Does Running Help Improve Swimming Speed and Endurance?

Run Your Way to Better Swimming

Runners looking to cross-train and swimmers seeking to build endurance outside the pool have more in common than they think. Combining running with swim workouts leads to improved cardiovascular health, muscle balance and mental toughness that boosts performance in the water.

Cardiovascular Improvements from Running Help Swimming

Running and swimming both demand top-notch cardiovascular conditioning to excel. Run training enhances lung capacity, strengthens the heart and circulatory system and increases aerobic endurance - all athletic attributes that bolster time in the pool as well:

• Bigger, more efficient lungs optimize oxygen utilization when swimming laps.
• An adaptive heart pumps more nutrient-rich blood to working muscles.
• Overall improved endurance delays the onset of muscular and mental fatigue.

In short, runners who hop in the pool benefit from an engine upgraded for delivering strength and stamina vital to efficient swimming.

Leg Muscles Get a Break while Arms Drive Swimming

For runners prone to overuse lower body injuries, swimming offers relief to weary legs and feet while maintaining top-notch fitness. Arms propel swimmers through the water, allowing runners' primary muscle groups some valuable recovery time while training other essential upper body mobility:

• Latissimus dorsi muscles of the back power strokes.
• Shoulders stabilize and stretch with extended reaching motions.
• Biceps, triceps and forearms all activate to paddle efficiently.

This complimentary cross-training effect helps swimmers avoid injury while building the balanced musculoskeletal strength all athletes need.

Mental Toughness and Discipline Transfer Between Running and Swimming

Just as physical conditioning crossover benefits occur, so too do psychological carryovers exist between running and swim training. Both demand high levels of motivation, mental grit and disciplined habits to excel, skills runners intrinsically develop that swimming equally requires:

• Comfort pushing through pain and breathing discomfort builds mental fortitude.
• Self-motivation to train solo through boredom or inclement weather persists.
• Dedication to proper technique established with running drives efficient swimming.

In short, the mental toughness runners demonstrate pays dividends for swimmers in work ethic, resilience during demanding sets and meets, and overall mindset.

Better Breathing Efficiency from Running Enhances Swimming

Proper breathing drives performance in running and swimming alike. Mastering rhythmic inhalation, exhalation and breathing capacity while running primes swimmers to excel in the pool where these skills prove vital:

• Optimized lung performance results in more efficient oxygen usage while swimming
• An intuitive sense of timing and pacing breathing develops.
• Comfort swimming while breathless from exertion feels more natural.

In short, runners boast enhanced respiration and air consumption that directly bolsters swimming capacity even during grueling middle distance sets.

The Nutritional Foundation from Running Supports Swimming

Maintaining a performance diet that meets running's heavy caloric and nutrient demands pays additional dividends for swimmers. Consuming quality carbs, lean protein and essential vitamins provides dietary building blocks vital to excelling in two high-output sports:

• Carbs - The fuel muscles burn through long runs and endless pools.
• Protein - The nutrient for post-run and swim muscle repair and growth.
• Micronutrients - Vital vitamins and minerals to optimize performance.

Runners innately develop sound nutritional habits to support training that serves them swimmingly during peaks demands in the pool.

The Benefits of Swimming for Runners

Clearly runners reap numerous crossover rewards in the pool. But just as certainly, adding swim workouts provides physical and mental perks directly benefiting runners beyond simply cross training variety:

• Non-impact cardio - No wear and tear from pavement pounding.
• Upper body engagement - Balance strength building.
• Relieves lower body strain - Lets legs fully recover.
• Enhances flexibility - Greater range of motion and stride.

Swimming's low-impact nature, focus on different muscles and support for joint and connective tissue relief make hopping in the pool a logical cross training component for injury-prone runners.

Ideal Swimming Strokes for Runners

While all swimming strokes enhance general fitness for runners, certain specific movements best reinforce efficient biomechanics that support better form and economy out on roads and trails:

• Freestyle - Mirrors the forward-only motion of running stride.
• Backstroke - Strengthens core essential for good running posture.
• Breaststroke - Engages hip extensors like glutes used in running drives.

Focusing swim training on strokes that maximize power and mimic running dynamics pays the greatest dividends come race day performance.

A Gradual Training Progression Prevents Injury

While running and swimming may complement each other wonderfully for cross training, large spikes in duration or intensity while adapting to the new sport invites overuse injuries. Steady, gradual acclamation to water workouts allows the body to adapt properly:

• Begin with short, modified swimming sets mixed with plenty of rest.
• Slowly increase yardage, speed then stroke complexity over many weeks as fitness improves.
• Avoid hyperextending joints with movements the body isn't conditioned for yet.

Rushing into swim training too ambitiously overdoes muscles unfamiliar with aquatic resistance, sidelining runners with shoulder impingement or knee inflammation.

Listen Carefully to Body Signals When Transitioning Sports

Even with a slow, progressive adaptation to new swim training, subtle signs of overexertion may still arise. Careful self-monitoring helps catch issues before they become full blown injury:

• Lightheadedness - Inadequate breathing capacity.
• Shoulder pinching - Rotator cuff compression.
• Hip tightness - Backstroke overextension.

Easing up when these or other warning twinges happen keeps problems from cascading into lost training time.

Optimal Combination of Land and Water Training

There’s no doubt appropriately balanced running and swimming complements training perfectly. Each sport reinforces the other’s weaknesses with specific crossover strengthening unique to that activity. Together they build a foundation supporting peak performance.

Just be sure not to overdo new aquatics workouts too quickly. Pay close attention to body signals, adapt training loads gradually and running fitness will soon soar!

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.