Home Chat General Chat

Swim training - no pool!

I'm about to go away for 3 months, and I'm not going to have access to a pool at all. My plans were to work on my swimming over the winter, but no longer!

I'll have full access to a gym, so just wondering if anyone knew of any specific weight training or other training that can keep up/ enhance swimming strength. It may seem a strange question, but I'm normally 'allergic' to the gym and prefer to get out - so I'm clueless.



Thanks in advance

Comments

  • GHarvGHarv Posts: 456
    Think you can get some elastic pull cables that you can use?



    They were talked about in one issue of 220 faiely recently for practicing you stroke and building muscle.
  • GHarvGHarv Posts: 456
    Also this may sound a bit daft but you could try the TI or swim smooth DVDs not used them but i know a lot have and you could watch them then practice technique?



    Just an idea.
  • Thanks,



    I try and get hold of some of those bungees. I'll also have a look at the TI video,



    Cheers
  • TommiTriTommiTri Posts: 879
    In terms of gym training, I like to do quite a comprehensive weights routine over winter with the aim of increasing strength and in particular increasing my strength to weight ratio. Lots have studies have also shown that weight training increases anaerobic endurance and power as a result.



    To achieve this I focus my training on big compound moves, that are aimed to recruit lots of different muscles, this also has the benefit of cutting fat down loads. I also focus a lot on moves that strengthen my core, and no I don't do any 'crunches' they are a waste of time. These are the exercises you want to be doing.



    squats - barbell, not on the machine. This is a hard move, so you may need to get someone to show you the form, start with light weights until you have PERFECT form, otherwise you may injure your back



    Deadlifts - same advice as squats, they need perfect form.



    Clean and jerk or muscle jerk, the best power move that exists - again start with low weight, muscle jerks are the same move but without the stop after the clean. Get the form perfect with a very light weight - then when it is perfect you want to take the barbell from the floor to over your head in one powerful movement.



    Bench press - again, this is all freeweight stuff, great for swimming.



    pullups and chinups, start on the lat pulldown if you can't do them, then move up to doing sets of chinups then straight onto chinups.



    There are plenty more exercise you can do that focus on particular groups, but none will have the same affect as these 5. Ditch the crunches when you are doing any of these exercises, particularly squats and deadlifts you are using your core far more than with a crunch!



    watch the fat fall off and then lean muscle pack on. don't worry about putting on weight, as these moves require the whole body to move as a unit the weight you put on should be minimal, but what you do put on will be lean, hard muscle!

    good luck.



  • Cheers Tommitri, all great advice. I've been doing the routine over the last fews days and all feels godd! Thanks again for the advice
Sign In or Register to comment.