Last Updated on November 19, 2022 by admin
In this article, we’ll provide advice, hacks and tips and look at the benefits and different types of swimming dryland training.
Many competitive swimmers regularly undertake dryland/land training.
- This is to gain additional benefits beyond those which can be achieved by training in the water alone.
- These include increased power, strength, endurance, speed, and coordination.
- Dryland/land training can also help increase a swimmer’s range of movement and make them more flexible.
- It can help correct muscle imbalance caused by poor stroke technique or overuse.
- The combination of increased flexibility and balanced muscle groups can lower the risk of injury.
Swimming dryland/land training has many forms.
- Not all swimmers enjoy all forms of dryland/land training.
- Dryland/land training is more effective if it targets the specific needs of the swimmer.
- It can also be more effective if the swimmer prefers a certain training method.
We have listed several dryland/land training methods, with attached links to more in-depth articles.
- Ankle Strength and Flexibility
- Bodyweight Training for Swimmers
- Circuit Training for Swimmers
- Cross Training for Swimmers
- Developing Your Swimming Core
- Dryland Relaxation Techniques
- Dryland Training with Swimming Stretch Cords
- Dynamic Stretching for Swimmers
- Invisible Training for Swimmers
- Pilates for Swimmers
- Plyometrics for Swimmers
- Resistance Band Exercises for Swimmers
- Skipping Rope Exercises for Swimmers
- Strength Training
- Yoga for Swimmers
- Takeaways
Ankle Strength and Flexibility
Having good swimming ankle strength and flexibility is a key attribute to having an effective leg kick.
- Strong and flexible ankles can help a swimmer to produce more effective propulsion.
- It improves the swimmer’s ability to exert more force through their lower limbs.
- Strong and flexible ankles produce backward propulsion instead of downward propulsion.
- It enables the ankle to be placed in a more streamlined position, thus reducing drag.
- Developing good ankle strength and flexibility also helps improve a swimmer’s stability.
- It helps to improve a swimmer’s power while performing a push-off the wall during turns.
- It also helps to improve a swimmer’s speed and efficiency while performing underwater dolphin kicking.
Related article on Swimming Ankle Strength and Flexibility
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Bodyweight Training for Swimmers
Bodyweight training is a series of strength training exercises that use the swimmer’s body weight to provide resistance.
- Many younger and inexperienced swimmers start to develop their swimming strength by using their body weight.
- Bodyweight training often continues to play an important part in developing a swimmer’s strength throughout their swimming career.
Many competitive swimmers use bodyweight training as a part of their dryland/land strength training programme.
- It helps them to gain additional benefits beyond those which can be achieved by training in the water alone.
- These include increased fitness, power, strength, endurance, speed and coordination.
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Circuit Training for Swimmers
Circuit training for swimmers requires them to perform a variety of dryland training exercises in quick succession.
- One of the key objectives of circuit training is to improve the swimmer’s cardiovascular fitness.
- A usual circuit normally consists of between 5 to 12 different exercises per circuit.
- They usually perform each exercise for between 10 to 60 seconds
- Swimmers usually change from one exercise to another without stopping or taking a very short rest, depending on their level of fitness.
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We have produced a related article on circuit training for swimmers. Which you can view by clicking this link: circuit training for swimmers.
Cross Training for Swimmers
Cross-training is any type of training outside of the pool, that compliments a swimmer’s training programme.
- Cross-training is usually performed to develop a swimmer’s strength and power, improve their fitness and increase their flexibility.
- Please note, that although cross-training plays an important part in a swimmer’s training programme, it shouldn’t take the place of a swimming training session.
One of the major benefits of cross-training is the ability to develop a swimmer’s strength.
- As a swimmer gets stronger, they can generate greater propulsion for longer via their arms and legs, which in turn facilitates more speed in the water.
- Adding to a swimmer’s strength also makes them less vulnerable to injury
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Developing Your Swimming Core
A swimmer’s core is the muscles in their abdomen, hips and lower back.
- A developed swimming core ensures the swimmer’s body is supported, stabilised and balanced.
- This enables the swimmer’s body position to be correctly aligned, helping them to reduce drag and perform many swimming drills and skills more effectively
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Dryland Relaxation Techniques
The ability to be able to relax is of great benefit to any swimmer wishing to train and compete at their optimum level.
- Dryland relaxation techniques can help swimmers reduce any self-doubts, worries or physical anxieties while increasing their concentration and performance.
- Dryland relaxation techniques can also be used to aid a good night’s sleep and to help a swimmer to rest and recover from the rigours of training or competition.
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Dryland Training with Swimming Stretch Cords
Swimming stretch cords have a variety of names, including
- Resistance cords
- Bungee cords
- Swim cords
- Dryland cords
Stretch cords can provide a swimmer with many benefits. These include,
- Stretch cords are lightweight, compact and transportable
- They can be used anywhere, in the gym, on the deck/poolside and at home.
- Stretch cords can simulate swimming stroke movements.
- They can isolate and target the main muscle groups
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Dynamic Stretching for Swimmers
Dynamic stretching can improve a swimmer’s performance by,
- Increasing muscle strength and power
- Enhancing reactions
- Improving flexibility and range of movement
- Preparing the nervous system
- It often plays an important role in an effective swimming warm-up
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Invisible Training for Swimmers
Competitive swimmers train and compete at a consistently high intensity.
- During this they burn a lot of calories and break down a large amount of muscle tissue.
- For a swimmer wishing to continue swimming at their optimum, this needs to be replenished.
Invisible swimming training is a series of disciplines to help ensure that swimmers perform at their optimum.
- This focuses on ensuring they receive the correct levels of nutrition and hydration
- In combination with rest, recovery, relaxation and sleep.
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Pilates for Swimmers
Pilates is a form of exercise which can help improve a swimmer’s general strength and overall well-being.
- Pilates focuses on a full-body workout to improve strength and flexibility.
- Many swimmers enjoy the benefits of both Pilates and yoga by combining these exercises in their dryland/land training programme.
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Plyometrics for Swimmers
Plyometrics is a form of dryland exercise, to increase both the swimmer’s speed and strength (= power)
- It requires the swimmer to perform a series of intense, high-impact exercises at the maximum force with short intervals.
- Plyometric exercises include jumping, lunging and bounding.
Plyometric exercises are used by the world’s top swimmers to help them develop explosive power.
- This explosive power enables them to become faster off the starting blocks and quicker during a turn.
- Sprinters also use plyometric exercises to help them improve their speed and acceleration.
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Resistance Band Exercises for Swimmers
Resistance bands are latex bands commonly used by swimmers as a part of their warm-up and land/dryland training programmes.
Training with resistance bands can provide a swimmer with many benefits. These include,
- Targeting muscle groups
- Mirroring stroke patterns
- Warm-ups
- Increasing flexibility
- Injury prevention
- Aiding rehabilitation
- Developing strength
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Skipping Rope Exercises for Swimmers
Many top swimmers use a skipping rope/jump rope to develop their ankle strength and flexibility, both essential for developing an effective swimming leg kick.
- A skipping rope/jump rope is an essential part of any swimmer’s training kit, as it’s light, portable, versatile and inexpensive.
- They can be very useful when used as a part of a warm-up process before any dryland/land training or before entering the pool.
- They can be an effective way of raising the swimmer’s heart rate and helping them to slowly warm their muscles.
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We have produced a related article on skipping rope exercises for swimmers. You can view it by clicking this link: skipping rope exercises for swimmers.
Strength Training
Many competitive swimmers use dryland/land strength training.
- This is to gain additional benefits beyond those which can be achieved by training in the water alone.
- These include increased power, strength, endurance, speed, flexibility and coordination.
- Swimming strength training can also help increase a swimmer’s range of movement and make them more flexible.
- It can help correct muscle imbalances cause by poor stroke technique or overuse.
- The combination of increased flexibility and balanced muscle groups can lower the risk of injury.
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Yoga for Swimmers
Yoga is a generic name for a variety of exercises developed in ancient India, that focuses on strength, balance, flexibility and breathing to boost physical and psychological well-being.
It can provide a swimmer with several important physical and psychological benefits, these include.
- increased flexibility
- increased muscle strength and tone
- improved athletic performance
- protection from injury
Related article on Yoga for Swimmers
We have produced a related article on yoga for swimmers. You can view it by clicking this link: yoga for swimmers.
Takeaways
Many competitive swimmers regularly undertake dryland/land training.
- This is to gain additional benefits beyond those which can be achieved by training in the water alone.
- These include increased power, strength, endurance, speed, and coordination.
- Dryland/land training can also help increase a swimmer’s range of movement and make them more flexible.
- It can help correct muscle imbalance caused by poor stroke technique or overuse.
- The combination of increased flexibility and balanced muscle groups can lower the risk of injury.
Swimming dryland/land training has many forms.
- Not all swimmers enjoy all forms of dryland/land training.
- Dryland/land training is more effective if it targets the specific needs of the swimmer.
- It can also be more effective if the swimmer prefers a certain training method.
We have listed several dryland/land training methods, with attached links to more in-depth articles. These include,
- Ankle Strength and Flexibility
- Bodyweight Training for Swimmers
- Cross Training for Swimmers
- Developing Your Swimming Core
- Dryland Relaxation Techniques
- Dryland Training with Swimming Stretch Cords
- Dynamic Stretching for Swimmers
- Invisible Training for Swimmers
- Plyometrics for Swimmers
- Resistance Band Exercises for Swimmers
- Skipping Rope Exercises for Swimmers
- Strength Training an Introduction
- Using dumbbells
- or Weights
- Yoga for Swimmers
Swimmer’s safety and medical advice
When performing any form of swimming training exercise, swimmers should ensure that:
- They have enough room to safely perform each exercise.
- That all the equipment is fit for purpose and safe to use.
- Swimmers should ensure they understand how to perform each exercise correctly before attempting to perform them.
- That they warm up properly beforehand.
- Before starting any form of exercise, we advise that you consult with your healthcare professional if you are concerned about an existing or potential medical condition.
Swimming resource library
We have produced a swimming resource library.
- This contains links to all of our blog posts.
- These are subdivided by swimming category
Categories include: Swimmer Development | Swimmers Health | Swimming Coaching | Swimming Competition | Swimming Drills | Swimming Dryland/Land Training | Swimming Equipment | Swimming Psychology | Swimming Training
- To access any article simply click on the attached page link: swimming resource library
The Competitive Swimming Exchange – Facebook Group
The Competitive Swimming Exchange. Is a Facebook group to help exchange ideas and information to collectively improve the sport we love.
- It’s an international group for all swimmers, coaches, teachers, masters, triathletes and swimming parents.
- It’s for all those who are interested in competitive swimming, either in the pool or in open water.
For more information about joining this group please use the following link: The Competitive Swimming Exchange