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cross training

Swimming for Runners: How to Make Your Pool Workout Boost Your Running Game

Published on February 18, 2021 By Mia Kercher

The benefits of swimming for runners are astounding – we always recommend cross-training for runners since the body needs variation to reach its full potential, and swimming is one of the best methods you’ll find.

It’s also important to keep a blend of strength building workouts and cardio workouts since both are necessary for effective race training (or any other type of running training). 

Swimming is a popular cross-training for running because it works so many muscles in the body. It requires focus, which makes your training plan more interesting. 

Many people who prefer cross-training like weight lifting or agility drill are wondering, does swimming actually help running?

In this article, we’re going to look at:

  • Whether or not swimming actually helps your running game
  • The benefits of swimming for runners
  • We compare swimming and running, the pros and cons of each
  • We share 3 pool workouts for runners, specifically designed to boost your running game
  • How often a runner should get a swim session in.

Ready?

Let’s jump in!

swimming for runners

Does Swimming Help Running?

Before answering that question, you have to think about the desired outcome.

The three main reasons runners cross-train are endurance, speed, and recovery.

Swimming accomplishes all three. 

When you do swimming sprints, you increase your cardiovascular fitness, which in turn builds up your agility and speed for running. 

When you swim at a slower pace for a longer period, you build up your endurance, which translates directly to your running. 

Swimming is also low-impact, no matter how you do it – it allows your muscles to rejuvenate after a long run, keeping them active without the impact of running. 

Swimming for Runners: How to Make Your Pool Workout Boost Your Running Game 1

Here Are 5 Benefits of Swimming for Runners

Jenny Abouobaia, a certified personal trainer and nutritionist with 10 years of experience in personal training, highly recommends swimming for runners. 

“Swimming is a great workout with next to no impact, making it a perfect exercise for runners. It works every muscle, something few sports do, and it tends to work them in a greater range of motion, especially if you practice all the strokes. 

It develops the lungs, improves endurance in the open air, and reduces any breathlessness when running…It’s a great upper body workout and provides a great way to strengthen the ankles while improving flexibility.”

Swimming for Runners: How to Make Your Pool Workout Boost Your Running Game 2

Olivier Poirier-Leroy is a former national-level swimmer turned swim coach, who has worked with countless triathletes and elite swimmers for 30 years. He emphasizes swimming as a cross-training because of its effect on lung capacity and strength. 

“Swimming forces you to manage your breathing. 

Lung capacity is a key indicator of athletic performance (as anyone gasping through a hard workout can attest) and swimming is at the top of the pile when it comes to improving lung volume and strength.  

Research has borne out the superior lung power that comes with swimming. One paper found that elite swimmers scored significantly higher in pulmonary function compared to football players. 

Another paper examined the difference between swimmers and middle-distance runners and found the swimmers had markedly stronger lungs. 

Regular swim training can be used to increase pulmonary function and help you breathe better and stronger out on the road.” 

Swimming for Runners: How to Make Your Pool Workout Boost Your Running Game 3

According to Abouobaia and Poirier-Leroy, here are the top 5 benefits of swimming for runners:

  • Works every muscle in the body
  • Strengthens the ankles
  • Improves flexibility
  • Increases lung capacity
  • Builds muscle

Swimming Vs. Running: Which is Better?

We’ve established that swimming is a great cross-training for runners. But what if you’re on the fence about choosing to focus on one or the other? 

Here are some pros and cons of each type of exercise to make your choice a little easier. 

Swimming for Runners: How to Make Your Pool Workout Boost Your Running Game 4

Pros of Swimming

  • Swimming normally burns more calories than running. 
  • Swimming does not leave the impact on the body that running does. There are much fewer chances of injury because of it. 
  • Swimming can help you recovery from running by the pressure of the water on your muscles. 

Pros of Running

  • Running is more versatile. You can run anywhere and everywhere, with no need to get access to a pool or body of water. 
  • Swimming involves the “buoyancy effect.” The nature of the water gives your body a little boost, which keeps you floating and prevents you from sinking. The heavier the body, the more buoyant the body. So if you’re exercising to lose weight, your body wil not burn as much energy from swimming as it will running. So even though swimming burns more calories, running is a more efficient way to lose weight. 

Both exercises complement each other well, so we recommend that you incorporate both into your schedule. But if you have to choose one, then evaluate based on your motivation in the first place. 

Are you looking to lose weight?

Then choose running. 

Are you recovering from an injury?

Then choose swimming. 

Are you training for a marathon?

Then add swimming as cross-training in your marathon training plan. 

Swimming for Runners: How to Make Your Pool Workout Boost Your Running Game 5

How to Get the Most out of Your Swim Workout

When you’re swimming to build strength and endurance, you need to optimize your time in the pool to get the est results. One way to do this is mastering your breathing technique. 

Swimming forces you to regulate your breathing based on its very nature. When you learn to control the pace and consistency of your breathing, you bring that skill to your running. 

Maintaining a controlled breath rate helps you avoid side aches in running and keeps you running longer distances without needing to stop for a rest. 

Poirier-Leroy offers some advice on how to achieve that:

“Be intentional and deliberate with your breath. Inhale between strokes and exhale evenly out into the water before turning your head to draw breath. This kind of mindful breathing is an excellent habit to pick up and will pay dividends on the road as well as the pool.” 

Swimming for Runners: How to Make Your Pool Workout Boost Your Running Game 6

3 Swim Workouts for Runners

Now that you’ve read about benefits, pros, cons, and techniques, it’s time to put all the talk into practice. Here are 3 pool workouts for runners to make your cross-training more efficient. 

The first two are contributed by Abouobaia. The last workout comes from Shab, a fitness instructor at The Recycle Studio. He identifies as “fitness geek and instructor.”

1. Lung Builder workout

This exercise will strengthen your lung capacity by limiting the number of breaths you take during the set.

Please note: Do not hold your breath during this exercise. Instead, practice controlling your breath so that you exhale slowly when your face is in the water. Take a controlled breath as indicated below.

Warm-up: Swim 200 to 400 meters at an easy pace.

Main set: Complete 12 x 100 meters. 

  • For the first 25 meters, take a breath every three strokes. 
  • From 25 to 50 meters, take a breath every five strokes.
  • From 50 to 75 meters, take a breath only every seven strokes. 
  • Sprint for the last 25 meters of the set.

Cool down: Swim 100 to 200 meters easy.

Swimming for Runners: How to Make Your Pool Workout Boost Your Running Game 7

2. Deep Water Running Workout

Running in the deep end of the pool using a flotation belt is a great way to simulate running without the impact. You can start easy for the first few workouts and then build to performing your running workouts against the resistance of the water.

  • Perform a tempo workout by going easy for 10 minutes. 
  • Pick up the speed and effort for 15 to 20 minutes. 
  • Finish with 10 minutes at an easy effort. 

Run intervals by running at a hard effort across the deep end of the pool and then resting to catch your breath.

Swimming for Runners: How to Make Your Pool Workout Boost Your Running Game 8

3. The Kicker

The kick in swimming works to strengthen the hip flexors, IT band, and hamstrings without adding the pounding you would get on the road. If you want to increase your ankle flexibility during this workout, use a pair of short-nosed flippers.

Warm-up: Swim 200 to 400 meters easy.

Main set: Complete five sets of the following interval.

  • 50 meters easy
  • 100 meters fast kick
  • 50 meters easy
  • 100 meters fast swim
  • 15 to 20 seconds of rest
  • Repeat

Cool down: Swim 200 to 400 meters at a recovery pace.

You’ll notice that these workouts are only 1600 meters in length. For a swimmer, 1600 meters isn’t much, but for a runner, it should be more than enough. You’ll stretch your legs and get in a great cardiovascular and muscular workout.

Swimming for Runners: How to Make Your Pool Workout Boost Your Running Game 9

How Often Should I Do Swimming Cross-Training for Running?

We offer a robust library of free training plans for all different types of races. Each one is customizable so you can pencil in your cross-training as needed. The best rule of thumb for cross-training is 3 days of running, 2 days of cross-training. 

Try to dedicate one of those cross-training days to strength building like bodyweight exercises or hill sprints. Then dedicate the other day to swimming for low-impact endurance training. 

If you love swimming and want to do it more often, you can also add a recovery swim to one or both of your rest days. 

While you’re in the pool, remember that aqua jogging can be a great way to rehab old injuries!

As you progress through your training plan, you’ll find the schedule that works best for you. Download one of our free plans and get started planning! 

Swimming for Runners: How to Make Your Pool Workout Boost Your Running Game 10

Take Your Running Further With Our Resources...

Half Marathon Resources

How To Train For a Half Marathon (Article)
Best Half Marathon Running Shoes
Half Marathon Training Plans
Free 5-day Half Marathon Bootcamp
The Half Marathon Masterclass

Marathon Training Resources

How To Train For a Marathon
Best Marathon Running Shoes
Marathon Training Plans
Free Marathon Meal Plans
Free 5-day Marathon Training Bootcamp
The Marathon Training Masterclass

Ultramarathon Training Resources

How To Train For an Ultramarathon
Best GPS Watches for Ultrarunners
Ultramarathon Training Plans
Free 5-day Ultra Runner’s Bootcamp
The Ultra Runner’s Playbook

 

Written by Mia Kercher · Categorized: cross training · Tagged: swimming for runners

The Benefits of Cycling For Runners: How To Use Your Bike To Run Better

Published on February 4, 2021 By Mia Kercher

We’re diving into cycling for runners, examining the benefits of cycling, and comparing cycling with running – with some tips from expert guest writers on the best ways to optimize your training. 

Running and cycling are two pretty intertwined activities: they’re both forms of cardio which get you outdoors and covering terrain on your own steam. It’s no surprise many runners like to hop on a bike occasionally, and vice versa.

But combining running and cycling in your training plan often leads to doubts and questions. Runners often wonder if cycling is actually helping or hindering their running game – does all that pedalling fatigue your legs?

In this post, we’re talking to the experts on:

  • Does cycling help or hinder your run training?
  • The benefits of cycling for runners
  • Recommended cycling workouts for runners – and how to incorporate them into your training plan
  • Cycling vs running: a comparison of the pros and cons of each!

Ready?

Let’s jump in!

benefits of cycling for runners

Does Biking Help Running?

If you’ve been running for some time, you know cross-training is an essential part of your running plan.

Whether you run for a healthy boost, weight loss, or are training for a half marathon, building up strength and endurance is the best way to get the most out of your run. 

Dr. Robert Berghorn, Physical Therapist at Ascent Physical Therapy, helps runners and other endurance athletes train to compete, preserving their bodies at the same time.  

He advocates for cross-training in general, but also emphasizes cycling for runners as an especially effective method. 

“Cross-training, just like in every sport, is a very important aspect of a training schedule for every athlete. Cross-training allows you to get out of the usual cycle of repetitive movements, using different muscles and muscle activation sequences that either complement or enhance primary sports performance when they return. 

benefits of cycling for runners

Cycling for runners is a wonderful way to cross-train as a runner especially if you need to have a good recovery day after a hard training cycle in the off season, or if the runner is injured. 

Incorporating cycling as a recovery day during or after a hard training cycle can be used as a way to flush out the legs and reduce soreness while still getting a good cardiovascular training effect at the same time. 

Injured runners who cannot tolerate the impact of running but still feel fine cycling, can use this as a tool to maintain some level of fitness and cardiovascular health while recovering.” 

Benefits of Cycling for Runners

benefits of cycling for runners

As you can see, recovery and cross-training are the two major benefits of cycling for runners, but those advantages run even deeper.

By digging into those two categories, we’ve discovered these below-the-surface benefits of cycling:

Recovery

  • Cycling aids recovery by increasing the blood flow to your calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quads – all the muscles you need for running.  
  • Cycling flushes out lactic acid, which removes stiffness from your muscles. As your muscles burn more energy, they produce lactic acid, which breaks down in hydrogen ions. 

The hydrogen ions then lower the pH of your muscles, which slows down the muscles’ efficiency. That’s what creates the burning sensation and keeps you from getting the most out of your muscles.

  • Cycling is a good use of injury recovery time. If you’re not able to run because of the impact, cycling on a flat surface can keep your muscles and lungs active and ready to get back on track. 
does biking help running

Cross-training

  • Cycling helps build up your cardio. Since you often cycle longer than you run, you get that additional boost of cardio training in your schedule. 
  • Cycling builds strength in complementary muscles. Both sports activate similar muscles, but each one targets the muscle in a different position. Using both will help build overall strength among those critical muscles used in running. 
  • Cycling decreases body fat. This only happens when you’re cycling uphill and increasing your resistance while you ride. 
  • Cycling improves your run time. It develops stamina and endurance without putting a load of stress on your leg muscles. 

Adding cycling to my weekly schedule helped me personally to skyrocket my run time. When I was running only, I consistently averaged 9-minute miles on my long runs. I took a year-long break from running and replaced it with cycling (plenty of hills, plenty of long distances). When I started running again, I was able to easily hit 7-minute miles, even after the long break!

Cycling Workouts for Runners

does biking help running

If you want to build that additional strength and endurance, riding a few laps around the waterfront will not do you that much good. You’ll need a plan to get a good cycling workout in, at least once a week. 

How to Cycle Correctly

Personal trainer and postpartum running coach, Alison Marie, gives advice on how to make sure you’re positioning yourself correctly on the bike. 

“When cycling one should check that the seat height is adjusted correctly to allow for the full range of motion without overextending: at the straightest the knees should bend at about 145 degrees (this happens to be around the knee angle of the ideal “triple extension” in running as well).

 Clip-in type pedals are ideal because they allow you to truly pedal through the motion instead of simply pushing the pedals down.

When cycling, the range of 80 – 100 RPMs is the ‘sweet spot’ for cardiovascular endurance. One can also use high resistance intervals to simulate something like a hill workout or speed intervals to help work on running cadence.”

Dr. Berghorn also warns about jumping too quickly between cycling and running. 

“One caveat I have about going to and from cycling and running is that you need to be mindful that each activity requires different musculature. If you are a cyclist who is trying to get more into running or a runner who took an extended breakthrough cycling, returning back to running may give you a little surprise. 

A good cyclist does not require the use of their calf during each revolution, acting as a strut to develop all power from the quads and gluteal muscles. When going from cycling to running therefore, the increased power and activation for propulsion of each stride through the calf can lead to tendonitis or extra aches in your calves or feet. 

Despite being cardiovascularly ready to run, easing back into running after a long stint of just cycling is best in order to prevent this type of breakdown.”

Here Are Two Sample Cycling Workouts

benefits of cycling for runners

Josh Muskin, a triathlete (Ironman and Ironman 70.3) and marathon runner, has coached thousands of triathletes and runners and highly recommends cycling for runners during training for himself and all his clients. 

“I’ve found 2 main places that cycling fits in super well for running or marathon training: 

  • Recovery and/or use while nursing a running injury
  • Brick training or Tired Leg training

1. Recovery Workout

Long runs, or even hard tempo efforts, usually result in some sore legs – compliments of lactic acid being built up over those workouts. Cycling can be used as a method to flush that lactic acid from the legs to recover more rapidly. 

The way in which to do this is to get on a stationary trainer or a flat consistent road, and pedal at a very high cadence (95+ RPM), but at a resistance that allows you to move that quickly in a Z1 (maybe Z2) heart rate. 

In such an activity, you’ll utilize fast-twitch muscle fibers to move quickly, but not overload the main musculature of the legs. The rapid movement, done over 30 minutes or longer, helps slowly move that static lactic acid out of the legs without taxing them significantly.

A ride like this can be done after a hard workout, or on a rest day to reset the body for the coming week.

2. Bricks and Tired Leg Training

“The other place cycling plays a role in run training is on a hard effort,” Muskin says. “Bricks consist of a steady effort on a bike, followed by a hard effort on a run.”

  • Push even at a 5-6 rate of perceived exertion (out of 10).
  • Hop off the bike and push hard for 2-4 miles.

This allows for a short and intense workout, on ‘tired legs’ without subjecting the body to unnecessary ‘pounding.’ 

I find this a great replacement for the occasional short tempo run or hard 5k, and often more impactful.”

Which is Better? Cycling Vs Running

cycling vs running

If you’re wondering which sport is better for you in the long run, you should know there are pros and cons to both. 

Cycling Pros

  • Cycling is easier to hold your heart rate in a lower zone. Your heart rate directly correlates to your oxygen intake and affects all heart-related diseases and issues. 
  • Cycling has less impact than running. There are many more injuries associated with running. 
  • You can cover more distance with cycling, which can make the workout more exciting. 

Running Pros

  • Cycling workouts need to be longer. Because running takes so much more effort, a 30-minute run could be the equivalent of a 2-hour bike ride (depending on the resistance level). 
  • Cycling induces injuries too. Cycling is hard on the knees, which means neither sport is immune to the lasting impact on your body.
  • Running burns more calories in a shorter amount of time.  

When it comes to biking vs running, I advise including both in your training program. The two complement each other well. 

However, if you need to choose one, then consider your goals in doing so. If you’re just trying to exercise for health, then take into account the time you have to commit. 

If you’re wanting to build muscle, then either one is fine, as long you incorporate hills and resistance. 

If you are prone to injury, cycling is a safer option. 

biking vs running

If you’re training for a marathon or half marathon, focus on running but include cycling as part of your cross-training. 

If the last one fits your description, download one of our free marathon training plans. They are fully customizable, which means you can pencil in your cross-training with ease. 

Take Your Running Further With Our Resources...

Half Marathon Resources

How To Train For a Half Marathon (Article)
Best Half Marathon Running Shoes
Half Marathon Training Plans
Free 5-day Half Marathon Bootcamp
The Half Marathon Masterclass

Marathon Training Resources

How To Train For a Marathon
Best Marathon Running Shoes
Marathon Training Plans
Free Marathon Meal Plans
Free 5-day Marathon Training Bootcamp
The Marathon Training Masterclass

Ultramarathon Training Resources

How To Train For an Ultramarathon
Best GPS Watches for Ultrarunners
Ultramarathon Training Plans
Free 5-day Ultra Runner’s Bootcamp
The Ultra Runner’s Playbook

 

Written by Mia Kercher · Categorized: cross training · Tagged: cycling, cycling for runners

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