Swimming for V02Max

Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone has any experience in using swimming to increase your V02Max.... I have recently started training and have been cycling quite intensely for the last week... As a 'break' I'm thinking of swimming tonight. Obviously any additional exercise will help but how does swimming rank in assisting cycling glory

Thanks in advance

 

You can search PubMed database, there are several studies about cross efficiency between running, swimming and cycling. According to those studies; if you want to ride fast, you should train specific, meaning you'd better to ride your bike. But wether you can't ride due to eg wether or travelling or whatsoever, then better to take an altrernative sport than just sit down. And if remember right, the top swimmers don't have as high VO2max capacity as runners or cyclists, in some study it was assumed to be related with the restricted breathing during swimming.

 

I actually read a bit more on it this afternoon and found what you were saying. Unfortunately I didnt listen to one key bit of advice one of the other forum members - listen to your body. Felt VERY ill doing some laps then realised I hadn't eaten lunch!!!

So will train on the xbox tonight

 

As mentioned, of course specificity of activity is ideal, but the best swimmer in the world who's never laced up a pair of running shoes will still be a decent runner and the best cyclist will still be a half decent runner, but I think a great cyclist and great runner could be a crap swimmer, but only because swimming is more reliant on technique than the other two. I have found with aggressive swimming and cycling and almost no running recently (knee problem), I'm still a half decent runner when I do my infrequent runs.

 

you can get all the same benefits by wearing a nose plug and doing hill repeats