Thought this would help you all. I read somewhere online or in a book that swimming in general loostens your pelvic joints, and your hip flexors. I was told by a Ranger that if you took 2 weeks of straight pool cardio 4 days a week minimum, that you could cut some huge seconds off of your running time. I've done some internet searching but haven't found anything with swimming and anatomy, but still looking.

For all of you guys in the gym bulking up, put the weights down.

This is all you need.

"Swimming and Running: The Perfect Combination?
December 6, 2006 | Tags: Cross Training"

"I started swimming competitively when I was about 11 or 12 years old. Since then swimming has at different times drifted in and out of my workout regimen. I have always felt that swimming was a good way to stay fit, but it wasn’t until I started running and training for the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon in 2006 that I really recognized the true value of integrating swimming into an overall fitness plan—specifically a fitness plan including running loads of miles.

Swimming and running compliment each other in so many ways it really should have been clear to me earlier on that paring the two was going to be very beneficial. Lets look at some of the ways that swimming and running work together to provide maximum results.

Impact: Let’s face it, running is a high impact activity. Every step has an impact on the whole body and this can, over time, take its toll. Adding swimming to your fitness plan allows for an intense cardio workout without the impact. Having these low impact Workouts will provide more opportunity for rest which will allow you to not only run better on your run days, but run longer and more injury free over all.

Upper Body vs. Lower Body: I don’t think anyone would ever claim that running is a strenuous upper body workout. Mainly, running works your trunk and lower body, leaving the upper body out of the mix. Swimming brings the upper body back in to focus and allows you to create a more balanced physique. In addition to a great upper body workout, swimming provides a solid lower body workout (think of kicking for laps and laps around your pool), again improving your running by providing more power and endurance.

Lean vs. Bulk: Distance runners and swimmers have a remarkably similar body structure. Neither are looking for bulk. Bulk and excess muscle will slow down a runner and sink a swimmer. What both sports are looking for is strong, lean, flexible muscle and low body fat. These are the things that make fast runners (distance runners at least, I think sprinters are a little different) and highly competitive swimmers. Compare athletes like Paul Tergat (running) and Michael Phelps (swimming) - very similar body structure. The activities of both swimming and running promote this body type - they both burn huge amounts of fat, and build strength while reducing bulk.

Resistance: We all know that resistance training is good, right? Adding a little lifting to our Workouts adds muscle, makes us stronger, and thus a better runner. Now think of being able to do resistance training for an hour or more straight without changing weights or messing with machines and working every muscle in your body. That is what swimming provides, consistent resistance training without the headache of a weight room. Keep in mind, weight training is good too, but swimming will help.

Bottom-line, swimming and running just work well together. They complement each other very nicely and each helps the other. For me, this is the best combination possible. "

http://completerunning.com/archives/2006/12/06/swimming-and-running-the-perfect-combination/

Sarafin,
I disagree with your post. I also disagree with dispensing advice when you have so little personal knowledge or experience to base it on.
I have a BS Degree in Phys Ed/Physiology and I don't spout off as much as you do. And when I give advice, I don't quote on line articles. I synthesize four years of college classes, eight years of competetive running, two years of coaching, two years in the Pipeline, 14 years in Air Force Special Operations, and what I've read in the latest publications. That's called putting things in perspective.


I also disagree with your Ranger Buddy's ideas of how much swimming helps your running. Of course, since he and I are not talking, I don't know exactly the gist of your converstaion or his perspective. I beleive that if you are running at your full potential at any given time, swimming may maintain your cardio. It is not going to retain the strength and enduarance of the muscles you use while running. I've spent years running and swimming, even dabbled in triathelons. I've found that because these are all endurance/cardio activities, they complement your cardio performance but they don't help the muscular strength or muscular endurance of the other activities. Why? I believe it is beacuase these activities use different muscles or use the same muscles through different ranges of motion.

As for the assertion that swimming could "cut some huge seconds off of your running time", that has not been my experience. During my Junior Year of College, I suffered severe Tendonitis in both legs. Apparently, dispite my desire to do so, my body could not sustain 6 weeks of 70 miles/week training followed by 2 weeks at 90 miles/wk and a week at 100 miles (all with two speed days and a race per week and no rest days). The Regional Championships were coming up and I was the #5 Man and the most consistant (though boring) runner on the Team so Coach wanted me in the race. The Atheletic Traineers prescribed two weeks of swimming and biking, with speed and endurance work in each. All went well. I had my heart rate in the target zone for all work outs. I went to the Meet and ran my normal pace for the first mile. No problems cardio wise but the legs felt a little weak. No matter, this is the big race, get going. So I picked up the pace for the second and third miles, running faster than usual but I attributed this to the much flatter than normal course. Cardio is doing great but man, the legs feel heavy. The next two miles got progressively worse. By the last mile, my legs were on fire and could barely move them. I stumbled through the last 400 yards at a walking pace. Why? Turns out that no matter how good your cardio is, those muscles left unused through their usual range of motion just can't function at max intensity no matter how much oxygen they can get. Seems muscle strength and enduranace are partially functions of range of motion and partially intensity of effort. And max performance of a given exercise, say running, is a function of muscular strength, muscular endurance, and cardio capacity.
Well anyway, that's my perspective; based on experience and a little bit of knowledge.

Hopefully, when guys offer advice, they do so with a little perspective too.

I'm with MC on this one. I got back into swimming last year after developing some bad shin splints. When I did return to running I wasn't smoking anyone's time. I did like that I could breathe however I wanted to, and didn't have to time it with my stroke.

To use a music analogy: just because you play the violin doesn't mean you can play the upright bass. While similarities exist, they require very different technique.

Same with running and swimming. To improve your running, run. To improve your swimming, swim. Simple.

Hey thank you for correcting me- you're right I don't know much anything as much as you guys, and I don't try to come off like I do. The only kind of "research" I have been able to do is talk with people who were in STS, Rangers, or SEALs. Granted almost all of them were retired but still had knowledge to offer. I wasn't sure if what I was hearing from the Ranger if it were exactly true, it just made sense for some reason.

I'll chill out on the posts, I just get all excited and think I've discovered something helpful. Everyone keeps telling me to stay out of the gym and not try to gain weight, but to run and swim. Calisthenics was the only recipe that I have been getting from a few STS instructors.

Just wanted to know if I am being "fed" right. Thanks Guard- and I'll be more cautious of my tone on here- I never want to seem like I have experience or know what I am talking about- that's what you guys are here for...

Thanks again.

I think we all have to realize that most of these internet articles are written for beginners and maybe lower level competitors (soccer moms running 5ks ect). At this level, I think ANY crosstraining will lower your time. At the level we train for/at, that is not the case however. We have to be good at 3 things: running, swimming, and cals. If we only were training for 5ks but swam and did cals of course it would help. But when you train to be elite in all 3, you loose the crosstraining effect significantly. You could even compare this to push ups and pull ups. When I first came to this site I could only do 2 dead hangs and 30 push ups. At this beginning level, doing ins and outs on my pull ups upping them to 8 helped my pushups. But now that I can do 12 pull ups and 55 push ups, If I got my pull ups to 20, my push ups wouldn't budge. I don't have a BS in kins and phys
(although I want one) but I think my experience as a raw beginner could help with the perspective and future readers.

DO NOT stay out of a gym. You can easily incorporate weights (and you need to) into swimming, cals, and running. You will just need to provide your body with enough fuel to fully benefit from such Workouts. Mix it up. Cals will directly effect your weight lifting, and vice versa. I don't know who is telling you to stay out of a gym. But don't listen.

serafin. kettlebells/medicine balls, and light weight are fine.

We were trying to help you understand there is no reason to go into the gym and throw up 300lbs on the bench. It won't get you far when it comes to swiming. Because muscle density goes through the roof when your bulk up which in turn causes you to sink when you get in the pool. When your bulked up your flexability takes a turn for the worse. Only good thing in your post was the mention of a strong lean body with little % bodyfat. Big bulky guys have a more difficult time trying to do pushups and flexability cals due to their size.

Weight training is fine just use it with proper moderation. Functional strength is key to this whole thing thats all i keep hearing...it doesn't matter if you can squat 500lbs if you can't climb a rope.


Guard please correct me if i may have stated something untrue i believe your the deffinately more knowledgable than i am on this.

Don't miss understand me and think I meant for him to bulk up beyond belief please. I'm only assuming he has no weight equip at home since most people don't so I to get the training you need a gym of some sort. I'd consider kettle bells and medicine balls a form of weight training since it involves more than just your own body weight to complete the motion but I may be wrong. I agree with what you posted above, I just think you miss understood me is all.

i was explaining to serafin i understood your post and just went off on a tangent (spelling?)

Fellas,
Has anyone noticed that Sarafin's post is almost a year old? I don't even know if he is checking out the site anymore.

But, since we are on the topic, I have to say that everyone has posted intelligent and cogent posts. I don't disagree with anyone on this (except Sarafin's original assertion).

I DO think SOPWOD has the the most merit for Pipline Prep of any single system I've seen. I base that on being a CrossFitter myselt and, most importantly, that Pipeline Instructors recommend SOPWOD. I also know and trust the guys who post most of the SOPWOD. They are ANG PJs who have to prepare our own guys for the Pipeline, and who are CF Certified and own their own CrossFit gym. They've been prepping guys for years and have a great success rate.

SOPWOD is outstanding. Thanks to those who create the Workouts. I use SOPWOD religiously and results have been stellar.