{"id":452,"date":"2019-09-15T10:53:08","date_gmt":"2019-09-15T14:53:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/?p=452"},"modified":"2023-10-16T12:10:17","modified_gmt":"2023-10-16T16:10:17","slug":"dryland-training-is-a-must","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/dryland-training-is-a-must\/","title":{"rendered":"Dryland Training is Important for Any Swimmer &#038; Here&#8217;s Why"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Competitive swimming is vigorous \u2013 there is no doubt about that. Long grueling hours training in the pool, a strict <a href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/good-swim-nutrition-essential-great-swimming\/\"><strong><u>12,000<\/u><\/strong><\/a> calorie diet, traveling to meets on the weekends and numerous personal sacrifices are the building blocks of Olympic swimming champions like <a href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/10-facts-you-dont-know-about-rowdy-gaines\/\"><strong><u>Rowdy Gaines<\/u><\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/swimmirror-announces-amanda-beard-endorsement\/\"><strong><u>Amanda Beard<\/u><\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Any swimmer or coach will tell you that a \u201cgood\u201d swimmer trains in the pool solely, however, a great swimmer will incorporate dryland training into their swim routine as well. Why? A swimmer at their best competitively is explosive and swift in the water. Dryland training does just that: improves the swimmer\u2019s power, athleticism and overall speed in the pool.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In this issue of SwimMirror\u2019s blog, let\u2019s dive into five reasons for dryland training:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>1. Build muscle and bone density<br \/>\n2. Core strength<br \/>\n3. Injury prevention<br \/>\n4. Correct biomechanics<br \/>\n5. Enhanced power<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-flat ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/dryland-training-is-a-must\/#Build_Muscle_and_Bone_Density\" >Build Muscle and Bone Density<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/dryland-training-is-a-must\/#Core_Strength\" >Core Strength<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/dryland-training-is-a-must\/#Injury_Prevention\" >Injury Prevention<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/dryland-training-is-a-must\/#Correct_Biomechanics\" >Correct Biomechanics<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/dryland-training-is-a-must\/#Enhanced_Power\" >Enhanced Power<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/dryland-training-is-a-must\/#SwimMirror_For_when_you_hit_the_water\" >SwimMirror: For when you hit the water!<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Build_Muscle_and_Bone_Density\"><\/span>Build Muscle and Bone Density<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Swimming alone does not build muscle, despite the repetitive movement through the water, it doesn\u2019t trigger muscle development. The way to foster muscle strength is to engage muscle groups by applying stress, such as bodyweights or dumbbells. During strength training exercises, the muscle contracts to resist the downward force of the gravity. For this reason, the muscle experiences micro-tears, which is why people have soreness after weight training. Muscle builds up as the body repairs these micro-tears.<\/p>\n<p>So, what are the benefits? The body increases both muscle and bone density \u2013 each contribute significantly to added power and faster times in the water.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Core_Strength\"><\/span>Core Strength<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In any sport, a strong core is essential for overall posture, agility, balance and potency. Swimming is no exception. Swimmers need a strong core to transfer force efficiently from one part of the body to another through hip rotation in freestyle to the underwater dolphin kick off the wall. Coaches and swimmers incorporate core exercises that target various muscles in complex movements.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>So, what are the benefits of core strength? This enables the swimmer to accelerate faster in a turn, and carry more speed off a dive with a clean entry.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Injury_Prevention\"><\/span>Injury Prevention<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It goes without saying that sports injuries are debilitating to an athlete\u2019s career and health. However, they happen, especially without proper training and preventive measures. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3435931\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><u>shoulder injuries are the most common in elite swimmers<\/u><\/strong><\/a> with a prevalence between 40% and 91%. This is caused by the repetitive motions performed in a swimmer\u2019s daily training. When the same muscles are used incessantly, they become overdeveloped and stressed. So, how can a swimmer remedy this? By integrating various dryland exercises that target underdeveloped areas and relieve the stressed muscle groups.<\/p>\n<p>What are the benefits? Having stronger muscle groups prevents injuries by distributing force correctly, allowing for less stress on joints and tendons.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Correct_Biomechanics\"><\/span>Correct Biomechanics<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Posture, alignment and correct biomechanics are crucial for swimmers. It promotes the best form in the water and prevents injury. Swimmers should focus on core strengthening exercises as well as exercises that target large muscle groups.<\/p>\n<p>How does it benefit a swimmer\u2019s routine? Dryland training helps improve balance, alignment, posture and muscle coordination, which translates to all-around better technique in the pool.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Enhanced_Power\"><\/span>Enhanced Power<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The goal of dryland training is to encourage a stronger and more explosive swimmer in the water. As mentioned before, training in the water alone does not generate much muscle mass. It is important to first develop baseline strength and work up from there. Every swimmer is different, so they should create a strengthening plan that suits their goals and capabilities. Some recommended exercises to enhance explosiveness are: squat jumps, lateral pull-downs and push-ups.<\/p>\n<p>Land exercises assist in developing explosive power and speed \u2013 the kind that wins championships and crushes PBs. For a swimmer, this force and agility applies to starts, turns, dives and finishes.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SwimMirror_For_when_you_hit_the_water\"><\/span>SwimMirror: For when you hit the water!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A well-rounded swim training routine includes both dryland and water exercises. As we have discussed, technique is central to a successful swimmer. A SwimMirror can help to refine your swim technique with real-time self-assessment. As you swim down the pool lane, you can see your movement and correct your technique. <a href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/#about-SwimMirror\"><strong><u>See more benefits of the SwimMirror<\/u><\/strong><\/a> and start training better today.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Want more swimming tips? Check out our blog:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>[maxbutton id=&#8221;3&#8243; ]\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Competitive swimming is vigorous \u2013 there is no doubt about that. Long grueling hours training in the pool, a strict 12,000 calorie diet, traveling to meets on the weekends and numerous personal sacrifices are the building blocks of Olympic swimming champions like Rowdy Gaines and Amanda Beard. &nbsp; Any swimmer or coach will tell you<a class=\"button\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/dryland-training-is-a-must\/\" title=\"More\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":462,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[21,71,60,52,11,69,17],"class_list":["post-452","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-competitive-swimming","tag-dryland-training","tag-swim","tag-swim-mirror","tag-swim-training","tag-swimmer","tag-swimming"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=452"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":465,"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452\/revisions\/465"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/462"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}