The Best Exercises to Improve Swimming Performance

Despite swimming being one of the most popular sports to watch at the Olympics and something many people enjoy doing for pleasure, it is often forgotten about when the conversation of fit sportspeople arises. 

Swimming in a normal capacity isn’t necessarily the most taxing sport – hence why lots of people enjoy doing it on a weekend afternoon – but professional swimming is an entirely different game altogether. The immense levels of all-around fitness swimmers must demonstrate cement their status as some of the fittest athletes in the world. 

Historically, professional swimmers would spend as much time in the pool as possible to build upon their abilities. It’s still very common for swimmers to spend six days a week in training, but nowadays, the importance of training outside the pool is more emphasised than it was before. 

It’s true that an exceptionally fit swimmer with poor technique won’t get far, but a great technique with little fitness will yield similar results also. For this reason, training outside the pool is just as important as taking a dip. 

Swimming is a very useful skill that could potentially save your life, so maximising your performance where possible is never a bad idea. If you’re looking to improve your performance, here are some of the best exercises – both in and out of the water – that will help you achieve it. 

Exercises in the Pool 

One of the biggest challenges facing swimmers that cannot be replicated in a gym is water resistance. Traditional out-of-water resistance bands can only do so much – the best way to overcome the resistance and get your body accustomed to it is to engage in resistance exercises in the water. If you thought aqua aerobics was simply a holiday activity to work off an all-inclusive breakfast, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn that it’s actually incredibly effective for improving performance in the pool at all levels! 

Here are a few exercises you can do in the swimming pool that will positively impact your abilities:

Underwater Bicep Curl

Underwater bicep curls are very similar to normal bicep curls, except they’re underwater! Using foam dumbbells, place your hands at your side, holding the dumbbells with your palms facing towards your body. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and raise the dumbbells, moving only the lower half of your arms. As you pull the dumbbells up, turn your wrists so your palms are facing your chest. Raise the dumbbells as high as your chest, and slowly release your arms back down to your side. 

Doing three sets of 10 will allow your arms to build muscle and get used to the resistance of the water. This is particularly useful for the front crawl.

Push and Glide

Having a strong push-off is integral to having a good swimming performance, and the push and glide is a great way to enhance your push off and put you in good stead for a good swim. To do a back push and glide, stand facing the side of the pool with your arms on the edge. Tuck your knees to your chest and push off the wall as powerfully as possible, floating straight as far as you can on your back. 

To do a front push and glide, put your feet against the side of the wall, bend your knees, put your head in the water, put your palms together, arms outstretched and push off as powerfully as you can. Once you’re off the wall, outstretch your whole body and glide as long as you can. 

The push and glide is often taught when children begin swimming lessons and it’s not all too common to see adults doing it, but it’s important to try and weave it into your fitness regime where possible so that you can maximise your push-off strength.

Underwater Jumping Jacks

To build resistance and strengthen the muscles in your arms and legs at the same time, attach weights to your wrists and ankles and engage in jumping jacks. Two sets of 10 will be sufficient to work all your limbs at once. 

Exercises in the Gym

A lot of work can be undertaken in the pool to boost your swimming performance, but there is much to be gained from working out in the gym. This is because swimming is a full-body workout, but it is sometimes more effective to work certain parts of your body outside of the pool. Swimmers have to be toned and muscular all over, so a lot of gym workouts for bettering swimming abilities are based on strength training. 

Mountain Climbers 

A good way you can work your upper body, abs and lower body are to do mountain climbers. This will increase your cardio which will go a long way to boosting your endurance, allowing you to complete more lengths at a higher power without having to stop and recuperate. Not only this, you will build strength in your arms, legs and abs. 

Exercise Ball Scorpion

Abdominal strength is key for swimmers as this allows them to hold a steady position and reduce drag as a result of being streamlined. One of the best ab exercises is the scorpion which is performed using an exercise ball. Enter a raised plank position, but put your lower legs (beneath the knee) on an exercise ball. Maintaining your raised plank position with a straight back, remove one leg from the exercise ball and twist it round to the opposite side of the ball. Repeat on the other leg. Doing two sets of 10 will give your core an intense workout and improve your stability. 

Pull Ups

A noticeable trait of professional swimmers who are at the top of their game is that they have broad shoulders, muscular backs and toned arms. One exercise that works almost every muscle in the upper back and arms is the pull-up. It mimics swimming strokes accurately, making it a staple for those looking to generate more power and increase their performance in the water. To do a pull-up properly, put your hands on the pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you, shoulder-width apart. Engage your arms, back and core and use your upper body muscles to slowly pull your body up until your chin is slightly above the bar. Lower yourself back down until your arms are fully extended and in the starting position. Repeat for 10 reps. 

Performance Enhancing Equipment 

There are many more exercises you can undertake both in and out of the water to improve your swimming performance. Here at UK Gym Equipment, we specialise in providing high-quality fitness equipment to help you reach your goals, no matter what your chosen sport is. To find out more about how we can help with improving your swimming performance, please contact us directly.