Does cycling help swimming?

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

james007 — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 10:59:24 GMT

One question I would ask is: Do the world class swimmers cycle to help their swimming? If not, why not? I would think one would want to imitate them as best as one can.

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

Former Member — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:29:45 GMT

Steve, this set is great. And it should help building some leg endurance specific for the 100m swim events. Most definitely. And like you said, giving that you have to be careful not to upset your shoulder, you're a good candidate for getting benefits from cross-training.

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

__steve__ — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 11:19:31 GMT

Running has helped my swimming. It enables me to get an intensity and frequency of conditioning I otherwise would not have achieved with swimming alone, this is especially due to how much my shoulders can take. I started running 43 days ago in preparation for a mandatory fitness test in September I do every year for my job. Consists of a 1.5 mile run, push-ups, sit-ups, and waist measurement. Never took the test too seriously in the past because it's very easy to pass. However, my coworkers are now aware of the competitive swimming I took up recently and I can't allow swimmers to look too shabby when it comes to fitness. So I'm basically committed to getting close to a perfect score on the run portion which would mean under 10 minutes even though I never really enjoyed, or was good at running. I did 11:00 last year with about 15-20 runs of preparation. This year I approached the training with more effort and intensity hoping to get a total of 30-35 runs in before September's test. Thus far I have done 12 runs. I started out only running 400M (1/4 mi) each workout the first week then gradually built up to 2 miles such as yesterday's workout below: 400M X 8 and rest 60 seconds between, i.e. 1:28.40 (rest 59.60) 1:34.25 (rest 59.30) 1:32.86 (rest 59.81) 1:34.03 (rest 59.64) 1:34.91 (rest 1:00.13) 1:38.27 (rest 1:00.87) 1:44.81 (rest 59.12) 1:47.92

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

aztimm — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 07:13:50 GMT

It sounds like you are saying that swimming helps cycling but not the other way around. Why would it only be one-way? As far as weight control, unlike most of the posters on this forum, I don't see much correlation with the type of exercise I do. For me it is controlled almost entirely by my discipline in controlling diet/nutrition for a given duration/intensity of exercise (whether that is swimming or cycling or whatever). I have no idea why it wouldn't work in the reverse, but my timed swims in workouts over the past 7-8 months, since I returned to cycling, haven't changed at all. Maybe it just takes longer. But being able to hit a hill like South Mountain in Phoenix with minimal cycling training on hills tells me something is going on. Perhaps my running helps cycling and swimming doesn't at all. If you do enough of nearly anything you'll burn calories/lose weight. Someone once told me that eating raw carrots has a negative caloric value due to all of the chomping required to eat them. For me, on a time scale, running gives me the most bang for my buck to burn calories/drop weight -v- cycling, and swimming is a distant 3rd. Meaning I'll burn more calories in an hour run than in an hour ride on my bike. I'd need about 1-1/4 hour on the bike to equal an hour run, and about 2 hours+ of swimming.

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

Chris Stevenson — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 06:55:18 GMT

I wonder if this also works the other way around. I have a half decent breaststroke. On my first real biking outing early this year, I really clobbered some hills, much easier than some more seasoned cyclists I was riding with. As to cycling helping swimming, I have to say no. It sounds like you are saying that swimming helps cycling but not the other way around. Why would it only be one-way? Chris, Why? What kind of running? I just saw this, sorry for missing it earlier. My opinion is that cycling is more effective in building strength/endurance in the quads more than running. As to "what type," I can't think of any type of running that doesn't have a corresponding mode in cycling. And cycling has an additional advantage of gearing that allows you to control gearing to increase the strength needed. You can do high cadence with low load or low cadence with a tough gear (and anything in between). The main advantage of running for conditioning compared to cycling is that you can't "coast" so a given amount of running is harder than the same amount of cycling, all other things equal. On the other hand, you can generally go for longer bike rides. I also think running is not as compatible with the flexible ankles needed for swimming. As far as weight control, unlike most of the posters on this forum, I don't see much correlation with the type of exercise I do. For me it is controlled almost entirely by my discipline in controlling diet/nutrition for a given duration/intensity of exercise (whether that is swimming or cycling or whatever).

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

aztimm — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 06:39:02 GMT

@Allen Stark, brilliant. Not sure if it's true, but at least the muscles masses involved are kind of close, and the angles are somehow related. I'd say though that if there's any cross transfer between the gesture of riding and breaststroke kicking, it's probably amplified if riding uphill at relatively low cadence. I wonder if this also works the other way around. I have a half decent breaststroke. On my first real biking outing early this year, I really clobbered some hills, much easier than some more seasoned cyclists I was riding with. As to cycling helping swimming, I have to say no. Other than as others have said, if you have weight to drop, it will help, with minimal negative impact to your swimming. I've found more negative impact to my freestyle than my breaststroke. But for me at least, running has helped much more with weight, but at a higher cost in reduced leg strength when swimming. Other than losing weight, general aerobic conditioning and fitness, I don't think either cycling or running contributes to improving my swimming.

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

Former Member — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:22:06 GMT

Does the way the muscles are used in cycling help with swimming? I feel it does. When pedaling the bike it makes me think of kicking in freestyle, especially 2 beat kicks (of course I don't mean I kick the way I pedal a bike). Do you have any body weight you'd like to get rid of? If so, cycling will indirectly help your swimming performances. @Allen Stark, brilliant. Not sure if it's true, but at least the muscles masses involved are kind of close, and the angles are somehow related. I'd say though that if there's any cross transfer between the gesture of riding and breaststroke kicking, it's probably amplified if riding uphill at relatively low cadence. I don't expect to do any IM this year. But if I am to ever get back to breaststroke kicking (which I can't do at the moment), gym squats with wide anchor points would be my injury prevention strategy. And all cycling done over the last 10 years have reconstructed my knees, to an extent that goes beyong my wildest dream back then. Never though I'd be able to squat in the gym for instance. Breaststroke kicking is probably next. ----- You can ride your bike under the sun for 3-4 or more hours at the time, for up to 300kilo per week. If you had some body weight you need to drop, summer time riding and having fun looking at landscape and enjoying chats with friends will do the job much better than working out in coldish water for 90 minutes at the time 3x per week. I'd even go as far as if you're a cycling lover, and have some 20pounds or so to loose, drop a swim workout or two in favor of more cycling during summer (off swimming season). It's worth it. You'll thus sacrifice quite a bit of swimming performances for the time being, but that's periodization. There's a time for everything. When you get back in the pool in Autumn, lighter by 20pounds, fly won't feel the same. As far as physiology, any work that results into an increase in either mitonchondria size or number, increase in plasma volume as a result of dehydration rehydration cycles and work over threshold (climbing hills) etc etc, will indirectly be felt somehow. More blood better cardiac output, better cardiac output more resistance at higher intensity no matter the sport. Of course, further work needs to be done to train the muscle more specifically for swimming, but this network that provides blood to working muscle is reused. Oh hey. I was almost going to forget. I am very lousy in the pool these days. Train for 2k per week roughly. Slow like hell. But bring me a kicking set any time, and I lead the squad. My kicking performances just don't drop as much as my pulling performances for instance, in absence of serious swimming. My cardio vascular fitness is outstanding though. I log 4 hours of very hard sustained threshold stuff per week. I can kick without really getting tired. It burns a bit but I don't care. I'm used to it. And it's just normal. The ability to metabolize and shuffle the lactate is not that specific to sport. It's just shuffling lactate from blood back to cell or out to liver that sort of stuff. So sorry for the long post, but at last I propose a different voice. Yes cycling can help ******kicking******* especially if your leg endurance is currently low. The thing is that we don't spend that much time in the pool kicking, lots of masters hate that. So we're comparing 20min of kicking (at best) with 2 hours of riding. Impact on aerobic network development is significantly higher when cycling. Allen, thanks for the clue. It makes perfect sense to me.

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

orca1946 — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 05:07:35 GMT

Sure, it will help with cardio & legs.

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

Former Member — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:25:17 GMT

Good rythm and strong muscles, I would think would be a benefit in any sport. Im thinking cycling may help in adding the awareness of what ones legs are doing in cycling vs. swimming. Body awareness is always a benefit too. Personally, I did a lot of cycling and speed skating in my 20's, so I have really strong legs, however, my flutter kick is not very efficient - (Lack of) foot size and lower body flexibility really work against me. Like, having strong, and not very floppy easily hperextended ankles was a huge benefit in speed skating. I haven't done a lot mixing of cycling and swimming in recent years. Few years when I did, I noticed that cycling was not helping my flexibility, if anything, it would tighten me up.

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

Former Member — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 14:19:23 GMT

swimming helps swimming, cycling helps cycling, running helps running........ Small increases in muscle density in the lower body, especially for men, increase drag which in turn significantly push up the energy cost of swimming. Your time would be better spent working on stroke technique than ride a bike for swimming.

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

james lucas — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:40:37 GMT

Cardiovascular training.

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

Chris Stevenson — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 11:50:49 GMT

"Does cycling help swimming?" If you compare cycling to doing nothing, then certainly. I don't buy any of this stuff about increasing muscle mass harming you; I hear the same knock against weight-lifting. Cycling hits many of the same muscles that are used in kicking; if you doubt that, go for a hard ride and then jump in the pool and try to do a hard kick set. And of course there is general CV conditioning. If you compare cycling to spending that same time doing swimming, then I'd probably give a qualified no. I say "qualified" because I think many swimmers don't work their legs as hard in practice as they should to prepare for their races. But many -- most? -- masters swimmers don't want to do just swimming for their exercise. As cross-training activities go, I'd rate cycling well above running but below weight-lifting. Just my $0.02. Oh, and I agree with the post about cycling potentially harming flexibility, particularly the hams and lower back. I need to do more stretching (or at least be diligent in making sure I do a minimum amount) to maintain my usual ROM if I am cycling regularly.

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

rtodd — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 10:08:24 GMT

swimming helps swimming, cycling helps cycling, running helps running........

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

__steve__ — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 07:44:32 GMT

If you do alot of crits and like to ride up front it probably will help as conditioning.

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

rtodd — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 01:59:33 GMT

I'd rate cycling well above running Chris, Why? What kind of running?

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

Allen Stark — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 01:03:14 GMT

I think cycling definitely helps breaststroke kick.

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

Former Member — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 14:06:42 GMT

Correction: I think the reason I felt some connection is not how the muscles are used (they are not used the same way, though maybe a little close in breaststroke, since freestyle uses flutter kicks?), but in relation to the rhythm.

RE: Does cycling help swimming?

Former Member — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 13:11:30 GMT

I haven't noticed a direct correlation. In fact, I was concerned about the opposite. I've been riding hard on weekends, swimming during the week. I don't see any benefit. And as my thighs get bigger, I'm going to have to work to keep my hips up.