Swimming is a sport that everybody assumes that the performer just trains in the pool, however a swimmer needs to also do land-based training sessions because they can build strength, power and reaction time through S&C exercises. Incorporating dry-land S&C exercises into a training programme can give the swimmer a competitive edge, especially in swimming where a 100th of a second could determine first or second place.

With my previous experience as being a high level competitive swimmer, S&C was an important aspect of my daily training programme because I developed my core, upper back, shoulders and leg muscles through exercises with dumbbells, barbells and my own body weight.

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S&C Exercises that a swimmer can perform to improve their upper body strength and power….

  • Single-arm dumbbell row (Works the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, lower traps, and erector spinae)

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  • Prone double-arm dumbbell row (Works the latissimus dorsi, deltoid, rhomboids and erector spinae)

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  • Inverted Rows (Works the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, lower traps, biceps and erector spinae)

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  • Reverse Flys (Works the rhomboids, posterior deltoid and lower traps)

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  • Incline dumbbell press (Works the pectoral major and minor)

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S&C exercises that a swimmer can perform to improve their lower body strength and power…..

  • Romanian Dead-lift (Works the hamstrings and glutes)

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  • Front squat (Works the quads and glutes)

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  • Reverse Lunges (Works the quads and glutes)

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  • Box Jump (Works the hamstrings, adductors, abductors, quads and glutes)

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Performance swimmers should do at least two to three land-based S&C training sessions a week to help improve their performance and reduce their chances of an injury, because the pool training is often only non-weight bearing. Performing exercises such as the ones mentioned on this page can help build strength and power in the most needed areas, which in a swimmers case is their shoulders, back and legs.