supporting swim with gym

[basil67]

Any swimmers here? Or those who know how swimmers train?

 

I'm back into swimming after a break and am having the same issue as always: I have an effective stroke but I'm not fast. When freestyle racing against people of my speed, my stroke pace is half the frequency of what they do. So logic tells me that I will go faster if I can pick up my stroke pace. But guess I need more power to do so.

 

I am only an amateur swimmer. No trainer. Not fast, but I race against my PB. Breast and backstroke are solid but I couldn't butterfly to save my life.

 

Any gym suggestions to target the muscles involved in freestyle?

[d0nnivain]

Get somebody to videotape you swimming. Are your knees straight when you kick? Your power & speed come from your hips. You need to be kicking with your whole leg. Is your stroke pulling the full length of your body underwater? Many people bend their elbows & pull their arms up around their mid-section.

[Substance Abusix]

since no one replies here is one thought: definitely pay private trainer. He will tell you exactly, it makes not much point asking on places like this.

 

 

I am not a swimmer,but I am sure you can't spoil anything doing compound exercises of all kinds. Bench, dead lift, chins ups, deep(!) squats should be yer daily routine, train explosively and add a lot of weight. If you swim short distances make also sure you keep breaks to minimum. My personal recommendation is 30 secs or less between sets, but this goes for experienced sportsman. Try to get it as close to this as possible. Stretching is a natural thing, never leave gym/pool without spending at least 15 mins over it.

 

also, from personal experience I recommend you to cut yer body fat to bare minimum. Having body stripped of useless burdens give great deal of agility, speed and strength and also boosts yer natural testosterone, which is utmost important here. Yer all sport performance builds and falls on testosterone levels. For more info read this: https://www.strengthsensei.com/eight-highly-effective-testosterone-boosting-tips/, I also recommend to read the other topic from blog as well. Great source of knowledge.

Edited August 18, 2018 by Substance Abusix

[basil67]

Get somebody to videotape you swimming. Are your knees straight when you kick? Your power & speed come from your hips. You need to be kicking with your whole leg. Is your stroke pulling the full length of your body underwater? Many people bend their elbows & pull their arms up around their mid-section.

 

hmmm.....everything you've listed are things I could change. You've given me so much think about when I'm swimming. Thank you so much.

[basil67]

since no one replies here is one thought: definitely pay private trainer. He will tell you exactly, it makes not much point asking on places like this.

 

 

I am not a swimmer,but I am sure you can't spoil anything doing compound exercises of all kinds. Bench, dead lift, chins ups, deep(!) squats should be yer daily routine, train explosively and add a lot of weight. If you swim short distances make also sure you keep breaks to minimum. My personal recommendation is 30 secs or less between sets, but this goes for experienced sportsman. Try to get it as close to this as possible. Stretching is a natural thing, never leave gym/pool without spending at least 15 mins over it.

 

also, from personal experience I recommend you to cut yer body fat to bare minimum. Having body stripped of useless burdens give great deal of agility, speed and strength and also boosts yer natural testosterone, which is utmost important here. Yer all sport performance builds and falls on testosterone levels. For more info read this: https://www.strengthsensei.com/eight-highly-effective-testosterone-boosting-tips/, I also recommend to read the other topic from blog as well. Great source of knowledge.

 

Thanks for the tips. I'm post menopause, so testosterone is pretty much gone for me now...and I'm carrying a few extra pounds. But you're right that general strength training is important - not just for swimming but for general health and fighting off osteoporosis.

[Substance Abusix]

Thanks for the tips. I'm post menopause, so testosterone is pretty much gone for me now...and I'm carrying a few extra pounds. But you're right that general strength training is important - not just for swimming but for general health and fighting off osteoporosis.

 

 

oooh.... I see. In that case I have completely different advice for ya:

 

Training at senior age is very special issue due to many health risks. I would twice recommend to you to seek specialist for senior physical preparation, if you are serious about this. It would be easy to hurt yourself, especially if your bones and tendons are not so strong.

[basil67]

oooh.... I see. In that case I have completely different advice for ya:

 

Training at senior age is very special issue due to many health risks. I would twice recommend to you to seek specialist for senior physical preparation, if you are serious about this. It would be easy to hurt yourself, especially if your bones and tendons are not so strong.

 

Yeah, I've learned to be careful in the gym. Too much weight = damage and physio

[mrs rubble]

I was a competitive swimmer back in the day, and a lifeguard. I never did any other training apart from swimming (and running). I never went to the gym till many years after I stopped the competitions, when I did go I was doing pump classes, lifting weights and found I was already very strong from all the swimming. To this day I still have very strong shoulders and back. Donnivain's advice is spot on.