Swimming shape enough for the other 2 disciplines

I'm no expert.... or even experienced, for that matter, but nope

My swimming endurance is pretty good, when I started running it was all I could do to go one minute straight. That was a couple short months ago and now I'm up to 15 or so... But it's totally different since you are now (in running) supporting your entire body weight. Cycling is a little easier, but fitness in one doesn't necessarily translate to another

Chris

I guess you wouldn't have the endurance to run and bike. Or, your lungs and heart would manage the effort, but probably your legs wouldn't, because you use totally different muscles swimming and running.
My endurance in swimming was pretty good, too, before I started running. And I couldn't run more than a few minutes, either, although it was not problem to swim for three hours without rest...

My guess is that you would probably have the aerobic endurance but not the muscular endurance. Swimming is pretty much a no impact sport, where running is high impact. Also running and bicycling use pretty much your leg muscles, which aren't being used during swimming.

Chris

I can attest to this!
I'm always in swimming shape but there's little correlation to running and biking. The only thing that's similar is getting your lungs into shape with your swimming workouts will make it easier to get in shape for the other two disciplines.

The first triathlon I did I trained 4 times a week in the pool (my strong leg), 3 times a week running (2nd strongest), and twice a week on the bike (weakest by far). Well, looking back what I should have done is the opposite- train the weakest sport the most!
Needless to say I think I was 6th coming out of the water and 220th after the bike! Don't let this happen to you.

Cheers,
Kevin

SPECIFICITY is really what counts in training.

Example: The closer you can similate race conditions the better. If your going to run a race, the best workout would be running. Also, if you are going want to run fast, you have to do some fast running. Jogging doesn't similate a race conditions very much.

My 2 cents worth.

Specificity is, of course, important. You'll never be a great runner if all you do is swim just like you'll never be a great biker if all you do is run, etc.

But it's also true that fitness is fitness. Someone who's in great aerobic shape from swimming but who hasn't run much will be a lot further along the improvement curve as a runner than someone who's spent a lot of time on the sofa in front of the TV and decides to take up running.

I did my first triathlon with this mentality. I was a great swimmer in high school and didn't think I needed to run or bike to much. I did okay on the bike and completely bonked on the run. I walked about half of the run and was still miserable after the race because it took so much out of me.

Mike

Thanks everyone for your replies. I was curious because, like I said, I read several threads that they were good runners and bikers, and jumped in the pool and they sucked, but I never read any posts saying the opposite.

But I guess the opposite is true also.
Thanks again.

Swimming is much closer to the running movements than sitting on a couch watching tv. Thus, swimming is more specific to running than being a couch potato.

Fitness is fitness is not really good statement. A weight lifter can be fit when we are talking about lifting, but not fit when talking about marathoning. Fitness can be sport specific.

Specificity....is what counts.

ME! I am good in the pool. I suck at running. But I am getting better

Chris

I was an excellant distance swimmer in High School.  I could do hard sprint workouts combined with long endurance swims and be no worse for the wear.  However, my senior year we got a new coach who felt cross training was always a good idea.  He figured it is good to give your shoulders a rest from swimming in the same way it is good to give your joints a rest from running.  So he started to incorporate running into our workouts.  When we first started I couldn't run at all.  In time that changed.  Bottom line is if you are in shape for swimming it will be easier to get in shape for running and biking

No, no , and no. Have I said no yet? Swimmimg works the upper body, running hamstrings (back of leg), biking quad (front of leg). Three disciplines, three muscle groups (more or less), three endurance levels. I am able to swim mega laps and run a marathon, but it took me 3 months to comfortably ride 50+ miles non stop on the bike.

No shortcuts in this sport. :-)

The aerobic benefits of swimming will certainly help you progress more rapidly in biking and running. However, I think you will find that the other two disciplines require dedicated training time of their own if you are to make the most of your triathlon experience. Cycling and running use the leg muscles which don't get as much development in swimming. Going from the run to the bike gives your legs a workout that pretty much defines the challenge of triathlon for me. Focusing on the swim while minimizing biking and running would never cut it for me.

I think cardio-wise, swimming helps running.  I noticed a definite up tick in my running ability when I started swimming again regularly. 

Swimming is my strongest leg and I can attest to what everyone else is saying there is no direct correlation. However, I have found that if you are a beginner cycler or runner you will have a much easier time getting a great cardio workout swimming (assuming you are a swimmer) until your body adjusts to the new movements and exercise. Just my thoughts.

Mike