Swimming is a full-body sport that demands cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and precise technique. While in-pool training is essential, dryland exercises play a crucial role in enhancing performance, power, and injury prevention. The best exercises for swimmers focus on building strength in the core, shoulders, legs, and back, improving joint mobility, and increasing muscular endurance. Below is a list of top dryland exercises that benefit swimmers across all strokes.
1. Core Strength and Stability
A strong core helps swimmers maintain a streamlined position in the water, transfer power effectively, and stabilize during strokes and turns.
Planks (Front and Side)
Planks develop deep core strength and endurance. Side planks especially help stabilize the hips and obliques, improving rotation and balance in freestyle and backstroke.
Flutter Kicks
Mimic the kick motion in freestyle and backstroke. Performed on your back, these improve lower abdominal strength and endurance.
V-Ups
Target both upper and lower abs. This explosive core movement enhances the body’s ability to snap into a streamlined position off the wall.
Russian Twists
Strengthen rotational muscles used in freestyle, butterfly, and backstroke. Add a medicine ball or weight plate to increase intensity.
2. Upper Body Strength
Shoulders, lats, chest, and arms power the majority of stroke movements. These exercises help build the strength needed for efficient propulsion.
Pull-Ups
One of the best exercises for swimmers, pull-ups build upper-back and arm strength, mimicking the pulling motion in freestyle and butterfly.
Push-Ups
Push-ups improve upper body endurance and help develop shoulder stability—essential for maintaining stroke integrity and avoiding injury.
Lat Pulldowns
If pull-ups are too difficult, lat pulldowns are a great alternative. They target the lats and upper back, improving stroke power.
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Strengthens the deltoids and upper traps, supporting strong and injury-resistant shoulders.
3. Lower Body Power
Strong legs contribute to powerful starts, turns, and consistent kicking across all strokes.
Squats
Whether bodyweight, goblet, or barbell squats, they build glute, quad, and hamstring strength. This is key for explosive push-offs and kick endurance.
Lunges
Lunges develop balance, hip mobility, and single-leg strength—important for symmetrical kicking and streamlined form.
Box Jumps
Explosive plyometric exercises like box jumps increase leg power for faster starts and turns.
4. Shoulder and Mobility Work
Shoulders are highly active in swimming and prone to overuse injuries. Strengthening and stabilizing them is critical.
Resistance Band External Rotations
Help prevent swimmer’s shoulder by strengthening the rotator cuff muscles.
Scapular Push-Ups
Improve scapular mobility and control—vital for injury prevention and efficient arm recovery.
Foam Rolling and Stretching
Targets lats, shoulders, quads, and hips. Keeping muscles flexible reduces injury risk and improves stroke efficiency.
5. Functional and Full-Body Training
Burpees
Improve cardiovascular fitness, coordination, and full-body strength—mimicking the explosive effort in races.
Medicine Ball Slams
Build explosive power through the core and upper body, simulating the snap and drive of strokes like butterfly and freestyle.
Final Thoughts
Swimmers benefit from dryland training that emphasizes core stability, shoulder health, and lower-body strength. A balanced routine combining strength, mobility, and endurance work can enhance power, efficiency, and speed in the water. Consistency and proper technique in these exercises are key to making meaningful progress in swimming performance.