Breaststroke - Dry land weight training

There have been several threads befre about weight training for swimmers, most of that applies to breaststroke.The important things to be sure to include(IMO) are as follows: Since the insweep is so important I think it is important to do some pulley work that duplicates this motion. Since leg strength is vital,squats and leg extensions are good. For leg endurance I like spinning. Core strength is needed so I do work on the stability ball,especially crunches and back extensions For explosive leg strength I do vertical jumps in deep water(I used to do them on dry land but my joints got old.) Breaststroke uses the biceps more than the other strokes so curls are good. Since all swimmers run the risk of shoulder problems rotator cuff exercises are vital. Since power is important I recommend high weight/low rep work( except for the spinning and the rotator cuff exercises.) The main idea is to use the weight to duplicate the swimming motions.The important exception to this is DON'T do leg extensions with you foot turned out(as in the kick) as that puts too much strain on the knees.

I agree with the excercises proposed by Allen and in addition, to avoid groin injury in the pool, also work on the muscles opposite to quadriceps (front leg) and the ones surrounding the hip and groin in general. I normally end my leg excercise days with the following: -High/low rep high/medium workload on hamstrings -High rep outside/inside low workload on thigh -High/low rep high/medium workload on Gluteus maximus (and hamstrings ...my favourite: straight leg deadlift) Having a strong chest is also important I think...good ol fashioned bench press (bar and dumbbell) works for me. Good luck! /Per

I have been lifting 3 times per week, with most exercises doing 5 sets of 15 reps, with pretty heavy weight. Workouts consist of incline bench press, french curls, curls, leg lifts, adductor (for inside leg), lat pulls (down to chest), leg lifts and reverse flys (simulating the breastroke pull). I have been told that leg extensions are very hard on the knees but I have never had a problem. Lifting has also helped my breastroke but I'm not convince that I am using the most effective program. :weightlifter:

Have a look here one of Wayne's articles www.breaststroke.info/BRSTWE.htm Don't burn through muscle mass, shorter-duration, high-intensity interval training is the answer.

I consider breastroke my third stroke, after free and fly, but before backstroke (my worst). I don't spend a lot of energy worrying about it, but I've had good time drops there, possibly from my weight training program I started in August. 50m *** SCM 41.02 9/23/07 39.22 11/11/07 Pretty slow times, but headed in the right direction. I'm swimming it at a SCM meet this weekend, so we'll see. I'd like to drop another 1.8 seconds.

When I started lifting weights regularly I was doing 2 sets of 12 at the max weight I could do 12 of without hurting myself.The first time to drop was my 200.4 mo before Worlds I started lifting 3x8 at max(greater) weight.My 100 was my best time in 8 yr and my 200 was my best time in 6 yr.Increase strength and you can increase DPS.Increased DPS potentially means more energy left for the last 50 of the 200.Watch Kitajima,he is as short as I am,is incredibly muscular and has amazing DPS.

I have been lifting 3 times per week, with most exercises doing 5 sets of 15 reps, with pretty heavy weight. Workouts consist of incline bench press, french curls, curls, leg lifts, adductor (for inside leg), lat pulls (down to chest), leg lifts and reverse flys (simulating the breastroke pull). I have been told that leg extensions are very hard on the knees but I have never had a problem. Lifting has also helped my breastroke but I'm not convince that I am using the most effective program. :weightlifter: Leg extensions are not hard on the knees if you have good alignment... most importantly, if your patellas track correctly in the "groove" and you have no patellofemoral pain (pain under/around the kneecap or along the patellar tendon... sometimes called runner's knee). If you DO have this pain, it's best to avoid leg extensions and do isometric exercises to work your quads. Examples would be ball sits on the wall (ball is behind your back against the wall, legs are at a 90degree bend, like you're sitting in a chair) or sitting wall pushes (sit on a bench/stool with your back against the wall, plant your feet on the ground and contract your muscles like you're trying to push yourself backwards through the wall.) I think dynamic exercises like leg extensions are better, because you're actually building strength through the entire range of motion, but you also have to do what your body can take...

50m *** SCM 41.02 9/23/07 39.22 11/11/07 38.88 2/17/08

5 sets of 15 is too much. and if you can do 15 reps of it, it's not nearly heavy enough for you. for the "big 3" work outs, do 3 sets of 8, 6, and 4 reps. for the minor lifts, do 2 sets of 10 or 8. I'm not sure I agree; especially if swimming 100 or 200 BR, don't you want the strength to last the whole way?

I have been lifting 3 times per week, with most exercises doing 5 sets of 15 reps, with pretty heavy weight. Workouts consist of incline bench press, french curls, curls, leg lifts, adductor (for inside leg), lat pulls (down to chest), leg lifts and reverse flys (simulating the breastroke pull). I have been told that leg extensions are very hard on the knees but I have never had a problem. Lifting has also helped my breastroke but I'm not convince that I am using the most effective program. :weightlifter: 5 sets of 15 is too much. and if you can do 15 reps of it, it's not nearly heavy enough for you. for the "big 3" work outs, do 3 sets of 8, 6, and 4 reps. for the minor lifts, do 2 sets of 10 or 8.