Anyone who has swum before knows what it is like to have muscles quit. Muscular fatigue feels miserable in the pool. Your stroke shortens, you catch less water, and as a result you lose efficiency and speed. Maintaining good form over the long run requires that your muscles can endure for the duration. Engaging in weight training will improve your muscular strength and endurance. This in turn will improve your ability to hold your form and lower your times. So, with all of the possible options, which exercises should you do?

Well, what muscles are used in swimming? Just about all of them. However, I am going to give you specific exercises for the main muscle groups. Legs, chest, back, arms, and of course CORE. Core consists of your rectis abdominus (6-pack region), obliques (side abs), and lower back.

As a note, it is important to mention that getting into weight training should be a gradual process. Start light and easy and work your way up as weeks progress. A general guideline would be doing 1 set of 15 reps on each of the following exercises for the first two times to the gym. For the next two or three visits, up it to 2 sets of 15 reps. After about 4 or 5 times to the gym finally get up to 3 sets of 15 reps. Workouts should be completed 2 to 3 times a week giving yourself at least a days break in-between.

Without further ado, here are Dr. Dan’s prescribed exercises:

LEGS

Leg Press (Easy to moderate difficulty level) — Primarily works quadriceps and glutes

Squats (Difficult – proper form is a MUST) — Primarily works quads, hamstrings and glutes

Leg Extension (Moderate difficulty) — Primarily works quads

Leg Curls (Moderate difficulty) — Primarily works hamstrings

CHEST

Chest Press (Easy to moderate difficulty) OR Bench Press (Difficult – having a spotter HIGHLY recommended) — Primarily works pectorals

Pec Deck / Butterfly Machine (Easy to moderate difficulty) — Primarily works inner chest muscles

BACK

Lat Pulldown (Easy to moderate difficulty) – Primarily works latissimus dorsi muscles (high outer back muscles)

Seated Row (Easy to moderate difficulty) – Primarily works rhomboids (inner / upper back muscles and lat muscles)

Bent over rows [Using free-weights] (Moderate difficulty) – primarily works lat muscles

ARMS (biceps/triceps/deltoids)

Bicep curls [Using free weights] (Easy to moderate difficulty)

Tricep pulldowns / extensions [Using free weights or pulldown rope] (Easy to moderate difficulty)

Front raises [Using free weights] (Easy to moderate difficulty) – Primarily works front deltoid (front of shoulder) muscle

Lateral Raises [Free weights] (Moderate difficulty) – Primarily works side deltoid (shoulder)

Overhead press [Free weights] (Moderate difficulty) – Primarily works top deltoid (shoulder)

CORE

Crunches (try feet flat on floor, knees and feet up in air, and legs straight up in air as variations)

Side crunches – Lie on side, raise top leg and crunch upper body toward leg

Back crunches – Lie on stomach, extend arms out in front of you, raise arms and legs simultaneously (legs will rise by pushing hips into mat – squeeze those glutes for support!)

Swiss ball rotationals – hold a medium to small size swiss ball between your hands. Sit down with your knees bent and lean back (keeping your back straight) until your feet rise off the ground. You should be in a balanced position that requires your abs to be engaged. Once balanced turn your shoulders until the ball touches the ground next to you, immediately following touchdown turn your shoulders hard in the other direction until the ball touches the ground on the other side of you. Continue turning side to side rapidly touching the floor beside you with the ball each rotation. Shoot for 20 touches starting out. Then push it to 25, 30, 50 and beyond! THIS IS A GREAT AB EXERCISE FOR ANY SPORT THAT REQUIRES CORE TURNING – SWIMMING INCLUDED!

These are just a few examples of possible exercises that you can do. Ask me for others if you wish to do more or just to change up your program!

Best,

Dan Sigafoos
Head Coach
Porter Valley Masters

Goal setting is one of the best ways to get motivated and push your skill level to, well, the next level. Many people decide that they want to get better, but make their goals vague that there is no tangible way of ever achieving them. An example would be someone that would say, I want to get better at swimming in 2008. It is great this person wants more for himself or herself, but this type of goal is far too ambiguous. Good goal setting follows the S.M.A.R.T. principles (Acronyms are totally in right now, vague goals are so not)

Goals should be: S = Specific, M = Measurable, A = Attainable, R = Realistic, T = Timely.

A SPECIFIC way to get better at swimming in 2008 could be to dedicate to, for example, coming to 3 masters practices a week and going to the gym twice a week (assuming that you were doing less than this before of course…) This goal is also MEASURABLE. To determine if your goal would be measurable, ask questions such as, How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?

To determine if your goal is ATTAINABLE ask yourself, Can I do it? You can attain just about any goal by setting up a step-by-step plan and establishing a time frame that allows you to progress through those steps. Goals that may seem lofty or out of reach will eventually move closer and become more attainable, not because your goals shrink, but because YOU grow and progress to match them.

To determine if your goal is REALISTIC ask yourself, Am I truly willing to do what it takes? High goals can very well be realistic. In fact, high goals are often better than low goals because low goals won’t give you much motivation. They are easy and therefore not all that exciting to go for. It is totally up to you how high the goal, but do not be afraid to shoot for goals beyond what you have achieved in the past. The past does not mean anything about what the potential is for the future!

Finally, set goals that you can achieve within a timeframe that will not be beyond the burnout threshold. An example would be if you wanted to do an Ironman Triathlon. If you are a beginner or in bad shape, this is a long-term goal that will take a substantial amount of time to prepare for. Without smaller steps and achievements along the way, you increase your risk of falling victim to the dreaded burnout. Short-term goals that lead up to your long-term goal will sustain your motivation and have the potential to build on it. A sprint triathlon might be a more timely, short-term goal for a newbie.

A final note:
When you list your goals and share them with other people you are building your self-image. You see yourself as worthy of these goals, and develop the traits and personality that allow you to possess them. Make your goals real by writing them on paper, sharing them with friends and you will likely gain support and admiration, which are great motivators for success!

- Coach Dan