About this workout
Speed in the water is built by the pull, and the pull is built by a strong back, powerful lats and healthy, stable shoulders. This 10 week dryland program develops all of it out of the pool. Heavy pulling builds the engine, dedicated shoulder work keeps the joint you rely on most healthy, and a strong core transfers force from your catch to your kick. Three focused sessions a week make you a stronger, more powerful swimmer without ever getting in the water.
Who This Program Is For
- You are a swimmer who wants a more powerful pull and healthier shoulders.
- You can train three days a week on dryland around your swim schedule.
- You have access to a gym with a pull-up bar, cables and dumbbells.
- You already lift with good technique.
Who this is NOT for: total beginners to lifting, and anyone with current shoulder pain who has not been assessed; the shoulder is a swimmer's most precious joint. Get healthy first.
What You'll Need
- A gym with a pull-up bar, cable station, dumbbells and benches.
- Bands for shoulder warm-ups and activation.
- Care with the shoulder work; it is performance and prevention at once.
The Program
Three upper body and core focused sessions, spaced through the week around your swimming. Every session includes real pulling and dedicated rear-shoulder work. Lift with control, and never push a pressing movement into shoulder pain.
| Day 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pull and Core | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Pull Up | 4 | 6-8 | 90 sec |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 10-12 | 75 sec |
| Seated Cable Rows | 4 | 10 | 75 sec |
| Straight Arm Pulldown | 3 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
| Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
| Day 2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Push and Shoulder Health | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 4 | 8-10 | 90 sec |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 10 | 75 sec |
| Face Pulls | 4 | 15-20 | 45 sec |
| Reverse Flyes | 3 | 15-20 | 45 sec |
| Plank | 3 | 45-60 sec | 45 sec |
| Day 3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Power and Full Upper | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Push Press | 4 | 5 | 2 min |
| Bent Over Row | 4 | 8 | 90 sec |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 10 | 75 sec |
| Cable Rope Overhead Tricep Extensions | 3 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
| Russian Twist | 3 | 20 | 45 sec |
How to Progress
Ten weeks building pulling power and shoulder resilience, with a deload to protect the joint.
Weeks 1 to 4. Build a base. Add weight to the pulls and presses each week and lock in clean, full-range shoulder work.
Weeks 5 to 7. Push the pulling and pressing harder and keep the power work on day three crisp. Do not chase weight at the cost of shoulder health.
Week 8 (deload). Take an easy week. For a swimmer, this planned recovery keeps the shoulder happy through hard training.
Weeks 9 to 10. Sharpen. Keep the main lifts strong and the power work explosive. You finish with a stronger pull and more durable shoulders.
Warm-Up and Recovery Notes
Warm up the shoulders every session: band pull-aparts, external rotations and light activation before any pressing or overhead work. This is non-negotiable for a swimmer.
Balance dryland with pool fatigue. Keep the hardest lifting away from your hardest swim sessions, always include the rear-delt and rotator work, and stop any pressing that causes shoulder pain. Sleep drives recovery for both.
Nutrition and Supplementation
Swimmers train hard and burn a lot; fuel accordingly and get enough protein to recover from pool and dryland work alike. Aim for about 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.
Support: protein powder for recovery, creatine monohydrate at 5 grams a day for power and repeated efforts, and a daily multivitamin to cover the demands of two-a-day training.
FAQ
Will lifting make my shoulders tight for swimming? Not if you train through a full range and prioritize the rear-shoulder and mobility work in here. Done right, it makes the shoulder stronger and more stable, not tighter.
Should I do legs too? A little lower body and hinge work is fine to round things out, but the swimmer's biggest returns come from the pull, shoulders and core, which this program targets.
How does this fit around swim practice? Put the hardest dryland sessions on lighter swim days, and keep dryland brief and focused. The pool is still your main training.
Questions and results
Ask a coach
Running this program? Tell us what week you are on and how the progression is going. A coach answers every question here.