How swimmers can improve performance, reduce injury risk, and speed muscle recovery with alternative forms of training

Most of today’s elite cyclists, runners, and swimmers do more than just log countless miles (or meters) in their chosen endurance sport. They also lift weights and engage in alternative forms of cardiovascular conditioning. Why? Simple: Cross-training enhances performance in their primary sport, reduces their risk of injury, and helps promote proper muscle recovery.

You too can get these same performance and fitness benefits—and even maximize them—by choosing cross-training activities that best complement your main endurance sport. So which specific activities should you add to your training regimen to reap the most performance rewards if you are, say, a swimmer? What about if you’re a cyclist—or a runner?

That’s what our 3-Part Cross-Training Primer is all about. In two earlier posts that were Part 1 and Part 2 of this primer, we discussed the best cross-training activities and strategies for cyclists and runners. Here in Part 3, we cover cross-training advice for swimmers. So, cyclists and runners: Click on the links above for your cross-training primers. Swimmers: Read on.

Stay Dry, Increase Fitness

For peak performance in the pool, most competitive swimmers devote some of their training time to activities out of the pool, specifically functional strength-training exercises, higher-impact forms of aerobic training, and stretching. Here’s what to focus on:

Functional strength-training exercises: Swimming is more of a strength sport than cycling and running because it is done in water, which is a more resistive medium than air. So, all serious competitive swimmers complement their swimming with “dryland” strength training to increase their stroke power. Dara Torres exemplifies the benefits of strength training for swimmers. In 2008, Torres, at age 41, attempted to qualify for her fifth U.S. Olympic swim team. To counteract the effects of aging on her body, Torres incorporated an intensive dryland training regimen into her program. In the run-up to the Olympic Trials, she performed four 60-to-90-minute functional strength sessions per week. The result was a chiseled physique, complete with six-pack abs (a rarity among swimmers) that drew a lot of attention during the Beijing Games. More importantly, Torres swam better than she had in her 30s, 20s, or teens, qualifying for the U.S. team in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle and winning silver medals in the 50-meter freestyle and two relay events.

You don’t have to hit the weights as hard as Dara Torres to get noticeable benefits. Even three, 20-minute dryland sessions per week will have a measurable effect on your swimming. Be sure to build these sessions with core-strengthening exercises—as the power in all four strokes originates at the core—and functional movements such as chin-ups, which simulate the pull phase of the stroke.

Higher-impact aerobic alternatives: Just as it does for cyclists and runners, cross-training in alternative aerobic disciplines can give swimmers a nice mental break from swimming, especially during the off-season. But since the fitness crossover between leg-dominant activities, such as running, and swimming is minimal, you should not rely on aerobic cross-training to actually enhance your swimming performance.

There is, however, a health rationale for higher-impact aerobic cross-training. Research has shown that swimmers typically have lower bone mineral density (BMD) than other athletes because of the non-bodyweight nature of swimming. Running a bit on the side can help swimmers increase their BMD and reduce their risk of developing osteoporosis and suffering bone fractures. Weightlifting also increases BMD.

Stretching. Unlike cycling and running, in which normal joint flexibility is adequate, swimming is a sport in which above average flexibility—particularly in the shoulders and ankles—is beneficial for performance. A wide shoulder range of motion in all directions will enable you to take longer strokes, while greater ankle flexibility will give you a more powerful kick. Therefore you should perform a few stretches to increase your shoulder and ankle flexibility daily.