> What sort of strength training do you do and/or suggest for swimming? During the ~4 months of the
> winter off-season, I swim a lot, run a little, and do a couple of hours of conventional weight
> training (4 - 12 reps per set) per week. I can't tell if it helps with the swimming or not, but I
> do notice that it causes my performance on the swim to suffer terribly if I don't allow enough
> recovery from the weight training. Lately, I have been improving in the water just by swimming
> ~12,000 yards per week, mostly at an aerobic (not all out, but not easy either) pace and staying
> focused on good form, although my forearm does tend to get fatigued a bit on the 1000 and 2000
> yard pieces. I suppose that doing a few wrist curls might help with the forearm issue.
When I swam in college, I noticed the same - we did a lot of weights, but I was never too happy
with the results. I always felt that, by doing a number of different stations, I was never able to
focus on the muscles really critical to my stroke (fly). Several of us worked with the team
exercise physiologist and developed a minimalist program, which emphasized the areas we used the
most. At the end of the year, I was so much stronger that I didn't know how to fast to go!
More
on this in a second.
The biggest mistake I see people making with weights is thinking in terms of "strength" (as in,
brute power). How much can I lift? How much can I bench? The problem is, swimming (especially at
longer distances) is not a power sport. It's endurance based. As a result, you need to focus on
lower weights, but with higher reps. From what you say, it sounds like you are doing the first -
lots of weight, low reps. That's OK for short, short distances and sprints, but at almost all tri
distances, it's counterproductive, as you seem to be noticing.
Your 12000 yds a week is actually a form of the second type of training, with really low weights
and a TON of reps!
Yes, that WILL improve you a lot, provided you don't develop tendonitis
along the way. No doubt though - the distance you are doing should really help out, especially with
the longer swims.
As for weights, personal suggestion (and this also comes from my former college coach) is
to do this -
1. Lay off high weight\low rep sets. Focus on low weight\high reps. Start at 12 reps at resistance
level "A". doing the strength circuit 2-3 times per week, increase the number of reps you can do
at resistance A until you reach 20 reps. When you reach 20 reps, then increase the resistance to
the amount that brings you back to 12 reps. do the same increase in reps until you reach 20 and
then increase resistance, etc. Do 3 sets each - that should provide a bit of a balance between
the two (strength and endurance).
2. If your emphasis is on swimming strength (which I am assuming it is from your question), focus on
the specific groups you will need most. Include opposite muscle groups (i.e. if you do biceps
curls as exercise #1, then you need to do triceps extensions as exercise #2). Here's what I use -
biceps curls triceps extension bent over rows bench press lat pull military press knee extension
hamstring curls upright rows
It has seemed to me that the weakest area for most people out of all of these is with the triceps,
followed probably by the lats.
Give it a try - I think you will notice a difference, and that it will compliment the work you are
doing in the pool!