Cross Training for Swimmers During Pool Closure

Gayelene Clews (Masters Sports Science) in consultation with Ben Gathercole (Olympic Triathlon Coach)

Depending what each athlete has available

1. Intervals can be done running outside or on a treadmill

2. Intervals can be done cycling outside or on a mounted indoor trainer

3. Hill running or hill climbing on a bike can provide a good substitute.

4. Stair running can also be a good substitute to lessen impact. Run the up the stairs and walk down concentrating on the eccentric contraction

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS:

Specific Warm-up / Warm-down routines have been created by SSA (with Tom Barton) and SSI (With Desmond Boey Biomechanist) to create a full session program for swimmers and coaches to follow. Find in SSA-TV Fitness Section

These are progressive from Basic for newcomers to cross training through Advanced for more experienced runners or cyclists. As you progress through the 6 week program your warm-up routines can progress as well from basic to advanced.

All warmup / warmdown routines are designed so you can complete this part of the training session indoors before heading outside for the main set if you are not using indoor treadmill or bike, complying with "Circuit Breaker" requirements exercising outdoors. Always take your face mask moving between your home and starting place/finish of the main set.

While swimming is the best training for swimmers, athletes can maintain cardiovascular fitness through cross training. When the heart and lungs are working hard, they don’t care if the increased heart rate and oxygen exchange is gained from swimming, cycling or running, they are still getting a workout. The following sets are substitute training sessions for swimmers who do not have access to a pool during the Covid19 "Circuit Breaker", to help minimise any detraining while swimmers are out of the pool.

Key areas of fitness

1. Long slow distance helps growth new blood supplies to the working muscles (capillarization).

2. Threshold sets help to increase the heart rate an athlete can run at before too much lactic acid accumulates in the muscle slowing the athlete down.

3. Lactate tolerance sets speed up the conversation of lactic acid back into energy within the capillaries so the athlete can sustain higher levels of lactic acid for longer periods improving overall speed.

4. Maximal efforts tap into an anaerobic system of pure sprinters.

5. Recovery has to be slow enough that it gets rid of an excess lactic acid accumulated in the muscles.

There is a very real risk of injury to swimmers from too many long slow kilometres of running so training sets will be kept to a moderate distance and will focus on threshold and lactate tolerance training.

Two sessions are recommended each week (with no more than 3 recommended), where the intense running component is kept to 10 – 15mins per session. If the swimmer is particularly well conditions for running, they may choose a third session. The sessions are not too long, because muscle sore is okay but we don’t want swimmers to be bone sore.

Sample Sessions

1. Swimmers are not used to the muscle soreness that comes from impact exercises such as running.

2. Half an hour of activation and stretching before running and/or cycling sets is recommended. (See Specific Warm-up to Run / Cycle Posts with Tom Barton and Desmond Boey - Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Options. These are loaded separately in the fitness section of the SSA-TV website))

3. Ten minutes of running (brisk walking) should follow activation and stretching

4. The main set is completed (Progressive 6 week program below)

5. Ten minutes of easy running (graduating down to walking) should follow the main set as a cool-down. (Use a mask walking to and back from main set location)

6. Ten – 15 minutes of stretching. (See Specific Warm-Down Stretch Routines for running and cycling from Tom Barton which can be done in your home post main set - these are loaded separately in the fitness section of the SSA-TV website)

7. Quality running shoes that provide support and are laced correctly are a must – please do not use casual athletic shoes.

6 Week Running Program

6 Week Cycling Program