and 100 I.M. time in masters was in 2003. I wore a kneeskin, but had been running 17 to 25 miles a week up until 2 weeks before the meet. This certainly wasn't because I was at my lightest. My worse masters times were during a period when I was 5 pounds lighter than I was in 2003.

It really is amazing to see the power in those guys that run the track sprints. There was a guy who grew up here who became world class in the 60m, 100m, and 200m. When he was in high school, his dad trained him and used to bring him down to the YMCA pool to make him run in the shallow end of the pool. I think this was the secret to his success. It was pretty cool to be swimming and look over at this guy power running in the pool. Here is a little bit about him: Jason Smoots Career Highlights: Two-time NCAA Division II 100m champion; Three-time NCAA Division II Indoor 60m champion; 2003 Pan Am Games 4x100m relay gold medalist; 2006 World Cup 4x100m relay gold medalist Smoots continued his climb up the ranks of the nation’s finest sprinters with his fourth place finish at the 2006 USA Outdoor Championships and ending the campaign with his best ever year-end ranking (#5 in the U.S.) by Track & Field News. Also in 2006, he brought his 100m personal best down from 10.13 to 10.01 seconds, and ran the anchor leg on Team USA’ gold medal winning 4x100m relay team at the 2006 World Cup of Athletics, bringing the baton home in the new Championships record time of 37.59 seconds. One of the most highly decorated NCAA Division II sprinters in history, Smoots was named the 2003 NCAA Division II Male Athlete of the Year, and in 2002 and 2003 he was the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. In 2003, he became the first to win the indoor 60m NCAA Division II title three years in a row. Smoots, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Parks and Recreation in 2002 from North Carolina Central University, served as Grand Marshal at his alma mater’s 2002 Homecoming festivities. www.usatf.org/.../Smoots_Jason.asp

Joshua, Would you please detail some of the agonist muscle work you do? Thanks in advance. First off, I strongly recommend "Swimming Anatomy" by Ian Mcleod. It thoroughly covers this topic for all 4 strokes along with great illustrations. To be honest, at this time I am only swimming. The only dry land activity I do is stretching. As I have gotten older I feel that a good stretching session after swimming (10-15 minutes), with emphasis on my shoulder girdle, is of great importance. I will eventually get back to strength training and I personally have always favored composite exercises that hit alot of musculature: various pushups, dips, pullups, squats etc. You don't even need a weight room. Try a good full body circuit at home. In 20 minutes you will be blasted.

Boy do I miss running !! Two right hip replacements :cane::cane:- no more running for me :badday::badday:. When I used to run 30 miles a week & swim , my legs never were tired in the pool . I miss it ! Yikes, that's scary :afraid:. How old were you when you had the hip surgery?