Give us your formal education wrote:
Canefis wrote:
Swimming will not improve your base. There is no vertical height between running muscles and working heart as you are in horizontal position and your left ventricle will not stretch.
Best is:
1) ski (you are vertical, all muscles are working)
2) running
3) rowing on sup
4) cycling (double less effective compare to running, as you are seating and distance between heart and working muscles is shorter).
What you stated about needing to be vertical sound like nothing more than Bro Science. Do you possess a master degree in biology or PhD? Are you a physiologist? Poster, Alan Webb was a competitive 500 yard swimmer in high school through at least his sophomore school year. You may respond: Why don't we see more Alan Webb-types? Most swimmers who reach Olympics were all in before the age of 6. Some swim coaches do have their swimmers run some for cross-training. That does not go well often though. Swimmers legs tend to be fragile from not doing enough weight bearing exercises. Also, most runners cannot jump in the pool and swim 1000 plus yards.
I'm not the poster you were replying to, but that point about vertical vs horizontal is scientifically valid. Look up a journal study titled "Endurance Exercise-Induced Cardiac Remodeling: Not All Sports Are Created Equal" doi: 10.1016/j.echo.2015.08.002
However, any aerobic exercise is beneficial and I can't see how it does not contribute to an improved base.