Does cross-training with running help swimming?

On this topic, I am both completely torn and completely confused. For me, the biggest benefit of cross training is keeping my interest in swimming high by diversifying my workouts. When I focus solely on swimming, as I am now, it does get a bit boring at times. However, when I was doing a lot of cross training, my swimming clearly suffered. I will say I think weights and yoga or other stretch and strengthening program do have value both from a flexibility and injury prevention perspective. But, will running 20 miles a week help your swimming, no way, but it will help your running. The strength and conditioning coach at our club does a lot of explosive running and sled pulls, which I think is of great value, but that's really more what PWB and Elise are referring to versus a lot of long runs.

As an older athlete (56) I have also found that I have to consider my recovery ability more than in the past. I had trouble scheduling heavy lifting and serious swimming because it sometimes took me 48 hours to recuperate from a heavy lifting session. I decided to prioritize swimming so I dropped heavy lifting. I think that I would have the same problem juggling running with swimming, although I realize that triathletes do it. Luckily, I do not have this problem because I don't like running.

My 2 cents worth: I think running is a good cardio replacement to use if your shoulders are sore or twingy. After all an injured swimmer is pretty useless in a swimming race. A swimmer that suffers from terminally shot shoulders could even work a regular run or two into their weekly training to keep the stress off their shoulders but still maintain a good aerobic base. With that said I will say that slogging (running long and slow ie 8:00 per mile or slower) will probably NOT enhance a swimmers aerobic capacity. (unless they are an equally slow swimmer). Treadmill running is approximately :24 seconds per mile slower than the said pace the readout gives you. The treadmill is actually doing some of the "foot on the ground" work for you so it takes much less effort. Okay, I know I'm going to get blasted for that.....but it is true! :afraid:

I've sprint kicked a 100. It makes my legs real tired and fill with lactic acid. I feel like I might puke. The only thing missing are stress fractures, achilies tendonitis, shin splints, pulled quads and ham strings. Don't forget, the equivalent in running would be a 400m run. Go all out and tell me how that feels. I'm not saying kicking is easy, just not nearly as stressful. That's why Jason Smoots runs in the pool, to go EASY on his legs so they can heal while still getting some cardio. PS, Tread mills don't go fast enough for sprinting. Most at the gym go to 10 MPH. They need to go to 20 MPH. Usain Bolt's beak speed is about 27 MPH.

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. OK, go kick a 100 meter all out and come back and make this claim. Air is 1/800th the density of water. I'd much rather run a 100 than kick it all out. I'd argue you have to work much hard in the water. Runners, meh, yawn.

Tread mills don't go fast enough for sprinting. Most at the gym go to 10 MPH. They need to go to 20 MPH. Usain Bolt's beak speed is about 27 MPH. Agreed about the sprinting on the treadmills. Ours goes up to 12 mph, but I don't like sprinting on the treadmill. My stride is long and gets messed up. My goal on the treadmill on the HIIT workouts is to simply get the HR up to an anaerobic zone after 1 minute and then drop it back down. Going 10 mph on the treadmill usually does it for me. I'm simply not that fast of a runner. At the track, I'm not very speedy. I think the best 400 I ran in high school was a 62. It doesn't take much for something to be a sprint for me. Edit: To real track runners, I think sprints must mean things less than 100m and all out. For me, anything faster than my one mile pace feels like a sprint.

My worst wipeout on land has been when I lost my footing on the treadmill while talking to somebody as I was running fast on the treadmill. Tore up my knees worse than any bike wipeout I've ever had. I once saw the claims list for an insurer that specialized in covering health clubs. Amazing how many injuries occur at the treadmill. More accidents and injuries by far than at any other spot in the gym - even the weight room. (Pools had the largest claims - a typical drowning caused a payout of $500,000 to $1 million) Treadmills are dangerous! Be careful around them.

Usain Bolt's beak speed is about 27 MPH. He has a beak, I guess that is why he just flys when he runs.

That's a good point, even though I only live 3 miles from my pool. Running is by far the best use of exercise time overall. I beg to differ. IMHO, the best value for your time is circuit training with bw exercises and/or kbs., dbs., sledgehammer etc. See here for examples: www.rosstraining.com/.../viewtopic.php In 20 minutes you are really wiped out and you can do it at home. Still, even though it takes longer I love to swim.

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but I was recently speaking with a doctor about swimming (off topic) as he was tending to my injured hand. He said that cross training is important as we age. He has read several cases where swimmers get osteoporosis in later life because the weightless nature of swimming has not required their bones to remain tough. www.spma.net/swimosteo.htm It's good to cross-train. Running and telemark skiing for me. It's the doctor's orders. Agreed, but the running or telemark skiing (not sure what that is) will not improve your swimming (which was the original question).