The goal of SURGE Strength dryland training programs are to help swimmers get stronger and more athletic, even when pool access may or may not be an option. Dryland has been a saving grace to many athletes who have been in quarantine this year. It has allowed swimmers to stay in shape when pools remained closed or were closed off and on. Many of our swimmers have found themselves in various situations including training at home, training with no equipment, or having to limit their exposure to certain equipment that they would typically use in the gym for dryland. With COVID-19 impacting the world, we know to keep land-based training as consistent as possible when practices and regularly scheduled programming are off-kilter. So, what swimming dryland training equipment is truly necessary to have in order to keep up your fitness levels? We talk the basics below:
No Swimming Dryland Training Equipment:
We get this question a lot: Do I really need to buy equipment, or can I still get stronger by doing bodyweight exercises? The answer is, it depends. There are many exercises that are extremely effective using just a swimmer’s bodyweight as resistance. The problem is that when you build an entire program with no other tools to help load the body, your ratios of pushing and squatting will inherently be higher than hinging and pulling (one needs more resistance than your body weight can provide). If you think about most bodyweight exercises and the way we resist gravity through bodyweight exercises, they are going to be geared toward pushing the body away from the ground.
Secondly, scaling a workout with no equipment also becomes very hard. Let’s say you are a coach and you are programming a dryland session for an entire team or for various age groups. It becomes a lot harder to offer modifications when adding or taking away equipment is not an option. While it is possible to manipulate bodyweight exercises to build strength, it should be considered to invest in just a few tools that will make your training more holistic and balanced.
Minimal Swimming Dryland Training Equipment Recommendations:
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Pull-up bar
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Kettlebells or dumbbells
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Bands
With more people training at home now, equipment can be hard to come by. We’ve even heard reports of equipment prices going up as many at-home workouts call for lots of equipment. We keep it simple: we recommend at least having a pull-up bar, a kettlebell (or dumbbell), and some resistance bands for swimmers.
When it comes to a pull-up bar, you can find ones that fit in a doorway. If you are at the point of needing weighted pull-ups, we recommend a bar that mounts into a wall as a safer option. Pull-up bars obviously allow swimmers to train that essential vertical pulling motion needed for gains in the pool, but they also give the athlete a spot to hang resistance or TRX bands from to train other exercises as well.
When investing in kettlebells or dumbbells, we recommend starting in the 8-12kg range for females and the 16-24kg range for males. Getting various weights allows for you to scale your workout accordingly or to use your lighter kettlebells for upper body and heavier kettlebells for lower body exercises. Getting two of the same weight can also be beneficial to train key movements with both arms at the same time.
Bands are so versatile and there are many variations out there. We recommend getting super bands, which are longer bands connected into a circle versus having handles at one end. This allows for you to tie them to a post easier and use them for exercises such as band-assisted pull-ups and rows. We have found that 1”, 1.5”, and 2” bands are best based on which exercises you are using them for, your size, and your ability. Buying two of the same size band also allows for doing exercises like rows with both arms at the same time.
Reluctancy about Investing in Swimming Dryland Training Equipment:
Unfortunately, when you sign up for practically any sport, there are things you must buy in order to participate. In land sports, maybe it’s a pair of cleats or a mouthguard. For swimming, maybe it’s a snorkel or a pull buoy. The same goes for dryland, especially when you are required to take your dryland training home. We are so confident in the value of the right dryland equipment, that we would bet on a swimmer who focuses their budget towards ensuring a good dryland program over a swimmer who takes that money and invests it into a tech suit at the end of the season.
Coaches, of all the time you spend investing into a dryland program, take the next step and invest into some proper dryland equipment that is easy to sanitize and will last for years to come. Don’t make it harder on yourself. Find ways to come together with your time and figure out a solution for splitting the cost in order to reap the benefits of keeping training consistent when regular gym training is restricted. In circumstances where swimmers are able to safely gather together to train, time is your most valuable resource. The time and effort it takes you to figure out a scaled bodyweight dryland program is costing you more than the equipment listed above.
Think of equipment as your dryland training tools. If you are a mechanic, you are going to invest in the right tools for the job at hand. As an athlete, it’s important to distinguish which tools you really need for dryland. Pull-up bars, kettlebells/dumbbells, and bands allow you to train those hinging and pulling motions essential to every swimmer’s dryland routine. These tools allow you to work towards having that ideal swimmer’s body consisting of having a high strength to mass ratio, a stronger core, and more mobility. We hope that this guide will give you discernment about which items to invest in and ultimately lead you toward a better set up for your dryland program.
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Courtesy of SwimSwam’s exclusive dryland training partner, SURGE Strength.
SURGE Strength, a strength training brand created by Chris Ritter, CEO of RITTER Sports Performance, aims to build better athletes and faster swimmers through dryland programs, and coaching education.