“If you want to be the best, you have to do things that other people aren’t willing to do.” “You can’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.” Wise words from Michael Phelps, the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time with 28 medals – 23 gold! But why was he so successful? Theories that his abnormal wingspan and flexible joints giving him an advantage have been shot down. It seems sheer hard work and a positive mental attitude were the secrets to his success. A grueling regime where he spent hours at the pool and dry land training, allowed him to fine tune his technique. Visualization of himself doing the races and his coach basically banning the word ‘can’t’, meant that he was also mentally in a very strong place.
Competitive swimmers, no matter the level, are pushing every aspect of their preparation and training in order to improve and make those marginal gains in the hope of reaching the podium and securing that prized medal! To make progress, you need; specificity where you are aiming for a specific race, progression where the work needs to get harder, overload where the body requires challenges, and time because the changes and adaptations don’t happen overnight! So, when your ultimate goal is to get faster in the water, there are ways to do this:
- Strength is one aspect where small but meaningful improvements can be made which influence the performance of swimmers. On land strength training is crucial for swimmers to become as fast as they can, but it is not about replicating the work which is done in the pool. Swimmers need different strength qualities at different parts of the race:
Starts/turns: S&C training has been shown to improve start/dive performance by developing explosive power. A strong start is essential to maximize performance and has been shown to account for 30% of a 50m race.1 Also, the effects of plyometric training on block starts was assessed and after an eight week course, a mean reduction of 0.59 seconds in start time was achieved and there was also an increase in the distance covered before contact was made with the water which overall, resulted in significantly improved start performances.2
Generating more power: The main propulsive muscles used during swimming are the pectoralis major (pecs), latissimus dorsi (lats) and quadriceps (quads). Rolling from side to side with each arm stroke allows you to better engage these muscles and your shoulder muscles, resulting in improved propulsion in the water. Dry land training based on progressively overloading these muscles with specific exercises, will make you train harder by applying more resistance to your muscles over time. By combining this with speed tempo training, you will become a stronger, more powerful swimmer.
Core strength: Having a strong and developed core is very important for several aspects of a race. It helps produce a strong underwater dolphin kick, connects other muscle groups in the arms and legs more efficiently, maintains a correct body position which reduces resistance in the water and assists the swimmer to accelerate faster after turns and dives. The interaction between the core and arm muscles allows more force to be applied to the swim stroke so you will be able to swim faster, for longer, and tire less rapidly because core muscles have more endurance than arms and shoulders.
Improves taper: Swimmers build muscle and strength during the months of rigorous training before an event. Tapering is the reduction in exercise and resting of the muscles and CNS etc. during the build up to a competition. As a result, the built-up strength will be fully maintained during the event because the muscles have been rested and are not fatigued during taper.
Improved reaction time and coordination: A comprehensive dry land training programme will develop overall functionality and increase the ability of the CNS to adapt and learn new techniques to produce a better swimmer. - Training at threshold or CSS (Critical Swim Speed) is important for pushing your body to produce lactate as a fuel for your muscles. By raising your lactate threshold, you will become fitter, faster and see an improvement in your performance.
- Vary your training sessions and don’t get stuck in a rut! Create variety by mixing it up but make sure you always have a main aim e.g. do specific drills to resolve a stroke fault, have an aerobic or anaerobic session, train to improve balance and position in the water, or do a sprint session to teach your body that you can swim faster than your current race pace providing an extra gear. This in turn boosts your overall fitness.
- Vary your stroke rate or cadence to see what suits you best. If you generally have a long, slow stroke, try moving your arms faster and shortening your stroke for less effort. Or conversely, try slowing your stroke down to see if it improves your breathing.
- Swimming at a club with friends has many benefits by; encouraging you to work harder when you’re feeling less enthusiastic, challenging you to keep up with faster swimmers and get used to swimming at a greater speed, getting technical feedback about your stroke technique.
Strength training is both a science and a skill in competitive swimming. By reaping the benefits of a resistance training routine designed specifically for your needs, you will not only improve your physical longevity but your ability to adapt to the varying demands on your body will be enhanced.
So, get smart! Train wisely! Become a better, stronger, faster swimmer and don’t forget your growth mindset…..don’t give up!!
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- Lyttle A, Benjanuvatra N. Start right? A biomechanical review of dive start performance. Available at: http://www.coachesinfo.com/category/swimming/321. Accessed: January 22, 2013.
- Bishop DC, Smith RJ, Smith MF, Rigby HE. Effect of plyometric training on swimming block start performance in adolescents. J Strength Cond Res 23: 2137–2143, 2009.
