Bike Cross Training: Swimming

Swimming is a great way to get in a work out that will benefit your cycling either as a build-up during the offseason or a part of a two-day during the season. During swimming you primarily use your arms, which aren't used at all in biking. A variety of swimming kicks just as the whip, scissor, freestyle, breast stroke, and dolphin kick use many of the muscles that are not used in cycling. Cardio-vascular fitness and lung capicity that swimming develops for biking has alot of impacts as well. This means it is good for helping your strengthen your body’s ability to process oxygen through the lungs and move blood to muscles to give them fuel and air by making the heart pump stronger.

Currenlty I'm getting in shape for a early season triathlon. I have been frequently swimming in the morning with a bike or run at night as a fast way to get in shape. Swimming seems to significanlty loosen up your muscles the morning after a long ride. That night during my run or bike I can defineately feel the swim from the morning.