Is Dryland Training for Swimmers Good for Them?
Dryland swim training is meant to improve your performance year-round, even when you can’t make it to the pool. But many swimmers don’t feel fully confident when it comes to knowing exactly what to do in the gym to improve their swim performance.
Should you lift heavy weights? Should you avoid heavy weights? How do you prevent injuries? What tools are available to keep proper form and biomechanics in the gym? Does dryland training really work?
The good news is that there are a few key things you can focus on during your dryland training that will help you improve your overall fitness as well as your performance once you’re in the water.
1. Improve Stroke Technique & Body Biomechanics
Dryland training for swimmers should include an emphasis on biomechanics, form and stroke technique.
This requires a focus on exercises and training techniques that can:
· Create muscle memory (in the correct form)
· Improve posture and overall body positioning
· Prevent hyperextension
Unlike other athletic ventures, like running, swimming strokes aren’t inherently natural to perform. You have been walking or running since you were a child, so your muscle memories for those exercises are already well established.
But when was the last time you extended your arm overhead, bent it at the elbow, cupped your hand, rotated your shoulder, and then pulled your entire body past your starting point?
They’re not necessarily natural, so you must focus your time on learning how to perform those movements correctly.
Exercises that improve posture are also critical for any dryland training program. Swimming is a highly technical sport, and so any exercises performed during dryland training should be equally technical.
Because dryland strength training involves load-bearing exercises, like bench presses or weighted squats, there’s always a risk of overdoing it. But with a focus on biomechanics, swimmers should pay special attention to form during any weightlifting activities.
This will help prevent injuries and maintain proper biomechanics so that your stroke isn’t negatively affected once you’re practicing in the pool or open water.
2. Foundational Strength Building Programs
Weightlifting and other forms of gym training will look different for swimmers than other types of athletes.
The goal of a well-developed dryland program is really to improve swimmer performance, not just to make you stronger (though it will accomplish that too).
This might mean including both weight bearing and non-weight bearing exercises that focus on strength and power.
Chris Ritter from U.S. Masters Swimming suggests using core strength exercises that aren’t necessarily swim-specific because swimmers tend to perform “the craziest looking exercises” to mimic swim strokes.
He recommends focusing on technically sound upper and lower body strength standards, like pull-ups, overhead presses and squats.
Your dryland training should make you a more effective and powerful swimmer once you’re in the water.
3. Develop Core Strength & Improve Speed
Another thing that sets swimming apart from different athletic disciplines is the need for explosive power in the water, particularly during starts and turns.
This means that dryland training needs to incorporate exercises that can provide that power without adding unnecessary bulk (which can increase frontal drag).
While heavy lifting is great for many athletes, and can certainly still benefit swimmers, “bigger” doesn’t necessarily equate to stronger when it comes to a better swim performance.
Strength training should, therefore, be focused on improving muscle stability and overall power (as mentioned above), but also on speed, flexibility, and core strength.
Core strength should be the focus of your time spent in the gym. As Sarah McLarty puts it, “Fast swimming comes from powerful strokes. Powerful strokes come from a strong core.”
While total-body strength is important, the fastest, strongest swimmers are those who can achieve a streamlined body position in the water. This is only achievable with a strong core and lean muscle mass.
Any dryland training program should include core training as a key component.
4. Injury Prevention (Avoid “Swimmer’s Shoulder”)
Strength training is essential for swimmers because muscle weakness is often a leading cause of injury.
Studies show that shoulder instability is one of the most common problems for competitive swimmers. In fact, shoulder pain and injury have a reported prevalence of 40% to 91% for swimmers, compared to any other sport.
One of the most common injuries for swimmers is what’s known as “swimmer’s shoulder.”
Swimmer’s shoulder results from muscle fatigue of the rotator cuff, upper back, and pectoral muscles. It’s caused by repetitive movements (swim strokes), which create microtrauma (small tears) in the muscle tissue over time.
These tears are often the results of muscle instability or weakness. When muscles are not properly conditioned, microtraumas – and subsequent injuries like swimmer’s shoulder – are far more likely to occur. (Here’s how to prevent swimmer’s shoulder.)
In addition to weight training and core strength and stabilization, dryland programs should include targeted shoulder work as well as appropriate recovery practices.
This also means avoiding overtraining during dryland sessions.
Supplementing lower impact exercises that aid in flexibility, posture improvement, and muscle stabilization can significantly reduce the chances of injury without adding to the risk of microtraumas.
For swimmers looking to prevent injuries in the water, it will be equally important to focus on injury prevention during dryland training sessions, too.
Final Thoughts
Making the most out of your dryland training programs comes down to focus. More specifically, focusing on four key areas:
· Strength building (both swim-specific and general)
· Body mechanics and stroke technique
· Injury prevention
· Core strengthening
With an emphasis on these components, swimmers will be able to maintain the correct form, improve strength, flexibility, and speed, and improve their power year-round, without even being in the water.
This means when it does come time to dive in, you’ll be stronger, better and faster.
The above press release was posted by Swimming World Magazine
