Swimming is a great sport on so many different levels. It allows you to work on your strength and endurance levels, yet is also low-impact on your joints. Even if you are a runner, swimming can help you greatly in improving your running performance. Here are some ways how spending more time in the water can help you with your road work:
1. Swimming works different muscles
Swimming is a full-body exercise that works the core, legs and arms. All of these muscles can help you in running both faster and for longer distances. Furthermore, swimming can be done as a high intensity exercise and that can train and condition your body for better performance.
2. Swimming trains your endurance
One reason why distance runners can endure long periods of exercise is because their bodies are trained to make every bit of oxygen count. Swimming is a demanding activity which trains your circulatory and respiratory systems to function as efficiently as possible. This results in a carryover that builds your endurance and allows you to run long distances without feeling going out of breath as easily.
3. Swimming is a tool for breath work
Athletic swimmers are taught how to breathe properly with each stroke in the water. This makes their breathing more efficient and their respiratory capacity higher. By learning how to breathe properly, swimmers can also train their lungs to allow intake of oxygen with a higher efficacy. These habits can also be used in running to delay the onset of fatigue.
4. Swimming helps your body to recover
As swimming is considered to be a low-impact exercise due to the buoyancy of the water alleviating our joints of any pressure, moving in the water allows you to stay active even when you’re injured. Swimming in a heated pool can help in relaxing tense muscles and speed up recovery.
Despite both exercises being dissimilar, the training received in swimming can be applied to running as well. Sparing the effort to get good at both might even open you up to the possibility of taking part in a running and swimming biathlon in the future. Plus, what’s not to like about taking a plunge after spending time under the hot sun?
References
http://www.executivestyle.com.au/five-ways-swimming-can-make-you-a-better-runner-gztoim