Dryland Resistance Band Training for Swimmers

If you’re stuck at home with no access to the gym, you can still get a great workout to strengthen your muscles for swimming. One highly effective method of doing so is incorporating dryland resistance band training into your workout routine.

Dryland Resistance Band Training for Swimmers

Resistance bands help target specific muscle groups and simulate the motions you perform in the pool. Training with them helps you develop strength and conditioning that allows you to fine-tune your swimming technique, build functional strength, improve flexibility, and work on injury prevention, which translates to faster times and more efficient strokes when you dive back into the water.

In this article, we’ll explore various resistance band exercises that can greatly benefit swimmers, including those that mimic your stroke patterns and others that focus on strengthening essential muscle groups.

Benefits of Dryland Resistance Band Training for Swimmers

Resistance bands serve as a cost-effective and space efficient tool that help swimmers build strength, improve their performance, and prevent injuries. They can be used at home and can easily fit in a gym bag so you can bring it with you for a quick workout anywhere in the world. There’s lots to like about training with resistance bands.

Building Strength and Power

Resistance band training allows you to strengthen muscles that are crucial for swimming, such as your core, shoulders, back, and even legs. With stronger muscles, you can generate more power in your strokes and improve your overall performance.

Resistance bands provide variable resistance, meaning the more tension you create, the harder your muscles need to work. This helps in building strength and explosive power in a different way than traditional weightlifting.

Improving Technique and Endurance

Using resistance bands to mimic swimming movements can help you refine your technique outside the water. Focusing on specific muscle groups and practicing isolated movements allows you to identify and correct any flaws in your stroke.

Moreover, incorporating resistance band exercises into your dryland training routine can increase your endurance. When you build muscle strength and technique, swimming for longer periods becomes easier, ultimately improving your overall swim performance.

Injury Prevention and Muscle Imbalance Correction

Swimming, like any other sport, carries the risk of overuse injuries. Such injuries are often a result of muscle imbalances caused by poor stroke technique or excessive training. 

Dryland resistance band exercises can help correct these imbalances by targeting specific muscle groups, particularly those less frequently activated during swimming. Encouraging balanced muscle development, including increased flexibility, can lower your risk of injury.

Resistance Band Exercises for Swimmers

Now that you are aware of the benefits that resistance bands can provide to swimmers, let’s get into the exercises. Follow along with the video below to see how the exercises are performed. We have also included written instructions below if you prefer that.

Rows

  1. Anchor the band to a sturdy object at elbow height.
  2. Hold the ends of the band with each hand, palms facing each other.
  3. Stand up straight, maintaining a straight back and your head facing forward.
  4. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and then pull your arms back, leading with the elbows, until your arms are bent at a 90 degree angle at your sides.
  5. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat.

Tricep Kickbacks

  1. Anchor the band to a sturdy object at elbow height.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward from your waist, maintaining a straight back.
  3. Your arms should be pressed against your sides with your upper arm parallel to the floor and your lower arm perpendicular to it.
  4. With your hands grasping onto the handles of the band, extend your arm backward, keeping your elbow stationary.
  5. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat.

Internal Rotation

  1. Anchor the band to a sturdy object at elbow height.
  2. Stand sideways to the anchor, grab the band with the hand closest to it.
  3. Bend your elbow at a 90-degree angle, keeping your elbow close to your side.
  4. Pull the band across your body.
  5. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat on both sides.

External Rotation

  1. Anchor the band to a sturdy object at elbow height.
  2. Stand sideways to the anchor, grab the band with the hand farthest from it.
  3. Bend your elbow at a 90-degree angle, keeping your elbow close to your side.
  4. Pull the band outward, away from your body.
  5. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat on both sides.

Double Arm Pull

  1. Anchor the band to a sturdy object at elbow height.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward from your waist, maintaining a straight back.
  3. With palms facing down, raise your arms in front of you to shoulder height.
  4. Pull the band downwards and then behind you while squeezing your shoulder blades, ending up in the extended position of a tricep kickback.
  5. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat.

Rear Delt Fly

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the band in front of your chest, hands shoulder-width apart.
  2. Keep your arms straight and pull the band apart, squeezing your shoulder blades.
  3. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat.

Side Delt Fly

  1. Stand on the band with one foot, hold the band with the same hand.
  2. Keep your arm straight and raise it to the side, up to shoulder height.
  3. Slowly lower your arm back down. Repeat on both sides.

Bicep Curls

  1. Stand on the band with feet hip-width apart, hold the ends of the band.
  2. With palms facing forward, bend your elbows and pull the band towards your shoulders.
  3. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat.

Banded Squats

  1. Stand on the band with feet hip-width apart, hold the ends of the band.
  2. Bring your hands up to your shoulders, palms facing forward.
  3. Lower your body into a squat position, keeping your chest up and knees behind your toes.
  4. Push through your heels to return to the starting position. Repeat.

Banded Leg Press

  1. Sit on the floor, legs extended, and loop the band around the soles of your feet.
  2. Hold the ends of the band with both hands.
  3. Bend your knees, pulling them towards your chest.
  4. Extend your legs to push against the resistance. Repeat.

Banded Deadlifts

  1. Stand on the band with feet hip-width apart, hold the ends of the band.
  2. Hinge at the hips and bend your knees slightly, lowering your torso towards the floor.
  3. Keep your back straight and push through your heels to stand up straight.
  4. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat.

Thrusters

  1. Stand on the band with feet hip-width apart, hold the ends of the band.
  2. Bring your hands up to your shoulders, palms facing each other.
  3. Lower into a squat, then push through your heels to stand up and press your arms overhead.
  4. Return to the starting position. Repeat.

Even More Resistance Band Training

You can perform all of these exercises outlined above  in a single workout for a full body workout. If you have multiple resistance bands of varying resistances, I recommend switching between them depending on the muscle group.

For example, your leg and back muscles are very large and powerful and therefore a stronger resistance band can be used for them, whereas the smaller muscles of your upper body such as biceps, triceps, and shoulder muscles should be trained with a lighter resistance band.

Consider performing this full body resistance band workout the next time you can’t make it into the gym but you still want to give yourself a great workout.

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