I would like to hear thoughts on strength training for masters swimming. Here are a few questions of interest to me and also, I hope, to other forum members:
1. Is dry land strength transferable to the water? As far as I know, this is a very controversial question. The answer to this primary question is of the utmost importance. I remember reading that the great Australian coach Forbes Carlile didn't let Kieren Pierkins weight train because he felt that the answer to this question was no. Pierkins was the first swimmer to break 15:00 in the 1500m.
2. Most of us master swimmers have very busy professional carrers and our time is limited. So - should we cut into pool time to strength train?
3. If we conclude that strength training is beneficial to the swimmer then what method of strength training to employ? Free weights, machines, cables, cords, bodyweight exercises - combinations of these?
I have some more questions but I think that this is enough for openers.
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Former Member
I'm new to these parts and just getting serious (again) about swimming but I have been strength training for about five years pretty seriously and regularly. I view swimming as a part of my overall fitness/wellness regime so the strenght training is equally important. I'm also very interested in the answers to your question(s) and I realize that I'm addressing a different issue with my comments. However, I do feel strength training is an important part of living a healthy, active life so, while it may not help so much with swimming better now, perhaps it might contribute to the longevity of your swimming-life.
If all you (generic) do is swim, you would naturally get better at swimming but would swimming help you load the canoe or help keep your back healthy so you can pick up your granddaughter w/o injury? I just think diversity in training is important to overall fitness and I do believe that one carries over to the other but I just couldn't tell you how exactly in this instance.
I'm new to these parts and just getting serious (again) about swimming but I have been strength training for about five years pretty seriously and regularly. I view swimming as a part of my overall fitness/wellness regime so the strenght training is equally important. I'm also very interested in the answers to your question(s) and I realize that I'm addressing a different issue with my comments. However, I do feel strength training is an important part of living a healthy, active life so, while it may not help so much with swimming better now, perhaps it might contribute to the longevity of your swimming-life.
If all you (generic) do is swim, you would naturally get better at swimming but would swimming help you load the canoe or help keep your back healthy so you can pick up your granddaughter w/o injury? I just think diversity in training is important to overall fitness and I do believe that one carries over to the other but I just couldn't tell you how exactly in this instance.
