Dryland Training - swimnation.ae

Dryland Training

Lesson Guide

What Is Dryland Training?

Dryland training takes place, you guessed it, on dry land. The goal is to use strength and conditioning exercises to increase power, mobility, and flexibility.
For swimmers, this means the ultimate goal is to become more explosive in the water, increase speed and stroke rate, and improve distance per stroke. This type of training is also designed to reduce the risk of injury. An important part of an athlete’s training regimen is finding workouts that will benefit them during a competition by complementing the training that is part of the sport itself.
In other words, cross-training activities will build and develop key muscle groups, with exercises different from those that are dominant in their sport.
This is why many athletes participate in multiple sports, take dance classes, engage in yoga, and so on. Creating a workout plan for swimmers is no different, except that their sport takes place in the water, while their cross-training tends to fall under the category of “dryland training.”

Try some of the following dryland exercises for swimmers in your next workout

The term "Dry Land" has an interesting connotation. It differs from cross-training as the latter refers to something we do instead of swimming for general athletic conditioning whereas the former is something we do to augment our swim training and strengthen the swimming-specific muscles.
The scope of a good dry land program is to strengthen and stretch the muscles used in swimming. Or at least the ones we are supposed to use. It can involve, weights, medicine balls, stretch chords, and the like or it can be as simple as doing certain stretching exercises and sit-ups.
Most dryland training routines are done after a swimming workout but they could be done before.
Dryland training can be done in a group or solo but the group atmosphere may make it more fun. Start by stretching your shoulders, back and leg muscles. The shoulder muscle stretches involve reaching with a straight arm across tour body while pushing on your elbow with your free hand.
Another good shoulder stretch is to raise your elbow up over your head while trying to placing the palm of your hand on your back.
You can also give your elbow a slight push with your free hand. I like to stretch my back grabbing hold of the stating block with a hand on either side.
Place both feet slightly under the starting block and lean your butt away from the block as you lower your head until it almost contacts the starting block.
Stretch your legs by placing your heel on the starting block with your toes pointing up, keep your knees straight and lean the upper half of your body forward and down.
After you do this, stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart and bend forward keeping your knees straight. When you first incorporate dryland training into your training cycle you will be a little sore and may actually slow down a bit in the water. It won't be long though before you speed up.