Why are runners skinny and swimmers muscly ?
101SUSY
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in General Chat
I have been pondering for ages why distance runners are generally quite slim, but swimmers are generally much bigger. You can sort of tell which discipline someone has come from into triathlon by the shape of their body. Does impact exercise burn more calories ?
PS, I am a muscly swimmer, and a crap runner !
PS, I am a muscly swimmer, and a crap runner !
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You'll see more variation between a sprint runner and an endurance runner, a sprint cyclist and an endurance cyclist, and a sprint swimmer and an endurance swimmer.
However, in running you have to carry all your weight your self. You'll also observe that you heart rate max will be higher than for other activities. In cycling, your bike carries you. Except going up hill. In swimming the water holds you, and water doesn't tend to have hills.
So, extra weight is punished in running, but you can get away with it in swimming. Cycling is in between. On a flat course you'll do ok, but in hill climbs you'll suffer.
Extra weight could be in the form of fat or unnecessary muscle. Bulky muscle comes from all he fast twitch fibres used for explosive efforts. You don't need these for endurance.
If your muscle comes from swimming, rather than pumping iron in the gym, or doing some non-endurance sport, then you are probably doing the wrong sort of training I.e. Sprint rather than distance.
You will find, other things being equal, that if you loose weight you running would improve but your swimming would not suffer.
Of course swmming uses the upperbody more than running, so there would be a difference between a triathlete and a runner - but the differences would be subtle - more about tone than bulk.
Of course there is an element of fashion and taste. Since the rise of Brownlee, the big bulky triathletes are in decline. Brownlee looks like a runner - but is no slouch at swimming or cycling.
Have a look at the Triathlon Training Bible to see how to do it to the best effect. Even in running there are benefits & UK Athletics includes it in their Level 2 Endurance (800m to ultramarathon) coaching module. Efficient running requires good core strength & its application. The polular exercises include crunches, planks (normal & side) and wipers - all use body weight to provide the weight/resistance. Hill sessions require lifting the weight of the body up a hill to increase the intensity. Weight training can be used to build strength for injury prevension. However, just doing weights to build bulk or tone for its own sake would certainly be counterproductive. Aerobic capacity is important but so is a high lactate threshold.
Big benefits in swimming & cycling can be gained through weight/resistance training. Again not essential but can be beneficial
As to the original post. The tall thin body type with small hips and narrow chest (ectomorph) usually have a high metabolism & find it difficult to build muscle - they generally become runners & cyclists. Endomorphs are usually a bit more rounded, carry a little fat, are strong and quickly gain muscle, have a slower metabolism and generally excel in swimming. Mesomorphs look athletic, can gain & loose muscle quickly, respond to aerobic training and are usually good at the more explosive events. There are few who would fit exactly into one of the three types. With tri being mostly bike & run then the ectomorphs should win out if the swimmers don't get too big a lead. Perhaps 80% ectomorph with a bit of the others to be on the safe side would be best.
I spend a fair bit of time in the gym - as you get older it's far more important to both recovery and injury prevention
I am going to carry on with my weight training then, and do more running and cycling to build aerobic capacity.
Thanks again, and really good luck for whatever events you're doing this year !
There is nothing wrong with being different.As Monty Python said."the key elements are Fear and Suprise".
If you look out of place,i.e the big person in an endurance event,but can pull out a good result,you can gain a significant psychological advantage,you are mently prepared for the event,and providing you are content that you cannot alter what nature gave you.Then you are onto a winner.
Don't be type cast,please.
Best of luck for the Kendal sprint,a PB,is definite.
Jan Frodeno didn't do too bad and at 6'3" and 76kgs he's hardly a waif.
Jan Frodeno's BMI works out at somthing like 20.9 which is similar to Haile Gebrselassie's (2:03:59 marathon) of 20.6 but far greater than Paula Radcliffe's 18.1. James Cracknell who is no slouch comes in at 26.8. (if you believe all the relevant websites)
This study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11932584 and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20019638 both seem to say that higher weights, lower reps are more inclined to give weight loss. The first is with a non-athletic cohorts, but the notion that low resistance based high rep workouts are good for lean muscle is pretty strongly refuted.
For triathlon, where your primary goal is endurance performance, this will be different than someone doing strength work for injury prevention or general fitness. I like core and back strengthening exercises since I've got a herniated disk, and it hurts less if the muscles around it are more developed. I don't do leg presses and squats so I can bike faster.
There is nothing wrong with being different.As Monty Python said."the key elements are Fear and Suprise".
*Susan rolls about laughing* It doesn't get geekier than this does it - quoting Monty Python on a triathlon forum ! I love it !
PS I can do fear quite well....
Um - are we giving our ages away?!!!
XXX