How Strength Training Can Improve Swimming Skills

In this article, we will show you how to improve your swimming skills with different types of exercises that can be done both at homein the pool. In professional lifeguard courses, it is one of the essential things to strengthen your body to become a lifeguard.

In the first part of this article, we will look at the types of exercises that can be done in a pool or on land. We will then move on to the various types of strength training exercises that can be done with weights or without weights to improve your swimming skills.

Improving your swimming skills with weight training is a great way to improve your overall fitnessstrength. Let’s talk about some of these pieces of training that are often offered in lifeguard training courses by American Lifeguard Association.

Exercises With Your Own Body Weight

Most of these exercises are triedtruestill effective for performing well in the water. You can do these exercises as a circuit or do 3 sets per exercisethen move on to the next one.

Push-up:

The whole body is floating in the air, only the handstoes are in contact with the ground. The hands are under the shoulderspointing forward. The body is tensedbrought down to just before the floor. The arms have to bend. Then the body is brought back up. You can increase the level of difficulty by touching your handspositioning them under the centre of your body, or by moving them away from your body. 10-20 push-ups

Trunk Raises:

In the starting position, you lie on the floor with your head in line with your whole body. The hands are at the ears. Then you slowly move your headupper body upthen down again. With this, you train your backtorso for a bettermore stable position in the water. 15-20 times

Freestyle swimmer:

You lie down on the custom with your face looking at the ground. Bring your armslegs slightly off the floor. Then you move your right armleft leg up. Meanwhile, put your left armright leg down. You bring your right armleft leg down againthe other side up. You should perform these movements quickly. 20-30 times per side

Freestyle Swimmer (alternative exercise):

Starting position as described above. The arms are now not guided updown, but forwardsbackwar as in freestyle swimming. 20-30 times per side

Arm Lift:

You stand hip-width apart,your knees are slightly bent. The upper body is slightly bent forward. The arms lie parallel to each other on the bodyare guided backwards up to shoulder height. Then the arms go back down. This exercise strengthens the arm muscles, especially the triceps. 15-20 times

Dips:

You support yourself with your hands behind you on a chair or bench. Step your feet away from the chair until your kneeships are at a 90° angle. Then you bendstretch your arms, your torso remains stable. 15-20 times

Exercises With A Pull Rope And Theraband

Thera bands are colourful latex bands that come in different strengths. If you are just getting into strength traininghave little experience, then slowly approach itstart with lighter bands. The pull rope can also give you strength. You have to make sure that you don’t grab it with your fist, but keep your hand stretched out. Otherwise, you will falsify your swimming techniquebe tempted to pull out of your elbow too much.

Strengthening the shoulder muscles: Hold the Thera-band behind your back. One hand grabs the band from belowthe other hand from above (see below). The lower hand remains in this position. On the other hand, the other hand is guided further up into a full extension of the arm. 3×15-20 times per side

Shoulder external rotation: You stand hip-width apart with your legs slightly bent. You hold the band with both handsfix your elbows on your body. Then you move one hand away from the bodythen back to the other hand. 3×15-20 times per side

Two-arm rope pull: Bend your body forward. The pull rope is hooked into a doorknob (or around a tree as in the picture)your hands grasp the loops of the pull rope. Your legs are slightly bent. Your upper arms are stretched forward. Pull your arms back like you would in a freestyle underwater arm pull. Remember that you are doing the technique with concentrationcorrectly. 3×15-20 times

Conclusion:

As a beginner as well as an advanced triathlete, you should plan strength training into your training week. Don’t overdo it by doing too many exercises. Approach it slowlydo your strength training regularly. Consult a professional, or enroll in a lifeguard course.

It really doesn’t do you any good if you go full on for two daysthen are inactive for two to three weeks. Even with the number of repetitions, you must not go beyond your means. The techniqueyour posture still have to be done well. You should note that strength training does not replace your swimming training. It is considered an additive to make you stronger in the water.

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