02/06/2022
Swimming Strength //
Strength and conditioning training are crucial to the success of any competitive swimmer in today’s arena.
The purpose of the above is to improve the swimmer’s power, athleticism, and overall speed in the pool by:
1) Building Muscle and Bone Density
2) Building Core Strength to maintain the correct “downhill” body position of the swimmer when horizontal to minimize drag. This will enable the swimmer to accelerate faster in a turn, and carry more speed off a dive with a clean entry. This applies to every part of your race, from the hip rotation in freestyle to the underwater dolphin kick off the wall.
3) Preventing Injury:
The repetitive motions of swimming can lead to chronic injuries. Strength training can target areas left underdeveloped by swimming and relieve some of the demand placed on more stressed muscle groups. Stronger muscles also help distribute force correctly, putting less strain on joints, tendons and ligaments.
4) Promoting Correct Biomechanics:
Especially with weight lifting, the athlete must learn correct body position for a variety of exercises. This requires focus, muscle recruitment, and coordination. Swimmers develop better posture through core engagement and upper body strength, which helps improve breathing in the water. Balance and stability improve with single-legged exercises and strengthening of large muscle groups.
5) Generating More Power:
Strength training develops power unmatched by any power training a swimmer can do in the pool. Explosiveness develops well on land, where the athlete has a harder surface to push off.
Strength training for swimmers is critical to their development. Athletes tap into new sources of power and speed on land, translating to greater performances in the water.
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