Strength training for a breaststroker

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Former Member — Fri, 11 May 2007 13:12:25 GMT

Glider: Looks like a great plan but with my swimming, biking, and running workouts; I'd need a 9 day week to get it all in. Since I bike and run, I limit my leg workout to Squats. For back, I do Lat Pull down and Cable row. For chest, I've been dowing flat bench and inclined bench. Any I too limited or is the rounded out enough? Also I've never done the cross cable stuff. Is that better than the bench press? Thanx.

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Allen Stark — Fri, 11 May 2007 11:39:55 GMT

If you have lax rotator cuff tendons as I do the cables are much more shoulder friendly than bench press is,at least for me.

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Former Member — Thu, 10 May 2007 12:58:22 GMT

Thanks Wayne for chiming in. I'm now into strength training...actually easing into it. Then I go swim 3K or so...mostly stroke drill to fix what ails my BR. I really like your site...I really believe the two-hunch and full extension are key for me. Right now it seems if I get one hunch right, then I lose the other. But man every now and again I get it just right...talk about storing/generating some power in the insweep/outsweep... My strength training consists of rotating muscle groups every 3 days: chest & triceps day 1, back and biceps day 2, legs day 3. I'm doing the 3-day rotation twice a week, with Sunday off. Each exercise is 2 sets of 12 to 15 for each exercise. Each day's workout is 25-30 minutes. Lower body Leg press Leg extensions Leg curls Quad lifts...think pedalling bike in reverse with weight at ankles Hip abduction GlutesBack & bi Lots of lat stuff...check Bicep curls Seated row Overhead press Rear delts Lateral raise Back extensionChest &Tri Chest press Incline press Cross cable pec stuff (imitating the insweep) Lat/tri cross cable press (imitating the outsweep) Tricep arm extensions Ab crunchesMust find out why I'm punishing myself so... :shakeshead: I welcome the input...thanks. I agree with Jeff, lots of Lat stuff, and vary it often. At least once a week go for max weight of 12 reps. Then give yourself a day off and let the body heal. Also the leg press is the only safe way to do heavy weights for the legs. Ten years ago I could do 1080 pounds on the leg press, am lucky to go over 800 now. But the leg press and toe lift machines give you that great looking calves that the distance freestylers can only dream about:wine: Once in a while I will pyramid, start at say 8 plates of 45 each, then do 15 reps at each weight, one second push, two seconds down. I will add 2 more 45 plates until I get to 810 pounds (18 plates) then go down taking 2 plates off each time until I get back to where I started. My best set like this was doing three sets of 15 reps at each weight, it hurt so good.

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Former Member — Tue, 08 May 2007 07:56:27 GMT

But the leg press and toe lift machines give you that great looking calves that the distance freestylers can only dream about:wine: Hahaha how true:lmao: Ready gang...1, 2, 3, flex...

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Former Member — Tue, 08 May 2007 07:53:20 GMT

I agree with Jeff, lots of Lat stuff, and vary it often. At least once a week go for max weight of 12 reps. Then give yourself a day off and let the body heal. Also the leg press is the only safe way to do heavy weights for the legs. Ten years ago I could do 1080 pounds on the leg press, am lucky to go over 800 now. But the leg press and toe lift machines give you that great looking calves that the distance freestylers can only dream about:wine: Once in a while I will pyramid, start at say 8 plates of 45 each, then do 15 reps at each weight, one second push, two seconds down. I will add 2 more 45 plates until I get to 810 pounds (18 plates) then go down taking 2 plates off each time until I get back to where I started. My best set like this was doing three sets of 15 reps at each weight, it hurt so good.

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Former Member — Fri, 04 May 2007 11:13:51 GMT

Thanks again, Karen and Allen. Id heard of the vertical kicking drill and how tough that one was:eek: But with tennis shoes on... You've been doing a few too many hypoxic driills, haven't you:D Another, good in-water, is vertical kicking with tennis shoes on, holding weights. Sounds crazy, but it works. Made me crazy! :p (it did give me a strong kick, though)

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Karen Duggan — Fri, 04 May 2007 03:37:37 GMT

Another, good in-water, is vertical kicking with tennis shoes on, holding weights. Sounds crazy, but it works. Made me crazy! :p (it did give me a strong kick, though)

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Former Member — Thu, 03 May 2007 13:13:51 GMT

....and by the way....I don't pirouette...I twirl! :banana: Twirl? I thought all Divas sashayed...:thhbbb: :D ;)

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Former Member — Thu, 03 May 2007 13:06:38 GMT

But, on a less serious note: What I do for breaststroke strength training is to bench press one or two spindly freestyle sprinters. Sometimes I need to press two since they are pretty small and fragile. Lat pulldowns with a freestyler is pretty challenging, since you have to hang upside down and lift them. So they are really lat pullups. Viva the stroke of the frogs (no, Peter, this has nothing to do with international politics)! -- mel

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Allen Stark — Thu, 03 May 2007 09:40:05 GMT

Another exercise I do for explosive strength is in water jump ups. If you do it in water over 7 ft. you can work on your streamline at the same time. Just stand on the bottom,get streamlined and jump as high as you can. I do 2-3 sets of 12.You can also just do regular vertical jumps anywhere,but that is too high impact for me anymore.

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Karen Duggan — Thu, 03 May 2007 03:58:36 GMT

I like to do inverted squats on a sled rack. I'm currently doing 3 x 15 of a pretty challenging weight (for me!). And hamstrings right after, again 3 x 15. I've heard AWESOME things about the medicine ball for strength for "Paul's inept stroke". (oooh, that might leave a mark :thhbbb: ) You know I love you Paul (and Laura,too!) :smooch:

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

TRYM_Swimmer — Thu, 03 May 2007 03:06:54 GMT

My basic exercise is just an unweighted bench squat where I keep my hands on my chest, back as upright as possible and squat to a low bench. Rich Thanks, Rich, This is a great one for this particular breaststroker, as that's where I really burn after a tough 200.

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Former Member — Wed, 02 May 2007 16:04:57 GMT

Jeff: Thanks for the response. I'm thinking I might just add lat pulls to the list.:agree: Anything for the legs besides squats and leg extensions? SS: Good call. I'm definitely planning on adding stretching/flexibility. I was planning that topic for another post. Didn't want to bite off more than I could chew in one sitting...;)

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Former Member — Wed, 02 May 2007 15:26:45 GMT

Lat pulls, lat pulls, lat pulls. Yup instinct tell me this Jeff. What do you do heavy and low rep? I've got to start adding weights into my week. I do not want too much bulk...but I don't really have to struggle with growing muscle... I think some hardcore stretching would be good too for streamlines. especially if you're a stocky build..

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Former Member — Wed, 02 May 2007 14:18:32 GMT

Ya know what's great...swimming in the breaststroke lane, right next to the wimpy freestyle lane...and giving a good swift whip kick to some unsuspecting, clueless freestyler, right in the arm, or better yet, rib cage. Loads of fun:groovy: Accidentally, of course...;)

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Allen Stark — Wed, 02 May 2007 12:54:47 GMT

I do stationary bike,fitball for core strength and rotator cuff exercises and then I start my main weight sets. I do pulley pull downs with the pulleys at different angles to simulate the stroke,and leg extensions. I can't do squats due to a bad back.Why are you doing light weights? Swimming is a high rep low resistance exercise,so I think you should do low rep,high weight in addition.Power is very important for breaststroke,even for the 200 and high weight is the best for that.

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Former Member — Wed, 02 May 2007 12:19:46 GMT

Thanks, Allen. I thought you might chime in. Way back when, that's how we did weights: 12 - 15 reps, 2 to 3 sets, lighter weights (by that I meant not max.) I guess that the POWER (and the catch) was exactly what was missing this season. So I'm all for your idea. I'll definitely do the pullys and squats (sorry about your back.) I also hear that it's the quads that tire out from pulling your legs UP to get set for the kick. Do you do anything to strengthen that muscle group? Thanks for the reply

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Jeff Commings — Wed, 02 May 2007 11:21:32 GMT

Lat pulls, lat pulls, lat pulls.

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Former Member — Wed, 02 May 2007 10:34:30 GMT

Don't forget all good breastrokers need to do your plies', pirouettes & split leaps! Actually, Mark, I have a spy who saw Paul hurt himself (twisted knee that he attempted to blame on getting out of the pool) trying to execute one of the pirouettes. He's had this breaststroke envy for some time now. I've offered to help, or to suggest council, but he just digs in and pretends to hate us breaststrokers... -- mel

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Former Member — Wed, 02 May 2007 10:06:07 GMT

Thanks gentlemen for the great ideas...you too Paul:thhbbb: Breaststrokers rock:banana:

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Paul Smith — Wed, 02 May 2007 07:20:11 GMT

Actually, Mark, I have a spy who saw Paul hurt himself (twisted knee that he attempted to blame on getting out of the pool) trying to execute one of the pirouettes. He's had this breaststroke envy for some time now. I've offered to help, or to suggest council, but he just digs in and pretends to hate us breaststrokers... -- mel Mel, Mel, Mel.....you have to understand that if I had deformed knees that made my feet stick out to the sides instead of forward like all true swimmers I'm have happily pursued a career in gymnastics, diving or dancing....and by the way....I don't pirouette...I twirl! :banana:

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Paul Smith — Wed, 02 May 2007 05:38:01 GMT

Start off by doing low weight, high rep. Then build up to doing high weight, low rep. Then just before taper, work down to low weight, high rep. I do leg press instead of squats. Hamstring curls and leg adductors are great for breaststrokers. Don't forget all good breastrokers need to do your plies', pirouettes & split leaps! :thhbbb: :groovy:

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Rich Abrahams — Wed, 02 May 2007 04:41:56 GMT

Mark, There is an exercise I've been doing for quite a while for explosive power and I recently noticed from another website that Dave Denniston (former NCAA breaststroke champion) used to do the same exercise to develop his breaststroke kick. However, you need access to a room with a high ceiling (gym or racquetball court) and a bouncing medicine ball. I call these wall tosses for lack of a better name. Using a set shot motion, you explode with your lower body and try to shoot the ball as high on the wall as possible, let it bounce once, catch it and with a smooth motion repeat. I used to do 3X10 but Dave said he would do sets based on the number of kicks he did in a particular race and used it especially to work on his 200 LCM. It's a great exercise, but be forwarned that I've injured myself at least twice (slight hand sprain and elbow tendinitis). I also do a thing called Tabata where the basic protocol is all out exercise for 20 seconds, 10 seconds rest X 8. My basic exercise is just an unweighted bench squat where I keep my hands on my chest, back as upright as possible and squat to a low bench. My current PR is a 20 rep average for all 8 sets. I'm guessing this would be great for breastrokers. You could always add resistance by holding a weight against your chest. Unfortunately, I had to lay off this exercise for a while as it aggravated a back condition, but I'm old and falling apart. My young training partners have no such problems. Hope this gives you some other options. Good luck. Rich

RE: Strength training for a breaststroker

Jeff Commings — Wed, 02 May 2007 01:58:36 GMT