Swimming Exercises: Drills, Stroke Rate, and Deadlift for Swimmers
Swimming Tips by Dan Daly
DALY Tip 1: Drills:
Drills are a great way to break technique and weaknesses down into their component parts and build them back.
Single arm drill in the water and dryland training using cords help narrow down your training focus.
Side front side kick and similar core stability exercises help to develop a long stable streamline through rotation.
What's your favorite drill?
DALY Tip 2:
Speed is a product of #1 stroke rate x #2 distance per stroke.
If you want to get and go faster, you have to increase one or both. The fastest open water swimmers and triathletes race at stroke rates of 70-90 strokes per minutes (SPM) with training rates everything in between, depending on distance and intensity. You can easily determine and train for specific stroke rates by counting strokes taken for :30-:60 efforts, using a watch that records similar metrics, or an audible tempo trainer that can be programmed at a fixed rate.
Tempo and distance per stroke drills are great ways to prepare you for racing with a propulsive and higher stroke.
Additionally, here are a few dryland drills using similar patterns, with varying rates of speed, force production, and rep counts.
DALY Tip 3: Improve your Reach
Cover more distance per stroke by reaching, rotating, and gliding.
Improve your over head mobility, strength, and power with drills that stretch, strengthen and empower those positions.
DALY Tip 4: Deadlift common Cues and Mistakes
Hinging is a fundamental pattern in every dryland program, and your hips are the powerhouse of both a firm pull and kick in the water. Here are some simple cues and common mistakes to look out for in the deadlift.
You can fInd the whole IG TV here:
DALY Tip 4: Underwater Freestyle Drill:
Long Dog - This underwater drill is a fun play on doggy paddle for improving streamline, entry and extension. The resistance of the water amplifies each phase of the stroke, exposing any technique flaws to help you find the most efficient path forward. What's one of your favorite drills?
