Maximizing Swimming Performance in the Gym: The Myth of Sport-Specific Training

The most specific way to get better at your sport is to do your sport. That’s a fact. However, a strength and conditioning coach’s role is to make you a better overall athlete by developing your entire body. Using gym tools and techniques, we can enhance your strength, reduce the risk of injury, and improve the performance-related fitness required for your sport—swimming included.

Strength training for swimmers

Swimming is an incredibly demanding sport, uniquely requiring full body mobility, endurance, strength, power, and cardiovascular performance. While pool training is essential, and the majority of swim development should be in the water, gym workouts can significantly enhance a swimmer's performance by training specific joint actions and muscle groups that are complimentary, and often times opposing to the actions and stimulus in the water. In this post, we'll delve into how certain compound exercises in the gym can effectively develop the muscles needed for different swimming strokes without the need for hyper-specific exercises that attempt to mimic swimming strokes.

This post explores how gym exercises for swimmers can improve performance without resorting to gimmicky, swim-specific movements that often fail to deliver real results. 

Gym Body vs. Swimmer's Body

Although appearance is frequently the main emphasis of the "swimmer body vs. gym body" debate, there is more to it than that. Lean muscle, elongated proportions, and water-specific mobility characterize a swimmer's body. The goal of swimming gym training should be to improve these qualities without sacrificing them.

However, size and isolated strength may be prioritized in traditional gym training, which isn't necessarily beneficial for swimmers. The secret is striking a balance between the flexibility and endurance needed for swimming and functional strength. Compound movements, suppleness, and explosive force are the main focus of swimmer gym routines, which help close the gap between the gym and the pool.

Boost your strength, endurance, and power with our specialized dryland programs for swimmers.

Joint Actions in Swimming

The body has a finite amount of joint actions it can perform, with specific muscles acting on those joints. Swimming involves those various joint actions, with strokes like butterfly and breaststroke (short axis strokes) utilizing shoulder and hip power with the joint actions shoulder flexion and extension and hip flexion and extension, connected through the core. This translates to bending forward and backward at the waist, reach and pulling with the arms, using both legs and arms (bilateral) simultaneously. On the other hand, freestyle and backstroke (long axis strokes) primarily utilize rotation in an alternating and single (unilateral) arm and leg action, connecting the opposite arm and leg through the core.

Best Compound Exercises for Swimmers

Short Axis Strokes (Butterfly and Breaststroke)

• Shoulder Flexion/Extension

• Hip Flexion/Extension

• Bilateral Movement

These strokes require symmetrical power from both arms and legs, connected through a stable core.

Read more in the article: Different Types of Swimming Strokes

Long Axis Strokes (Freestyle and Backstroke)

• Rotational Movements

• Alternating Arm and Leg Actions

• Core Stability

Recommended Swim Program: ➡️ 12 Days to Better Backstroke These strokes demand unilateral strength and coordination, connecting opposite arms and legs through rotational core engagement.

Best Gym Exercises for Swimmers

For Short Axis Strokes (Butterfly, Breaststroke)

1. Deadlifts

   Build hip and leg strength essential for undulating movements.
   Key for explosive starts and turns.

2. Squats

   Develops lower-body power for a powerful kick and overall propulsion.

3. Pull-Ups and Rows

   Strengthen the back, shoulders, and arms for the robust pulling motions required in these strokes.

4. Overhead Presses

   Enhance shoulder stability and power for arm recovery and entry.

Whether you’re trying to do 1 pull up or many, improving this pattern improves your swimming, and these progressions will get you there

For Long Axis Strokes (Freestyle, Backstroke)

1. Split Stance Deadlifts. Mimics alternating leg actions and promotes anti-rotation stability at the core.

2. Rotation Exercises. Medicine ball throws, kettlebell windmills, or arm bars. Improve coordination of the hips, core, and shoulders while increasing streamline stability.

3. Alternating Arm Strength Exercises. Dumbbell rows, single-arm pulldowns, or alternating shoulder presses enhance unilateral coordination.

Swimmers grab two kettlebells and try this full body routine to enhance multiple areas of your stroke

Swimmer's Body vs. Gym Body: Why Compound Movements Win

There’s a growing trend to mimic swim strokes with bands or lightweight dumbbells during gym training for swimmers. While these exercises may look sport-specific, they rarely deliver the strength or power needed for meaningful performance gains.

Take pull-ups versus banded swim motions as an example: Pull-ups not only train the muscles involved in pulling but also improve grip strength, scapular control, and overall upper-body power—none of which a light band can replicate.

Similarly, a barbell squat will build more leg strength and mobility than any simulated kicking exercise. Compound movements allow swimmers to load their muscles effectively, train through a full range of motion, and avoid the pitfalls of overtraining swim-specific patterns.

Wondering how often swimmers should lift weights? Learn how to balance gym workouts with swim training for maximum results.

Structuring a Swimmer’s Gym Workout

Here’s a sample swimmer gym workout:

Warm-Up (10-15 Minutes):

• Dynamic stretches: Arm circles, hip openers, and leg swings.

• Mobility drills: Overhead squats or thoracic spine rotations.

Main Workout (45-50 Minutes):

1. Pull-Ups (4 sets of 6-10 reps)

• Add weight for advanced athletes.

2. Barbell Deadlifts (4 sets of 5 reps)

• Focus on explosive power and form.

3. Split Stance Dumbbell Rows (3 sets of 8-10 reps per side)

• Engage the core to resist rotation.

4. Squats (4 sets of 6-8 reps)

• Progress to jump squats for power development.

5. Medicine Ball Rotational Slams (3 sets of 10 reps per side)

• Build rotational power.

6. Plank with Shoulder Taps (3 sets of 20 taps)

• Maintain core stability under dynamic conditions.

Cooldown (10 Minutes):

• Foam rolling: Target lats, quads, and shoulders.

• Static stretches: Focus on hip flexors, hamstrings, and chest.

Swimming vs. Gym: Which Is Better?

Is swimming better than gym workouts, or are gym workouts for swimmers a necessity? The answer isn’t either-or—it’s both. Swimming builds cardiovascular endurance and technical skills, while the gym develops the raw strength, power, and resilience needed to maximize performance in the water.

Rather than seeing swimming and gym training as competitors, think of them as complementary partners. A well-designed swimmer gym workout can address the muscular imbalances and movement deficiencies that arise from repetitive swim training.

kettlebells programs for swimmers

The Bottom Line

Gym training for swimmers is about more than just building strength—it’s about optimizing your body for the demands of the pool. By focusing on compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and pull-ups, you can develop the power, coordination, and resilience needed to excel in every stroke.

Whether you're comparing a swimmer's body vs. a gym body or debating swimming vs. gym for fitness, the ultimate goal should always be to enhance your performance in the water. A balanced approach to training ensures you stay strong, mobile, and fast—no matter your level of competition.

If you’re ready to elevate your swim training, consult a coach who understands both the sport and the science behind gym workouts for swimmers. Together, we’ll build a program that helps you swim stronger, faster, and injury-free.