Swimming and cycling

[country joe]

Ive been mixing my weeks between Cycling and Swimming, is this good, should i include walking i dont like Gyms,
Apart from keeping you fit, does Swimming improve your cycling.

 

[jay clock]

I do not think that swimming specifically improves cycling. But as a very keen triathlete I can tell you that mixing all three events has made me fitter than ever by a massive margin. Over the past couple of years I even have defined muscles in the upper arms and shoulders!

www.tritalk.co.uk/forums would be a good place to post your question

 

[ronmac]

Country Joe, I only took up cycling last August (not racing just local rides and occasional tour). For the last 20 years I've been more of a swimmer (I'm 57). I love my swimming and it keeps me really fit, as fit as I thought I wanted to be. I now also love the cycling and it has improved my already excellent fitness. I combine the two and feel great - absolutely no downside at all. To me they produce 2 different kinds of physical feelgood and also a combined feeling of wellbeing.
So combine the 2 and ENJOY. p.s. every sunday I cycle 6 miles to the baths, swim 2 miles, and cycle back again. I absolutely love it and so look forward to it. I consider myself really lucky to be able to do this. All the best. Ron.

 

[numbnuts]

Do you keep your swimming and cycling separately or do you use a snorkel

 

[palinurus]

I find swimming helps to loosen my legs up. Hardly very scientific I know. I've no idea what's happening, but they feel a whole load better after a swim.

I'm pretty rubbish at swimming but I do enjoy it. I don't know whether it'll help my cycling but I don't reckon it'll make it worse.

 

[palinurus]

I find swimming helps to loosen my legs up. Hardly very scientific I know. I've no idea what's happening, but they feel a whole load better after a swim.

I'm pretty rubbish at swimming but I do enjoy it. I don't know whether it'll help my cycling but I don't reckon it'll make it worse.

 

[ronmac]

Hey numbnuts, You might be onto a something here - underwater cycling ! Perhaps we could throw in running too and have underwater triathlons. And not in swimming pools - cycle tracks at the bottom of rivers - no traffic or pedestrians to contend with. Brilliant.

 

[andygates]

And it would be easy to spot punctures!

 

[Bodhbh]

I find swimming helps to loosen my legs up. Hardly very scientific I know. I've no idea what's happening, but they feel a whole load better after a swim.

I do find it can make my legs very stiff, although I'm stuck with whatever I learnt as a kid, so pretty much limited to a lot of lengths in the breastroke and probably not with great technique. Do enjoy it anyhow, at one time it was my main excercise.

For the first time in a year I tried an hour last weekend when the weather was crappy, and it seemed much much easier than when I first started swimming as an adult which I guess is aerobic benifits of the cycling. Didn't help my muscles much although when I felt like I'd been 10 rounds with Frank Bruno about 2hrs after leaving the pool. But nice change!

 

[ronmac]

Didn't help my muscles much although when I felt like I'd been 10 rounds with Frank Bruno about 2hrs after leaving the pool. But nice change!

Sounds like you might be trying to do too much too soon. In my opinion breathing is very important in swimming. Get that right and the rest should follow on.
Your muscles should be fairly relaxed and breathing calm when swimming. Once these are right you can up the tempo, but under your control. To anybody who would like to combine swimming with their cycling but isn't a great swimmer it would worth taking a few swimming lessons just to get the basics right. The benefits are well worth the bother. But don't stop cycling if you start loving the swimming !

 

[ColinJ]

Hey numbnuts, You might be onto a something here - underwater cycling ! Perhaps we could throw in running too and have underwater triathlons. And not in swimming pools - cycle tracks at the bottom of rivers - no traffic or pedestrians to contend with. Brilliant.

Mountain bikers have been doing that for years - 2007 World MTB Bog Snorkelling Championships!

 

[Bodhbh]

Sounds like you might be trying to do too much too soon. In my opinion breathing is very important in swimming. Get that right and the rest should follow on...

To anybody who would like to combine swimming with their cycling but isn't a great swimmer it would worth taking a few swimming lessons just to get the basics right.

Ah yes I probably was, but think I will keep swimming as a occassional treat rather than part of any regular exercise atm, so as long as I don't go an injure myself going mad, no harm done. Would be nice as you say to get some proper adult lessons at the some point just to nip whatever bad habits I've got in the bud.

 

[walker]

yes swimming will improvbe cycling by increasing Lung funtion and capacity. in a nut shell.

 

[Dave5N]

But it won't make you a better cyclist.
If you want to get better at riding a bike, ride a bike more.