Weight Training?

Hi there! I've been strength training consistanly for nearly 2 1/2 years and I've noticed a difference in my swimming for sure. Here's what I do twice a week (sometimes 3 times per week, depending on how much time I'm spending in the pool): Upper body - lat pull downs front pull downs tricep pull downs two back machines - seated row and one I call "fly back" - works the upper back and deltoid muscles modified pushups on a bar - I'm not strong enough yet to do the "real" ones, but the bar is getting lower! modified pull ups on the same bar - again, I'm not strong enough yet to do real pull ups, but I'm getting there There are 4 exercises that I do for my shoulders and I'll try to explain them without being too confusing: with very light weights, with arms at your sides, lift your arms with the elbows slightly bent until your arms are about level with your shoulders, then slowly go back down - 3 sets, 15 reps for the next one, you can use a 20 lb. bar or two 8 or 10 lb. dumbells - with your hands close together and in front of your body, lift up to chest level then lower slowly. 3 sets, as many reps as you can do - works the muscles that help you achieve that nice high elbow recovery in freestyle! The next two I got from a swim magazine - with 5, 8, or 10 lb bells - stand with arms at your side, knees slightly bent, elbows bent - swing arms toward the front like you're running - each arm counts for 1 rep. This next one is kind of a modified shoulder press - but instead you give it a twist and push to the opposite side of your body as you press up. Lower body - Squats, squats squats! Great for pushes off the wall. My knees aren't the greatest so I use a leg press machine - 3 sets, 20 reps with light/med weight Quad, hamstring and calf machines - 12-15 reps, 3 sets Now for the hard stuff - you need a medicine ball and a physio ball - I like doing very slow, controlled sit ups on the ball, as it seems to work my core better. Roman chair - I put an 8 lb medicine ball between my legs and draw them up - as many as I can do, 3 sets. This message is getting long so I'll stop for now, but know this: the more you work your core, the better your sense of balance is, and the better your posture is - the better you will be in the water! There are really good websites that strictly discuss core strength training - you can work up to 3 times a week or more; some people do it every day, but I recommend at least one full day of rest per week, or at the very least - mild, active rest. And remember to stretch! I try to stretch at the end of the day, when my body has been warmed up - usually while sitting in front of the tube. I recently attended a training camp and we had the added benefit of talking to a personal trainer who is also a swimmer, and one of the best core exercises you can do is called, I believe, the plank. What you do is lay on the floor face down - with the support of your elbows, slowly rise up, keeping your back nice and straight - while holding your body position on your toes and elbows. Try to do three sets, holding the position for at least 10 seconds and working up to 30 seconds. For me, hitting the gym AFTER I swim is better - but that's just me. Good luck!

Hi there! I've been strength training consistanly for nearly 2 1/2 years and I've noticed a difference in my swimming for sure. Here's what I do twice a week (sometimes 3 times per week, depending on how much time I'm spending in the pool): Upper body - lat pull downs front pull downs tricep pull downs two back machines - seated row and one I call "fly back" - works the upper back and deltoid muscles modified pushups on a bar - I'm not strong enough yet to do the "real" ones, but the bar is getting lower! modified pull ups on the same bar - again, I'm not strong enough yet to do real pull ups, but I'm getting there There are 4 exercises that I do for my shoulders and I'll try to explain them without being too confusing: with very light weights, with arms at your sides, lift your arms with the elbows slightly bent until your arms are about level with your shoulders, then slowly go back down - 3 sets, 15 reps for the next one, you can use a 20 lb. bar or two 8 or 10 lb. dumbells - with your hands close together and in front of your body, lift up to chest level then lower slowly. 3 sets, as many reps as you can do - works the muscles that help you achieve that nice high elbow recovery in freestyle! The next two I got from a swim magazine - with 5, 8, or 10 lb bells - stand with arms at your side, knees slightly bent, elbows bent - swing arms toward the front like you're running - each arm counts for 1 rep. This next one is kind of a modified shoulder press - but instead you give it a twist and push to the opposite side of your body as you press up. Lower body - Squats, squats squats! Great for pushes off the wall. My knees aren't the greatest so I use a leg press machine - 3 sets, 20 reps with light/med weight Quad, hamstring and calf machines - 12-15 reps, 3 sets Now for the hard stuff - you need a medicine ball and a physio ball - I like doing very slow, controlled sit ups on the ball, as it seems to work my core better. Roman chair - I put an 8 lb medicine ball between my legs and draw them up - as many as I can do, 3 sets. This message is getting long so I'll stop for now, but know this: the more you work your core, the better your sense of balance is, and the better your posture is - the better you will be in the water! There are really good websites that strictly discuss core strength training - you can work up to 3 times a week or more; some people do it every day, but I recommend at least one full day of rest per week, or at the very least - mild, active rest. And remember to stretch! I try to stretch at the end of the day, when my body has been warmed up - usually while sitting in front of the tube. I recently attended a training camp and we had the added benefit of talking to a personal trainer who is also a swimmer, and one of the best core exercises you can do is called, I believe, the plank. What you do is lay on the floor face down - with the support of your elbows, slowly rise up, keeping your back nice and straight - while holding your body position on your toes and elbows. Try to do three sets, holding the position for at least 10 seconds and working up to 30 seconds. For me, hitting the gym AFTER I swim is better - but that's just me. Good luck!