I have been a fan of Dr. Kenneth Cooper and his writings for a couple of decades and have been reading an older book of his that reccomends "striking" exercise such as running for aging athletes.(boomers) He contends that as we age we need this sort of exercise to promote bone density. He also suggests higher ratios of weight training to aerobics for the same reason. I have only been swimming for a couple of years now and must say that my body has never felt healthier and more pain free. So, I am reluctant to go back to dealing with all the aches and pains associated with running. So here is my question of you experienced swimmers. Do you complement your swimming with dryland training such as running and lifting? If so how often and what types? Do you think Cooper is correct in asserting the need for weight bearing exercise over non weight bearing activity?
Lots of questions. Just curious about this one.
Regards
Spudfing
Former Member
The key term is weightbearing.
For analogical purposes, in early days of space flights, people who got back from the moon, where they "weighed less," couldn't even stand up in Earth's gravity. Think of the pool as being like the moon. And you're horizontal in it...
I guess gardening qualifies then. I'll put up with the weight room in winter, but forking over the composter and dipping big metal watering cans in the rain barrel out in the sun (vitamin D) is much more satifying.
Another interesting discovery is that vibration, such as that from a vibrating platform, may have a positive effect on bone density. There is one product already on the market in response to that - it's called the Power Plate (http://us.powerplate.com/EN/).
Anna Lea
hmmm......vibrating platform bed? Conjures interesting pictures....
I was just about the comment on the value of the push off a wall on both the start of a swim and the turns.
A 3000 yd SCY workout includes 3000/25 = 120 25 yd. lengths. So it seems we might be doing the equivalent of 120 weight bearing leg presses in 3000 yds. of swimming. Not as much weight bearing as on land, but non-trivial.
As far as I know there has been only one study on "real" swimming and bone density.It was done in the 80s(published 1988 I believe) on Masters Swimmers at the Nats in Portland and showed that Masters Swimmers have very good bone density.All the other studies I've seen don't deal with competitive level swimming or are just speculation.
FYI,
The cross section of a pitchers throwing arm bones compared to the now throwing arm is profound. There is no striking there, only tremendous bending stresses. I would submit there there is similar benefit in swimmers arms.
I think the leg bone density of swimmers may suffer compared to runners.
Maybe moral of the story is cross training.
I've started doing some gym work to complement my swimming sets.
After a warm-up of 10 mins on an elliptical cross-trainer, 10 minutes rowing and 10 minutes on an odd device consisting of hand-cranks driving a paddle-wheel in water I then do either a strength or stamina set.
Both sets follow the same basic exercises, the strength set is higher weight and lower rep than the stamina set.
Shoulder Press (3 x 10 on strength set, 3 x 20 stamina)
Lats Pull-Down
Next few exercises are on cables machine:
Single-arm crossover
Internal rotation (set handle at chest height, take load with straight arms out in front, rotate from hips and shoulders to lift weight max height)
Single arm tricep push down
Single arm press
Dumbbells for bench press (allows greater stretch than barbell)
Warm down, stretch out, shower, relax, collapse!
Did that for 6 weeks (3 times a week, 2 strength, 1 stamina), tapering towards competition.
Smashed a pb for 200m freestyle which had stood for 6 years (took 1.5 seconds off)!
Works for me!
I think the fact that even though the gym instructor is half my age I beat him by 10 minutes in a sprint triathlon has helped with sorting out a programme which aids swim-specific muscle sets!
I certainly feel stronger and fitter than before I started the gym work.
Al.
