Maximize Your Swim Performance with Strength Training

Swimming is a multifaceted sport that requires more than just excellent technique and speed in the water. To truly excel, swimmers must also build the right kind of strength on land to enhance their performance in the pool. Strength training provides swimmers with a means to improve their power, endurance, and overall swimming efficiency. In this expanded guide, you’ll learn how to structure strength training for swimmers and exactly which dryland strength training for swimmers can make the biggest difference.

If you’re training for triathlon, see our triathlon strength training guide which covers swim, bike, and run training. For a broader approach to multi-discipline training, check out our hybrid athlete training guide.

Why Strength Training for Swimmers Works

Strength training is a foundational element of a swimmer’s training regimen. It not only builds muscle strength and enhances endurance but also optimizes overall swim performance. By incorporating strength exercises into your routine, you can increase power output, mitigate the risk of injury, and ultimately swim faster with better efficiency.

Key Outcomes

Increased propulsion from stronger pulls and kicks
Better body position and reduced drag due to a stronger trunk
Higher stroke efficiency through improved force application and fatigue resistance
Lower injury risk via balanced musculature and robust connective tissue

Strength Training Exercises for Swimmers (What to Prioritize)

Strength training exercises for swimmers should target the prime movers and stabilizers used across strokes—lats, shoulders, chest, trunk, hips, and legs—while reinforcing shoulder health and hip-trunk coordination. Learn how to build effective workouts and understand workout progressions to keep improving your strength over time.

Leg Power Development

Back/Front Squats: Build global leg strength for walls, starts, and sustained kick.
Lunges & Split Squats: Develop unilateral stability for balanced hip drive; progress to Bulgarian split squats.
Plyometrics (Jump Squats, Box Jumps): Improve explosiveness for starts and turns. Keep contacts moderate; focus on quality landings.

Upper Body Strength

Push-Ups (standard, diamond, ring): Strengthen chest, shoulders, and triceps for strong catch and press phases.
Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups (band-assisted as needed): Directly train lats and upper back to improve pulling force.
Horizontal & Vertical Rows (DB rows, cable rows, pulldowns): Build pulling volume with joint-friendly patterns; emphasize scapular control.

Core Stability and Rotation

Planks and Side Planks: Foundational anti-extension and anti-lateral-flexion stability for body line in the water.
Dead Bugs & Hollow Holds: Teach rib-pelvis control for reduced drag and efficient force transfer.
Russian Twists & Cable Rotations: Build rotational strength essential for freestyle and butterfly timing.

Shoulder Health and Posture

External Rotation (bands/dumbbells): Fortify the rotator cuff to reduce impingement risk.
Scapular Control (Y/T/W, wall slides): Improve upward rotation, retraction, and depression mechanics.
Face Pulls: Reinforce posterior delts and mid-back for balanced shoulders.

Building Endurance That Transfers to the Pool

Endurance is vital for swimmers, especially those racing mid- to long-distance events. Strength training can develop muscular endurance so you maintain speed and form throughout a race.

High-Rep Strength Sets: 12–20 reps with controlled tempo builds localized endurance.
Circuits & Complexes: Alternate movement patterns to maintain heart rate while accumulating quality work.
Conditioning Inserts: Between sets, include low-impact moves (e.g., jump rope, brisk step-ups) to simulate sustained effort.

Benefits include consistent technique under fatigue, stable body line late in sets, and fewer form breakdowns that increase drag.

Injury Prevention: Swimmer-Specific Considerations

Though swimming is low-impact, repetitive high-volume strokes stress the shoulders and spine. Strength training fortifies muscles, tendons, and ligaments for better joint support.

Joint Stability: Train cuff and scapular muscles 2–3×/week.
Core Engagement: Use anti-extension and anti-rotation drills to protect the lumbar spine during breathing and kicking.
Balance & Symmetry: Address dominant-side overuse with unilateral work (single-arm rows, split squats).
Mobility Pairing: Couple strength with targeted mobility (thoracic rotation, pec minor release, lat length) for shoulder health.

Dryland Strength Training for Swimmers: Exercise Library

Below are practical dryland sequences you can plug into your week.

Core Block

Plank: 3 × 30–45 sec; progress weekly by 5–10 sec per set.
Side Plank: 3 × 20–40 sec/side.
Russian Twists: 3 × 12–20 total reps (light med ball or plate).
Leg Raises: 3 × 10–15 reps; slow eccentrics to build control.

Upper Body Block

Push-Ups: 3–4 × 8–15 reps; vary grips to spread stress.
Pull-Ups or Assisted Pull-Ups: 3–5 × 3–8 reps; use bands as needed.
One-Arm DB Rows: 3–4 × 8–12/side; pause at top for 1 second.
Face Pulls: 3 × 12–15 reps for scapular balance.

Lower Body Block

Squats: 3–5 × 6–12 reps; choose back, front, or goblet based on experience.
Lunges/Walking Lunges: 3–4 × 8–12/leg; maintain tall torso.
Box Jumps: 3 × 6–8 reps; land softly, step down.

Sample Weekly Plan (Swim + Dryland)

Aim to train each major muscle group at least twice weekly. Adjust volume to swim load and competition phase.

Day 1: Core + Upper Body

Plank: 3 × 30–45 sec
Russian Twists: 3 × 16 total
Push-Ups: 3 × 10–15
Pull-Ups: 3 × 4–6

Day 2: Lower Body

Squats: 3 × 8–10
Lunges: 3 × 10/leg
Box Jumps: 3 × 6–8

Day 3: Rest or Active Recovery
Light swim, mobility, or yoga.

Day 4: Core + Upper Body

Leg Raises: 3 × 12–15
Dumbbell Rows: 3 × 10/arm
Diamond Push-Ups: 3 × 8–10
Band External Rotations: 3 × 12–15

Day 5: Lower Body

Weighted Squats: 4 × 6–8
Walking Lunges: 3 × 10/leg
Calf Raises: 3 × 15–20

Day 6: Rest

Day 7: Optional Cardio
Swim, cycle, or jog 20–40 min easy for aerobic maintenance.

Programming Notes (Make It Work with Pool Sessions)

Place heavier dryland lifting away from high-intensity pool sets (e.g., lift PM if tough swim AM).
Keep total weekly stress in check—progress total sets or load by ~5–10% week-to-week.
Prioritize shoulder health work year-round; 5–10 minutes at end of sessions goes a long way.
Taper: Reduce dryland volume 7–10 days pre‑meet; keep mobility and activation.

Warm-Up and Mobility Template (10–12 Minutes)

2–3 minutes easy cardio (rower, bike, jump rope)
T‑spine openers (quadruped rotations × 8/side)
Banded shoulder series (pull-aparts × 15, dislocates × 10)
World’s greatest stretch (4/side)
Glute bridge (2 × 10) + ankle rocks (10/side)

Technique Carriers from Land to Water

Scapular rhythm learned via rows/face pulls improves early vertical forearm and catch stability.
Trunk stiffness from anti-extension work reduces undulation and keeps hips high.
Hip power from squats/lunges helps with push-offs and sustained kick drive.
Rotational strength improves breathing timing and cross-body force transfer in freestyle.

FAQs

How many dryland sessions per week?
2–3 sessions for most swimmers. During heavy swim phases, keep sessions short and focused.

Do I lift before or after swimming?
If performance in the pool is priority, swim first; lift later that day or on alternate days.

What about youth swimmers?
Emphasize technique, bodyweight strength, and fun; progress loads conservatively with supervision.

Conclusion

Strength training for swimmers is indispensable. By integrating the right strength training exercises for swimmers and a consistent dryland plan, you can enhance power, endurance, body position, and resilience. Start with a manageable template, progress gradually, and align dryland with your pool priorities. With consistent, smart training, you’ll maximize your swim performance and feel the difference in every stroke.

To track your swim training with your Garmin watch, learn how to sync LiftTrack workouts with your Garmin wearable. You can use SetSync to automatically update your workout targets based on your actual performance, and schedule your workouts to stay consistent with your training plan.