How Swimming Can Help You Run

Camille was telling me that on holiday, she intended to swim a couple of lengths, but somehow ended up doing 40! She’s attributing this to increased fitness from running, but I thought I’d look into how swimming can help your running.

I am a reasonably rubbish swimmer – I only nailed head-in-the-water breaststroke a couple of years ago – but I am married to a great swimmer. Angela is the only keen swimmer I know of in the group.

Endurance Crossover

Swimming is aerobic, CV exercise. Add a 20 minute reasonably intensive swim to your routine (i.e. not stopping for a 5 minute chat every other length!) and you’ll improve your body’s fitness and stamina. As it is low impact with the water supporting your body, you can add this without stressing your joints.

And adding running to swimming is good too. Running is high impact and weight bearing – so helps to build protection against osteoporosis.

Muscle Crossover

The beauty of swimming is that it doesn’t use the same mix of muscles in the same way as running. There’s much more upper body work and that can balance the lower body emphasis of running. And I find that swimming does work my core too.

Breaststroke is a good all over body workout. Front crawl has the advantage of working your ankles for the kicking action.

It is also resistance work, so you’ll strengthen your muscles more.

Technique Crossover

I think that you see the benefits of great technique more obviously for swimming than many other activities – and it helps to build the message that technique really matters! Timing can improve the efficiency of a stroke - as it can the efficiency of your stride.

Running and Swimming Together

Triathlon is the obvious way to combine running and swimming – with cycling too. If the thought of open water & wetsuits is a little daunting, there are events where the swimming bit is done in the pool.

Swimming can be a great recovery activity – easing your body back into exercise after injury or a big race in the pool allows you to get muscles moving without risking joints.

Getting Started

Because technique does make all the difference between feeling that your swim was simply drowning avoidance or actually a great workout, do consider taking some lessons. Or persuade a friend who swims well to join you in the pool to give you a few pointers.