5 reasons why runners should swim

We all know that running is a great way of staying fit, but if you really want to keep that runners’ physique in top condition, here are 5 reasons why runners should swim too. So go don your swimming costume and head to the pool to improve your personal best on the track.

It’s great for boosting strength

Just like running, swimming is a great way of raising your heart rate and improving your stamina, and is generally a great cardio workout for your body. It also provides resistance training, particularly for your upper body as you’re constantly pushing through the water. SwimSeals experts say that ‘water is 12 times denser than air, therefore swimming is a more effective way to improve muscle growth than any other form of land-based cardiovascular exercise’.

It’s low-impact
Although running is a great way to exercise, it can take its toll on your body due to its high impact nature. Swimming on the other hand is non-weight-bearing, so your body doesn’t have to deal with the stress of impact absorption. This is why swimming is a fab alternative as it still works lots of the same muscle groups, while giving other areas of your body, such as your knees, a well-earned rest.

Excellent active recovery

The University of Western Australia recently conducted an experiment that proved that swimming after intense interval training or a 2K run enabled the participants to perform faster on their next run. This is due to the fact that swimming provides amazing active recovery for your body. This is a particularly good idea if you’re training for an event such as a marathon, as it allows your body to keep working in a different way which can be very beneficial to your running.

It improves your breathing

Breathing is important (obviously!), but it is especially important to maintain a good rhythm with your breathing when running. This is where swimming is again a fantastic way of improving running skills, as good breathing patterns and rhythm are essential in the pool too. Getting your breathing just right when swimming lengths should enable you to control your breaths when running, allowing you to power through and improve your performance. Experts from SwimSeals say, ‘Swimming increases your lung volume and forces you to learn better breathing techniques that can aid you when completing those running laps on the track.’

Relaxation and recuperation

Sometimes it’s good to slow down your workout and do something a bit different. Personal trainer Dylan Jones claims that being healthy doesn’t have to be led by ‘boring restrictive diets or time consuming workouts’. While it’s important to balance your workouts and sports, it’s also important to have fun while you’re doing it. Being in the pool is a great way to let your muscles relax and recuperate from other activities like running, having fun while you’re doing it.