running then swimming

[briankjeld]

i've running 5 1/5 miles daily but after that i would be so tried i couldn't swim that much. So how much time should put in the middle of the two? And I'm just starting to learn how to swim, so what are some basic that i should do to get better?
thanks,brian

[Romulus]

I'm just starting to learn how to swim, so what are some basic that i should do to get better?

Start with just getting used to work in the water..
Swimming, diving......
Just my two cents...
Romulus out.

[k9gsd]

Brian,

To build your body you need a routine. Building strength and endurence is different than testing your body to the max.
Sample routine is: Mon, Wed, and Fri do swims.
Tues, Thur and Sat am run
Sat and Sun afternoon bike.

Bike is a great way to build your cardio with little impact.
Alternate one day in the week to take a break.
I do weight training 3-4 hours after swims.

Nutrition is a big factor as well as sleep. Your body builds muscle when you are sleeping. Hi protein diet post workout for muscle building and carbs for pre workout.
Balanced meals are vital. Healthy snacks in-between meals such as Cliff Bars.

Check out alt.sport.weightlifting for good info

Avoid over-training. Let your body tell you when too much, is too much. Fatigue. illness, no advancement in training. can't sleep well, 8-hours sleep not enough and etc..

Robin
Albany, NY

[elpaninaro]

If you are just getting started swimming, I would strongly recommend you find a good coach and pay for 2-3 private lessons once a week to get good form. Swimming is fairly easy once you get a good start, but bad habits developed early on can be very difficult to break later- and it is really not possible to give you good tips on swimming without actually watching you swim- so best to get some first hand assistance there. If you do not have a swim team at your local school, then call around to various clubs with pools and you will find someone who can help out.

Be sure to also get them to show you basic sidestroke and breaststroke technique in addition to freestyle. The sidestroke will be the most important to training for BUDs (I am not a SEAL I will note, just a long time gonnabe who has read and trained a lot.) If you have $25 to spare, check out the BUDs video on Brian Curle's SEAL site which has some good video of trainees using the modified side stroke ( I know I keep plugging this website, but heck the videos are very useful tools IMHO.)

As for swimming vs running, I think the above poster has the best suggestion- alternate days for now until you get good swimming strength. If you swim after you run right now it will work doubly against you since you are just now learning to swim at a high level and to run first will make you more tired at a time when you need to be able to focus on swimming.

I would imagine it varies from person to person, but on days where I do more than 1 thing, I usually like to swim first and run last. Swimming is the least stressful on your body of all exercise, and running can be the most tiring and stressful on your joints. So I usually like to save that for the evening if there are other things planned for the day so it does not interfere with swimming or working out.

The BUDs screen test is structured that way as well- swim first, then situps/pushups/pullups, and then last comes the run. So try to follow that pattern in planning your workout days since it will get you more used to doing certain things after others, and thus better prepare you for the test.