Dive into Summer with Cross Training for Swimmers: Build Your Endurance, Speed and Power with Total Gym Dry Land Training
Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES
As the sun warms and summer days lengthen, swimmers eagerly dive into pools, lakes and oceans, ready to perfect their strokes and enjoy the water. Swimming is a great way to stay in shape, however, there is more to becoming a top swimmer than the time you spend in the water.
Cross training, especially with Total Gym, is a necessary addition to any swimmer’s program. Not only does it enhance strength, endurance, speed and power, but it also helps prevent injuries by keeping muscles and joints strong and resilient.
The importance of land training for swimmers
Dry land training plays a key role in a swimmer’s overall fitness strategy. While swimming provides an excellent cardiovascular workout and builds endurance, land exercises are needed to complement swimming to enhance overall muscle stability and reduce the risks of muscle fatigue.
Injury prevention is especially important for swimmers. Repetitive motions can lead to overuse injuries to the shoulders, knees and lower back. Therefore, strengthening these areas through specific exercises ensures that muscles and joints remain resilient and less prone to injury.
Let’s dive right into a dedicated swim workout that includes the best land-based strength exercises to help you elevate your swimming goals.
Total fitness track for Swimmers
Since there are so many amazing exercises that will help strengthen and condition your muscles, I’ve outlined some of the best Total Gym exercises that you can start doing, right now! Use this routine to perform a powerful strength circuit in your Total Gym and see how well it excels in the water!
Directions:
- Start with a dynamic warm-up to prepare the muscles to move. Once you feel warmed up, move on to the strength circuit.
- Perform in a circuit format, with little to no rest between each exercise.
- Aim to perform 1-20 repetitions per exercise
- Do 1-3 rounds based on your training schedule. (One set is as good as many!)
- Use this dry land routine as a standalone workout THE incorporate the exercises into your current strength routine!
- GB = Sliding Table
- VC = Vertical column
Set up: Cables & Squat Stand Connected, Moderate-High incline based on your strength level and the exercise you are performing.
Note: You can always go backwards or forwards by adjusting the incline!
If you struggle with an exercise or want to increase the challenge, be sure to adjust the incline to what feels best. Then proceed from there.
Warming up: 3-5 minutes
Board Variations – a total body workout that will prepare your muscles for the circuit!
- Why: Core stability is essential to maintain proper form in water.
- How: Choose to use the GB in your Total Gym or head to the floor to perform plank variations.
- Perform standard planks, side planks and rainbow planks. Hold each position for 30-60 seconds, focusing on maintaining a straight line from head to heels. (Modification with knees down.)
Total Gymnastics Track for Swimmers: 10-20 repetitions/ e.g
- Squat Pull Hops
- How: Grasp the handles facing away from the vertical column and lie flat on the GB with your feet placed in the Squat Stand. Begin by bending the knees slightly and extend the arms towards the vertical column. Pull the cables toward the shoulders while simultaneously coming out of the Squat Stand for a moment of hanging hold. Repeat the movement.
- Gift: Feel free to add a critical moment on the hop or alternate legs on the landing.
- Row Fly +Static Isolation
- How: Face the VC, sit (modified) or kneel (advanced) on the GB with cables in each hand. Begin pulling the cables in a rowing motion (5-10 reps). Then extend the arms to the sides with a slight bend in the elbows to perform a Rear Fly (5-10 reps). Go to alternating 1 row followed by 1 Back Fly. Maintain core stabilization at all times.
- Gift: Perform static isolation sets with the GB standing still! The speed will vary depending on your strength goals.
- Prone scans
- How: Stay opposite the VC. Lie prone (face down) on GB with cables in each hand and extend arms toward VC base. Simultaneously extend the upper spine as they sweep across the GB towards the hips. Slowly reverse this movement to the starting position to repeat.
- Gift: Add flutters to increase back power and challenge your coordination.
- Hi-Lo Chest Press or Fly
- How: Move away from the VC and sit on the GB with the cables in each hand. Legs can be with bent knees, extended straight or plan GB. Chest Press: Begin pushing the cables away from your chest with the goal of fully extending the arms. Alternate the pressure on the chest from one high, with the chin, followed by one low, from the abdomen. Chest Fly: Perform in the same manor as the chest fly, but change the angle of the arms so they hug toward the chin and abdomen, bending the elbows slightly.
- Gift: Explore different angles of movement to target different muscles.
- Crunch Crunch
- How: Stay facing away from the VC and lie supine with both cables in hand. Start by extending arms out from chest and bend knees with feet in GB. Begin to circle the arms while performing a crunch with the downward motion (ie: crunch as the arms come down to the GB).
- Gift: Raise the legs to 90 degrees or stretch the legs for an added core challenge.
By incorporating these Total Gym land exercises into your summer training, you’ll gain the strength, stability, and power needed to excel in the water.
Remember to listen to your body, focus on proper form, and enjoy the benefits of a well-rounded fitness routine.
Dive in, stay strong and make the most of your summer swim!
MARY
@groovysweat
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