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FITNESS:
Lap It Up: Cross-Training in the Pool

By Donna Smallin

Your heart doesn't care what kind of cardiovascular workout it gets just so long as it gets a workout. So why stick with the same old, same old routine of running or cycling?

Fitness swimming and deep water running not only add variety to your winter workouts, but can also help to strengthen different muscles groups and preserve fitness in the off-season.

Deep Water Running

Deep water running is a super, no-impact cross-training activity for anyone who wants to build or preserve leg strength. Because it uses the same muscles as running on land, it's especially appealing to runners who are prone to or recovering from shin splints, stress fractures, hamstring or lower back injuries.

If you're a runner, consider substituting one or more days of deep water running for an equal number of days of outdoor running to give your legs a break after a long, hard training season. (Marathoners, got that?)

Next time you run on land, you'll notice that your legs feel fresher—as if they've had a rest. The really good news though is that the strength training you do in the pool can pay off in faster race times come springtime. The key is to make sure that your workouts in the pool feel as hard as your workouts on land.

Here's some even better news. In a 6-week study of runners who ran only in deep water and not a single step on dry land, deep water running was actually proven to preserve racing ability. The downside is that it can get boring. Interval work helps to break up the monotony.

Fitness Swimming

Unlike most cardiovascular workouts, swimming works all of your major muscle groups, but is particularly good for building upper body strength. It also increases your body's capacity to attract more oxygen from your lungs, which can improve your running and cycling. 

The best stroke to use is the freestyle stroke (or "the crawl" as it was called when I took swimming lessons some 30-odd years ago). Even if it's not your best stroke, the freestyle stroke is most efficient at raising your heart rate.

Plan to do long swims at 55-60% of your maximum heart rate [55% x (220 minus your age)] and interval work at 75%-85% [75% x (220 minus your age)] of your max. NOTE: Subtract 10-20 beats per minute to find your in-pool training zone. That’s because your heart doesn't have to work quite as hard in cool water to get the same cardiovascular benefit.

In addition to straight swimming, you may wish to incorporate some interval work with the kickboard or pull buoy. If, for example, you want to work on developing hamstrings, hip flexors and quadriceps, try doing intervals of flutter kicking. If you want to work on improving your stroke technique, try placing a pull buoy between your thighs.

Getting Started

As with any cross-training activity, don't make the mistake of adding a pool workout. What you want to do is substitute one day of pool work for one day of cardiovascular training.

For maximum benefit in the shortest amount of time, do your pool workout as an interval workout. Remember, you'll be working different muscle groups, so start with a 20-30 minute workout and build up. Once you get comfortable, you can really go at it hard.

Which pool workout you choose depends on what you want to achieve. And hey, you never know, you might be so pleased with the results that you decide to make pool workouts a regular part of your training program.

Donna Smallin is a freelance writer and fitness enthusiast who lives in Lake Placid and "laps it up" once a week at Lake Placid Health & Fitness.

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