Bodyweight Training for Swimmers

by admin, posted in Swimming Dryland/Land Training

Last Updated on November 27, 2022 by admin

Bodyweight training often continues to play an important part in developing a swimmer’s strength throughout their swimming career.
Bodyweight training often continues to play an important part in developing a swimmer’s strength throughout their swimming career.

In this article, we’ll provide advice, exercises, hacks and tips on the importance and benefits of bodyweight training for swimmers.

What is bodyweight training?

Bodyweight training is a series of strength training exercises that use the swimmer’s own body weight to provide resistance.

  • Many younger and inexperienced swimmers start to develop their swimming strength by using their own body weight.
  • Bodyweight training often continues to play an important part in developing a swimmer’s strength throughout their swimming career.
Contents
  1. What is bodyweight training?
  2. The benefits of bodyweight training for swimmers
  3. The main swimming muscle groups
  4. Bodyweight training for swimmers: Exercises
  5. Bodyweight circuit training for swimmers
  6. Takeaways

The benefits of bodyweight training for swimmers

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.
  • Bodyweight 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.
  • Bodyweight training is simple and effective.
  • It requires very little equipment.
  • It can be performed in a variety of venues, including the home.
  • Sessions can be completed in a relatively short time.

The main swimming muscle groups

To optimise swimming strength training it’s important that the swimmer focuses on developing the main swimming muscle groups. These are,

  • The latissimus dorsi muscles (‘lats’): The muscles in the middle of the swimmer’s back.
  • The triceps muscles (‘tri’): The muscles in the back part of the swimmer’s upper arm, opposite their bicep.
  • The pectoral muscles (pecs): The muscles in the swimmer’s chest.
  • The core muscles (‘abs’): The muscles in the swimmer’s abdomen.
  • The quadriceps (‘quads’): The group of muscles in the front upper part of the swimmer’s legs.

Related article on the major muscles used during specific strokes

We have produced a series of related articles on the major muscles used during specific strokes. You can view them by clicking these links: the major muscles used during backstroke | the major muscles used during breaststroke | the major muscles used during butterfly | the major muscles used during freestyle.

Bodyweight training for swimmers: Exercises

Before performing bodyweight training, the swimmer should warm up properly beforehand.

  • They should ensure that they have enough room to safely perform each exercise.
  • They should further ensure they are performing these exercises on a cushioned surface, such as a carpeted floor or gym mat.

Listed below are a series of bodyweight exercises for each of the main swimming muscle groups.

Lats

The cobra pose

The swimmer should hold the full extended pose while ensuring that their chest is pushed forward, and their shoulder blades are pushed back.
The swimmer should hold the full extended pose while ensuring that their chest is pushed forward, and their shoulder blades are pushed back.

Introduction: The Cobra yoga pose can be an effective exercise for strengthening the muscles in the swimmer’s lats as well as their abs.

How to perform this exercise: Swimmers should start this exercise by laying on the floor, on their stomach in a prone, face-down position.

  • Their hands should be down by their sides and their toes should be pointed.
  • The swimmer then bends their arms and places their hands close to their body, level with their shoulders in the ‘press-up/push-up position’.
  • They should then inhale deeply while lifting just their torso off the ground by straightening their arms and keeping their head looking forwards.
  • The swimmer should hold the full extended pose while ensuring that their chest is pushed forward, and their shoulder blades are pushed back.
  • The swimmer finishes this exercise by slowly exhaling, lowering themselves to the floor and returning to the ‘press-up/push-up position’.

The superman exercise

The swimmer raises both their arms and feet off the floor while keeping their abs on the floor.
The swimmer raises both their arms and feet off the floor while keeping their abs on the floor.

Introduction: The superman exercise is also an effective exercise for helping to strengthen the muscles in the swimmer’s lats as well as their abs.

How to perform this exercise: The swimmer starts this exercise by laying on the floor, on their stomach in a prone, face-down position with their arms and legs fully extended together, with their feet pointed.

  • The swimmer then raises both their arms and feet off the floor, while keeping their abs on the floor.
  • The swimmer should hold this position, before slowly returning to the starting position.

Tri

Chair dips

The swimmer should lower their body by bending their arms at a 90-degree angle
The swimmer should lower their body by bending their arms at a 90-degree angle

Introduction: Dips are one of the most effective exercises for developing a swimmer’s triceps muscles.

How to perform this exercise: The swimmer should use a sturdy chair that is ideally placed against a wall to stop it from slipping while performing this exercise.

  • The swimmer should start this exercise by sitting on the chair with their arms by their side and their feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
  • The swimmer grips the front of the chair seat with both hands.
  • They then slowly move forward moving their buttocks off the chair, with their arms fully extended, and their knees slightly bent, ensuring that their feet a still flat on the floor.
  • While slowly inhaling, the swimmer should lower their body by bending their arms at a 90-degree angle.
  • The swimmer should then slowly exhale as they return to the starting position with their arms fully extended.

Standard press-up/push-up

The swimmer should raise their body in a straight horizontal position.
The swimmer should raise their body in a straight horizontal position.

Introduction: The classic press-up/push-up is another effective exercise for developing a swimmer’s tri, pecs and shoulder muscles.

How to perform this exercise: Swimmers should start this exercise in a raised straight hand horizontal position, with extended their arms.

  • Their hands should be palms-down on the floor, close to their body, level with their shoulders
  • Their feet should be together, with the balls of their feet touching the floor.
  • The swimmer should inhale, then raise their body in a straight horizontal position, by extending their arms.
  • The swimmer should then exhale and lower their body until their chest touches the floor.
  • Once mastered swimmers can increase the resistance by placing their hands closer together. This is often referred to as the diamond press-up/push-up.

Pecs

Wide stance press-up/push-up

The swimmer should place their hands as wide as possible, while still being able to control the exercise.
The swimmer should place their hands as wide as possible, while still being able to control the exercise.

Introduction: A wide stance press-up/push-up is an effective exercise for developing a swimmer’s pecs muscles.

How to perform this exercise: The swimmer should perform this exercise as a standard press-up/push-up, but the swimmer should place their hands as wide as possible, while still being able to control the exercise.

Super slow press-up/push-up

Introduction: A super slow press-up/push-up is another effective exercise for developing the swimmer’s pecs muscles.

How to perform this exercise: The swimmer should perform this exercise as a standard press-up/push-up, but the swimmer should perform this exercise very slowly.

  • Ideally, they should lower themselves very slowly on a count of 15 seconds.
  • Then they should raise themselves very slowly on a count of 15 seconds.

Abs

Sit-ups

The swimmer should slowly raise their trunk until their elbows touch their knees.
The swimmer should then slowly raise their trunk until their elbows touch their knees.

Introduction: Sit-ups are a classic core strength exercise. It helps strengthen most of the important swimming core muscles.

How to perform this exercise: The swimmer should lie on the floor on their back (supine).

  • They should raise their knees while keeping the soles of their feet on the floor.
  • They then should place the tips of the three middle fingers, of both their hands, on their temples.
  • This will ensure the swimmer doesn’t raise their trunk with the help of their arms.
  • They should ensure that their arms and elbows are parallel with their body.
  • The swimmer should then slowly raise their trunk until their elbows touch their knees.
  • They then should slowly lower their trunk, until their back has returned to the floor.

The plank

Beginners should aim to hold this position for between 20 to 30 seconds.
Beginners should aim to hold this position for between 20 to 30 seconds.

This is a classic core strength exercise. It helps strengthen most of the important swimming core muscles.

How to perform this exercise: The swimmer should lie on the floor on their front (prone).

  • They should support themselves on their forearms and raise their head, so their face is facing forwards.
  • Swimmers should ensure they keep their elbows directly below their shoulders.
  • They should then slowly raise their trunk and legs parallel to the floor, supported by their forearms and toes.
  • Swimmers should ensure that they lower their heads into a neutral position, tighten their abdominals, straighten their backs and tighten their glutes to achieve a body position that is parallel to the floor.
  • Beginners should aim to hold this position for between 20 to 30 seconds.
  • Swimmers should ensure they maintain a regular breathing pattern.

How to engage your swimming core

*To engage their core, swimmers should continue to breathe normally. They should then tighten/contract their stomach muscles while drawing their navel towards their spine.

Related article on developing your swimming core

We have produced a related article on developing your swimming core. You can view it by clicking this link: developing your swimming core.

Quads

Squats

Swimmers should begin this exercise by inhaling and bending at the hips.
Swimmers should begin this exercise by inhaling and bending at the hips.

Introduction: The classic squat is an effective exercise for developing a swimmer’s quad muscles.

How to perform this exercise: Swimmers should start this exercise standing with their feet slightly wider than their hips.

  • The swimmer should look straight ahead and fix a point on a wall to look at while they perform the exercise.
  • The swimmer should put their arms straight out in front of them and parallel to the ground.
  • This will help to keep the swimmer’s chest upright and their spine in a neutral position.
  • The weight should be distributed through the heels and the balls of their feet.
  • The swimmer should engage their core while performing this exercise*.
  • Swimmers should begin this exercise by inhaling and bending at the hips.
  • Then as they continue the exercise bend at the knees
  • Swimmers should focus on keeping their knees aligned with their feet.
  • They should ideally continue their squat until their hips are lower than their knees.
  • Swimmers should then exhale and slowly return to the start position.

Standard lunges

The swimmer should then lower their body, while still keeping it vertical.
The swimmer should then lower their body, while still keeping it vertical.

Introduction: A standard lunge is another effective exercise for developing a swimmer’s quad muscles.

How to perform this exercise: Swimmers should start this exercise standing with their feet together.

  • The swimmer should engage their core while performing this exercise*.
  • Swimmers should take a large step forward with the right foot while keeping the left foot in place.
  • They should transfer their weight forward so that their right heel hits the floor first.
  • The swimmer should then lower their body, while still keeping it vertical.
  • They should bend their right knee and drop their left knee to the floor, creating a 90-degree angle with both knees.
  • Swimmers should ensure that their right knee is behind their right toes.
  • Once the swimmer’s knees are at 90 degrees, they should slowly return to the starting position
  • Swimmers should repeat this exercise leading with their left foot.

Bodyweight circuit training for swimmers

Circuit training is a series of exercises performed in quick succession in a single session.

  • This can help develop a swimmer’s all-around flexibility, fitness, strength and strength endurance.
  • Circuit training usually involves a series of between six and twelve different exercises, performed at high intensity with no or short rest intervals.
  • Before starting any form of circuit training, swimmers should ensure they have warmed up correctly.
  • They should ensure when starting a circuit training programme that they start slowly and always perform each exercise with the correct technique
  • They should perform each exercise for a total of between 30 to 60 seconds.
  • This can include a number of reps if the swimmer prefers.
  • Once they have completed one exercise, swimmers should move on to the next exercise without rest or a short rest for beginners.

Many swimmers perform a bodyweight circuit by working a different part of their body in turn.

An example of a circuit of six exercises (for beginners)

  • Chair dips (Tri)
  • The cobra pose (Lats and abs)
  • Squats (Quads)
  • The plank (abs)
  • Super slow press-ups/push-ups (Pecs)
  • Lunges (Quads)

Once mastered, swimmers should increase the level of intensity of their circuit training. This can be achieved by either,

  • Increasing the number of exercises
  • Adding to the number of reps
  • Spending longer on each exercise
  • Increasing the number of complete circuits

Related article on circuit training for swimmers

We have produced a related article on circuit training for swimmers. You can view it by clicking this link: circuit training for swimmers

Related article on dryland  training for specific strokes

We have produced a series of related articles on dryland training for specific strokes. You can view them by clicking these links: dryland training for backstroke | dryland training for breaststroke | dryland training for butterfly | dryland training for freestyle |

Takeaways

In this article, we’ll provide advice, exercises, hacks and tips on the importance and benefits of bodyweight training for swimmers.

Bodyweight training is a series of strength training exercises that use the swimmer’s own body weight to provide resistance.

  • Many younger and inexperienced swimmers start to develop their swimming strength by using their own body weight.
  • Bodyweight training often continues to play an important part in developing a swimmer’s strength throughout their swimming career.
  • Bodyweight exercises include press/push-ups, planks and lunges.

The benefits of bodyweight training for swimmers

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 power, strength, endurance, speed and coordination.
  • Bodyweight 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 balance muscle groups can lower the risk of injury.
  • Bodyweight training is simple and effective.
  • It requires no or very little equipment
  • Bodyweight training can be performed in a variety of venues, including at home.
  • It can be performed in a relatively short time.

Related article on plyometric exercises for swimmers

We have produced a related article on plyometric exercises for swimmers. You can view it by clicking this link: plyometric exercises for swimmers.

Swimming resource library

We have provided a swimming resource library, containing links to all of our publications and blog articles on a wide range of swimming subjects. These include stroke technique, training drills and how to optimise training and competitive performance. Now with an easy-to-use index. To access any article simply click on the attached page link: Swimming resource library

The Competitive Swimming Exchange – Facebook Group

The Competitive Swimming Exchange. This is a competitive swimming 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. In fact, 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