Hobby joggist here who was not underweight nor am anywhere near overweight but started cross training to supplement running. I'm at about 7 hours per week of running and plan to swim 3 hours per week. But, was it worth gaining the extra muscle and fat to gain more non impact strength/endurance work? Where does the extra body weight start to reduce the effects of "fitness"? This is rather complicated so I didn't I'll get many serious answers. Let's say weight went up 10%, half muscle, half fat.
Gained 10 lbs to swim better, is it worth the cross training?
Training Advice/Discussion
Cross Training
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Most weight gain in 80% muscle and a high proportion of muscle is water. What's helping you swim easier is the body fat.
Unless you actually consider the triathlon a sport, not much reason to spend three hours in the pool each week. Aside from the chemical exposure, you aren't really doing anything for your fitness that you couldn't get from 20-30' of strength training or circuit training or a few minutes of more purposeful running. -
the problem is you now take more impact when you run. If the pool is at a gym you could lift, swim lift for those three hours, come out leaner. I do think swimming is good for the mobility and breath control, but also lift or do pushups at least to burn more calories. as a runner you cant afford the fat.
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For every lb you gain you need 2lbs of force to offset it to improve. Almost always the gain in weight will make you a slower runner.
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The weight you gained is mostly fat (60-80%), get a body composition check if in doubt
Lift to correct that tendency. Swimmers always put on weight when training. And not the good kind unless you're super diligent on diet/lifting
I'm a swimmer/surfer so I say go for it, but I'm under no illusion that it makes me a faster runner -
What's your goal?
If you want to be a more rounded athlete with a more muscolar look it's worth it.
If you want to run faster obviously no. Swimming is the least useful cross training for running imho, unless you're injured. -
What's with all the hobbyjogger threads lately?
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HobbyJoggerSpotted wrote:
What's with all the hobbyjogger threads lately?
It's springtime! -
Surrounded by HJ wrote:
HobbyJoggerSpotted wrote:
What's with all the hobbyjogger threads lately?
It's springtime!
Great point. -
Ride the exercise bike.
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How is swimming is the effective cross training for runners? That's bologna. Swimming is hard and is an incredible cardio workout. Swim for 30 min non stop and then tell me afterward it was a waste of time.....
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Cici wrote:
How is swimming is the effective cross training for runners? That's bologna. Swimming is hard and is an incredible cardio workout. Swim for 30 min non stop and then tell me afterward it was a waste of time.....
My swim goal this year was 365km and am tracking ahead of that goal right now. As for running? Well, I've been lazy and recovering and haven't logged a road mile since November and have pool jogged. Sunday I ran a half marathon on zero training, and hit my times from last summer when I was running regularly. So it does work for fitness - at least I think so. -
The ten pounds you gained made you more of a man. Congratulations, fit boi.
