Dryland training is a critical component of an overall swim training plan. Anyone who has been around the sport has his or her own mental picture of what “dryland training” looks like. To some, it’s endless ab flexion exercises and shoulder pre-hab exercises, while to others it’s medicine ball work and swim benches.
There should be one main goals in a good dryland training program: injury prevention. Swimming places a great deal of stress on the body, despite it being a “non-contact” sport. From 10,000-yard (+) training days for distance swimmers to practicing starts and turns for an hour, repetition is the name of the game in swimming. While occasionally there are acute injuries in swimming, more often swimmers experience chronic or overuse injuries, specifically in the shoulders and low back. A dryland program that includes weight training, development of core strength and stabilization, targeted shoulder work, and appropriate recovery practices designed to reduce and prevent injury is critical.
There should be one main goals in a good dryland training program: injury prevention. Swimming places a great deal of stress on the body, despite it being a “non-contact” sport. From 10,000-yard (+) training days for distance swimmers to practicing starts and turns for an hour, repetition is the name of the game in swimming. While occasionally there are acute injuries in swimming, more often swimmers experience chronic or overuse injuries, specifically in the shoulders and low back. A dryland program that includes weight training, development of core strength and stabilization, targeted shoulder work, and appropriate recovery practices designed to reduce and prevent injury is critical.