Bodyweight Training for Swimmers: Dryland That Works
/Bodyweight exercises for swimmers are one of the simplest ways to build strength, improve shoulder control, and develop the stability needed for efficient swimming – without a gym or specialized equipment. Push-ups, squats, lunges, planks, and dead bugs can all contribute to a stronger, more coordinated swimmer when performed with proper technique.
After more than 20 years of coaching swimmers, I've learned that effective dryland training isn't about completing the most repetitions or making every workout exhausting. It's about developing strength and control that support what happens in the water.
Whether you're a competitive swimmer, a masters athlete, or just beginning dryland training, the right bodyweight exercises can help you build a foundation for better movement.
In this guide, I'll cover the best bodyweight exercises for swimmers, explain how each movement supports swimming performance, and share a practical 20-minute workout you can complete at home or on the pool deck.
Want a structured approach?
A 4-week bodyweight dryland program for swimmers. Two sessions per week with a progressive build and deload.
Why Bodyweight Training Matters for Swimmers
Swimming requires more than muscular strength. Every stroke depends on coordination between the shoulders, core, hips, and legs. The challenge is producing useful force while maintaining efficient body positions in the water.
Bodyweight training helps swimmers develop several important physical qualities:
Relative strength: The ability to control and move your body effectively.
Core stability: Maintaining body alignment while the arms and legs generate movement.
Shoulder control: Coordinating the shoulder blades and upper arms through controlled movement.
Single-leg strength: Developing lower-body control and strength useful for starts, turns, and general athletic development.
Movement awareness: Recognizing and correcting compensations before adding external resistance.
Unlike traditional weight training, bodyweight exercises require little or no equipment. They can be performed at home, on the pool deck, or while traveling.
However, bodyweight training isn't automatically better than lifting weights. Both approaches have a place in a well-designed swimming strength program.
I often use bodyweight movements to establish technique, introduce younger swimmers to dryland training, or maintain movement quality during demanding swimming periods. As athletes progress, external resistance may be necessary to continue developing maximal strength and power.
The principle remains the same: excellence lives in the fundamentals.
10 Best Bodyweight Exercises for Swimmers
The best bodyweight exercises for swimmers develop strength and coordination across the entire body. Rather than focusing exclusively on the shoulders or core, I recommend combining upper-body, trunk, and lower-body movements.
The following exercises can be adapted for beginners and experienced swimmers.
Upper-Body Bodyweight Exercises for Swimmers
Upper-body exercises help swimmers develop pushing strength, shoulder blade control, and stability around the shoulder joint.
These qualities support general shoulder function, although improving dryland strength doesn't automatically translate into faster swimming. Technique and swimming-specific practice remain essential.
1. Push-Ups
Push-ups are a fundamental bodyweight exercise for developing upper-body strength and trunk stability.
How to perform:
Start in a high plank with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
Keep your body aligned from your head to your heels.
Lower your chest toward the floor while maintaining control.
Push back to the starting position without allowing your hips to sag.
Recommended volume: 2 sets of 8–12 repetitions.
Why swimmers benefit: Push-ups develop the chest, triceps, and shoulder muscles while challenging the core to maintain alignment. They provide a useful foundation for general upper-body strength.
Coaching tip: Don't sacrifice body position to complete another repetition. Beginners can perform incline push-ups with their hands on a stable bench.
2. Push-Up Plus
The Push-Up Plus is an effective bodyweight exercise for swimmers that combines upper-body strength with shoulder blade control. It emphasizes the serratus anterior, a muscle that helps stabilize and move the shoulder blades during overhead arm movements.
How to perform:
Start in a high plank with your hands directly under your shoulders, fingers spread, feet hip-width apart, and toes tucked.
Maintain a long, neutral spine from the back of your head to your tailbone.
Inhale as you lower your chest toward the floor, stopping at the floor or approximately one fist-width above it.
Exhale and push the floor away, maintaining your body alignment as you fully extend your elbows.
At the top, push a little further, allowing your shoulder blades to spread and wrap around your rib cage toward the floor.
Return to the starting position and repeat with control.
Recommended volume: 2 sets of 8–12 repetitions.
Why swimmers benefit: The Push-Up Plus strengthens the upper body while training the serratus anterior and improving scapular control. These qualities support coordinated shoulder movement during freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly.
Coaching tip: The extra push at the top is what makes this exercise different from a standard push-up. Focus on moving your shoulder blades around your rib cage without rounding your lower back or losing body alignment.
Watch Dan Daly demonstrate the Push-Up Plus
3. Prone Y-T-W Raises
Prone Y-T-W raises develop shoulder and upper-back muscular endurance through several arm positions.
How to perform:
Lie face down with your forehead supported comfortably.
Raise your arms into a Y position with your thumbs pointing upward.
Lower your arms and repeat in a T position.
Finish with a W position, bending your elbows and gently drawing your shoulder blades back.
Move slowly without shrugging your shoulders.
Recommended volume: 2 sets of 6–8 repetitions in each position.
Why swimmers benefit: These movements encourage coordinated activation of the muscles surrounding the shoulder blades and upper back.
Coaching tip: Keep the range of motion comfortable. Raising your arms higher isn't necessarily better if it requires arching your lower back.
Core Bodyweight Exercises for Swimmers
Core training for swimmers is about controlling body position while the arms and legs move.
In freestyle and backstroke, the trunk must manage rotation without excessive side-to-side movement. During starts and turns, swimmers also need to maintain a streamlined position while transferring force through the body.
4. Plank Shoulder Taps
Plank shoulder taps challenge the core to resist unwanted rotation while supporting bodyweight through one arm.
How to perform:
Begin in a high plank with your feet slightly wider than hip-width.
Lift one hand and touch the opposite shoulder.
Return your hand to the floor.
Alternate sides while keeping your hips as stable as possible.
Recommended volume: 2 sets of 10 total taps.
Why swimmers benefit: This exercise develops anti-rotation control, which helps swimmers maintain coordinated trunk movement.
Coaching tip: Slow down if your hips begin shifting excessively. Widening your feet can make the exercise more manageable.
5. Dead Bugs
Dead bugs are one of my preferred introductory exercises for teaching swimmers how to coordinate arm and leg movement without losing trunk control.
How to perform:
Lie on your back with your arms pointing toward the ceiling.
Raise your legs so your hips and knees are bent approximately 90 degrees.
Slowly extend one arm overhead while extending the opposite leg.
Return to the starting position and alternate sides.
Maintain a comfortable, stable position through your lower back.
Recommended volume: 2 sets of 8 repetitions per side.
Why swimmers benefit: Dead bugs develop trunk control while the arms and legs move independently. This is useful general preparation for the coordinated movement demands of swimming.
Coaching tip: If your lower back arches excessively, shorten the range of motion.
6. Side Planks
Side planks strengthen the lateral trunk muscles and develop stability through the hips and shoulders.
How to perform:
Lie on your side with your elbow directly beneath your shoulder.
Lift your hips until your body forms a straight line.
Keep your head, shoulders, hips, and ankles aligned.
Hold without allowing your hips to drop.
Recommended volume: 2 sets of 20–30 seconds per side.
Why swimmers benefit: Side planks train lateral trunk stability, an important component of controlling body position during freestyle and backstroke rotation.
Coaching tip: Beginners can bend their knees to shorten the lever and reduce difficulty.
For more targeted training, explore my guide to core workouts for swimmers.
Lower-Body Bodyweight Exercises for Swimmers
Although swimming is often considered an upper-body-dominant sport, lower-body strength plays an important role in starts, turns, and kicking.
The goal isn't simply to build bigger leg muscles. Swimmers need to develop strength, coordination, and the ability to produce force in useful positions.
7. Bodyweight Squats
Bodyweight squats establish foundational lower-body strength and movement control.
How to perform:
Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart.
Bend your knees and hips to lower into a squat.
Keep your feet grounded and your knees tracking comfortably over your toes.
Stand back up while maintaining control.
Recommended volume: 2 sets of 12 repetitions.
Why swimmers benefit: Squats develop the quadriceps, glutes, and other lower-body muscles involved in force production during starts and wall push-offs.
Coaching tip: Use a comfortable depth that allows you to maintain balance and control. Squatting deeper isn't automatically better.
8. Reverse Lunges
Reverse lunges develop single-leg strength, balance, and hip control.
How to perform:
Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart.
Step backward with one leg.
Lower your body until both knees are comfortably bent.
Push through your front foot to return to standing.
Alternate legs.
Recommended volume: 2 sets of 8 repetitions per leg.
Why swimmers benefit: Single-leg exercises help develop strength and control on each side of the body, supporting general athletic movement and lower-body stability.
Coaching tip: Keep your movement controlled and avoid collapsing inward at the front knee.
9. Glute Bridges
Glute bridges strengthen the hip extensors while teaching swimmers to control pelvic position.
How to perform:
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Gently engage your abdominal muscles.
Push through your feet to lift your hips.
Pause briefly at the top without excessively arching your back.
Lower slowly.
Recommended volume: 2 sets of 12–15 repetitions.
Why swimmers benefit: Hip extension strength contributes to lower-body force production and helps support coordinated movement through the hips and trunk.
Coaching tip: Focus on lifting through the hips rather than the lower back.
10. Squat Jumps
Squat jumps introduce explosive lower-body movement once swimmers have developed sufficient strength and landing control.
How to perform:
Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart.
Lower into a shallow squat.
Jump upward with controlled, explosive effort.
Land softly with your knees and hips bending to absorb force.
Reset before the next repetition.
Recommended volume: 2 sets of 5 repetitions.
Why swimmers benefit: Jump training develops lower-body power qualities that are relevant to explosive actions such as starts and wall push-offs.
Coaching tip: Quality matters more than fatigue. Stop the set if jump height or landing control deteriorates. Beginners should master squats and controlled landings before introducing repeated jumps.
20-Minute Bodyweight Workout for Swimmers at Home
You don't need a fully equipped gym to complete a useful dryland session.
This 20-minute bodyweight workout combines upper-body strength, core stability, and lower-body control. It's suitable as a starting point for swimmers who already have basic exercise familiarity and can perform the movements comfortably.
Warm-Up – 4 Minutes
Begin with easy movement to prepare your joints and muscles:
1 minute of marching or light jogging in place
1 minute of controlled arm circles and shoulder movements
1 minute of bodyweight squats
1 minute of gentle trunk rotations and alternating lunges
The purpose of a warm-up is to prepare for the session, not to create fatigue.
Main Workout – Approximately 12 Minutes
Complete two rounds of the following exercises:
ExerciseRepetitionsBodyweight squats12Push-ups8Dead bugs8 per sideReverse lunges8 per legSide planks20 seconds per side
Rest approximately 30 seconds between exercises, and adjust the rest periods as needed to maintain technique. The circuit should take around 12 minutes, depending on your pace and transitions.
Cool-Down – 4 Minutes
Finish with gentle shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and relaxed breathing.
You shouldn't finish every dryland session exhausted. The goal is to complete quality work that complements your swimming rather than interferes with it.
For swimmers looking to maintain their training routine while traveling or away from the pool, I also recommend exploring how to practice swimming without a pool.
Bodyweight Exercises for Beginner Swimmers
One of the biggest advantages of bodyweight training is that exercises can be adjusted to match a swimmer's current strength and coordination.
However, beginners shouldn't automatically start with the same repetitions or exercise variations as experienced athletes.
I prefer to establish movement quality before increasing difficulty.
Start with easier variations. Incline push-ups, bent-knee side planks, and controlled bodyweight squats are often more appropriate than advanced variations.
Prioritize technique over repetitions. A swimmer who performs six controlled push-ups is developing a better foundation than one who rushes through 20 repetitions with poor alignment.
Introduce one challenge at a time. Before increasing repetitions, consider whether the athlete can maintain balance, trunk control, and consistent movement quality.
Allow time for adaptation. New dryland exercises can cause muscle soreness. Start conservatively, especially when swimmers are already completing demanding pool sessions.
For younger athletes, training should be supervised and adapted to their maturity, movement competency, and experience rather than based on age alone.
How Often Should Swimmers Do Bodyweight Training?
For many swimmers, two structured bodyweight sessions per week provide a practical starting point.
However, the ideal frequency depends on swimming volume, training experience, recovery, and competitive goals.
A swimmer completing three recreational pool sessions per week has different recovery demands from a collegiate athlete training twice daily.
Bodyweight Training During Regular Swim Training
During a typical training period, I often schedule dryland sessions on days when swimmers can manage the combined workload without compromising important pool sessions.
The exact placement depends on the training plan.
For example, an athlete might complete:
DayTrainingMondaySwimming + bodyweight drylandTuesdaySwimmingWednesdayRecovery or easy swimmingThursdaySwimming + bodyweight drylandFridaySwimmingSaturdaySwimming or optional easy activitySundayRest
This is an illustrative schedule, not a universal recommendation. Swimmers training more frequently may need a different arrangement.
When strength development is a priority, avoid placing a demanding dryland session immediately before an important high-quality swim workout.
Should Swimmers Do Bodyweight Exercises Before or After Swimming?
It depends on the goal.
A short, low-fatigue activation routine can be useful before swimming. More demanding bodyweight strength sessions are generally better scheduled after swimming or separately when the pool workout is the priority.
If you combine swimming and dryland training on the same day, consider the total workload rather than treating the sessions independently.
How to Progress Bodyweight Training Over 4 Weeks
One of the most common mistakes I see is repeating the same dryland workout without a clear progression.
Progress doesn't always mean completing more repetitions. Swimmers can also improve movement control, exercise difficulty, range of motion, or the ability to maintain technique under manageable fatigue.
A simple four-week progression might look like this:
| Week | Training Focus | Practical Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Establish technique | Use manageable exercises and conservative volume |
| Week 2 | Build consistency | Add a small amount of volume if technique remains strong |
| Week 3 | Increase challenge | Introduce more demanding variations or modest progression |
| Week 4 | Deload and consolidate | Reduce total workload while maintaining movement quality |
This type of progression allows swimmers to develop gradually rather than treating every workout as a maximum-effort challenge.
The appropriate progression should still reflect the athlete's swimming schedule and recovery.
At Train Daly, I use this principle in the Bodyweight Training for Swimmers Program, which organizes two weekly sessions across a four-week cycle, including a final deload week.
Common Bodyweight Training Mistakes Swimmers Should Avoid
Bodyweight exercises may look simple, but poor programming can reduce their effectiveness.
1. Training to Exhaustion Every Session
More fatigue doesn't automatically produce better results.
If a swimmer is already completing demanding pool workouts, excessive dryland volume may interfere with recovery and swimming quality.
I prefer consistent, technically sound sessions over workouts designed simply to leave athletes exhausted.
2. Focusing Only on Core Exercises
Planks and abdominal exercises have value, but swimmers also need lower-body strength, shoulder control, and coordinated whole-body movement.
A balanced dryland program should address multiple movement patterns rather than concentrating on one muscle group.
3. Progressing Too Quickly
Advanced push-ups, jumping variations, and complex movement sequences aren't automatically more effective.
Swimmers should demonstrate control with simpler exercises before increasing difficulty.
4. Ignoring Shoulder Discomfort
Swimmers often accumulate significant shoulder loading through repetitive overhead training.
Dryland exercises should complement that workload, not add unnecessary irritation.
Persistent or worsening shoulder pain should be evaluated by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional rather than treated by simply pushing through more repetitions.
5. Assuming Dryland Replaces Swimming Technique
Bodyweight training can improve general physical qualities, but better dryland performance doesn't guarantee faster swim times.
Swimming speed still depends heavily on stroke mechanics, propulsion, coordination, and appropriate pool training.
Strength training works best when it supports these skills.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bodyweight Exercises for Swimmers
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Push-ups, scapular push-ups, dead bugs, side planks, squats, lunges, and glute bridges are useful exercises for developing general strength and movement control. The best selection depends on the swimmer's experience, limitations, and training goals.
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Yes. Bodyweight exercises can build strength, particularly for beginners and athletes who haven't previously completed structured resistance training. More experienced swimmers may eventually need additional resistance to continue developing maximal strength.
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Two sessions per week are a practical starting point for many swimmers. Training frequency should be adjusted based on swimming workload, recovery, experience, and the athlete's overall program.
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Yes. Bodyweight exercises are accessible and can be modified to match different ability levels. Beginners should focus on controlled movements, manageable repetitions, and appropriate progression before attempting advanced exercises.
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Short activation routines can be performed before swimming when they don't create significant fatigue. More demanding strength sessions are usually better completed after the pool workout or at a separate time when swimming performance is the priority.
Build Strength With Train Daly's Bodyweight Training Program
Bodyweight exercises are an effective starting point, but individual exercises become more useful when they're organized into a progressive training plan.
The challenge for many swimmers isn't finding another push-up or plank variation. It's knowing which exercises to combine, how much work to complete, and when to increase or reduce the training load.
That's where structured programming makes a difference.
Train Daly's Bodyweight Training for Swimmers is a four-week dryland program designed around progressive bodyweight training.
The program includes:
Two structured dryland sessions per week
Three weeks of progressive training
A fourth-week deload
Bodyweight-focused exercises without traditional gym equipment
A practical training structure for swimmers looking to develop foundational strength and movement quality
Whether you're beginning dryland training, returning to regular exercise, or looking for a manageable training option outside the gym, the goal is to develop strength that supports your swimming rather than simply adding more fatigue.
Start the 4-Week Bodyweight Training Program
You can also explore the complete collection of Train Daly Dryland Programs for additional training options.
Final Thoughts: Build Better Movement Before Adding More Load
I've coached swimmers at many different levels, and one principle continues to guide my approach: the quality of movement matters.
Bodyweight training gives swimmers an opportunity to develop strength, coordination, and control without relying on heavy equipment. It also helps coaches identify movement limitations and establish a foundation for more advanced strength training.
But the exercises themselves are only part of the process.
Choose movements that match your abilities, progress gradually, and make sure your dryland training complements what you're trying to accomplish in the pool.
Excellence lives in the fundamentals. Build those fundamentals consistently, and you'll have a stronger foundation for the demands of swimming.
About the Author: Dan Daly, CSCS, is a swimming and strength and conditioning coach with more than 20 years of coaching experience. A former collegiate swimmer, Dan founded Train Daly to help swimmers improve performance through practical, evidence-informed training that integrates technique, strength, and recovery.
Lower Bodyweight Exercises for Swimmers
Lower bodyweight exercises are often overlooked because swimming appears upper-body dominant. In reality, starts, turns, and kick propulsion depend heavily on how well swimmers manage asymmetrical lower-body force.
Split squats, lunges, and controlled jumping patterns improve unilateral force production, reinforce hip-to-core connection, and reduce stress on the knees and lower back. When these movements are mastered, swimmers often notice better stability off the wall and improved timing through the kick.
Applied Movement Patterns
Effective bodyweight training for swimmers is built around movement patterns, not isolated exercises or fatigue-driven circuits. The purpose of dryland work is to reinforce positions and force pathways that repeatedly appear in swimming, especially under fatigue.
Asymmetrical lower-body power
Split-stance jumping patterns teach swimmers how to produce force without symmetrical support. This directly supports starts, turns, and kick timing, and rotation where propulsion is rarely evenly distributed. A short visual reference of this concept can be seen here:
Pull-to-overhead integration
Rowing patterns that transition into overhead reach reinforce how pulling strength must connect to shoulder stability. In swimming, propulsion is only effective if the shoulder blade can stabilize and rotate smoothly as the arm moves overhead. This principle is illustrated within the same movement sequence above.
Scapular control under load
Push-up variations that emphasize scapular motion address one of the most common breakdowns in swimmers: loss of upward rotation and control as training volume increases. A complementary short visual example showing how push, pull, and jump patterns can be combined without equipment is available here:
These short clips are visual references, not workouts. They exist to clarify movement intent, not to prescribe volume or intensity. Together, these patterns reinforce how swimmers generate, control, and redirect force without relying on external load.
Bodyweight Exercises for Swimmers at Home
One of the biggest advantages of bodyweight training is accessibility. Bodyweight exercises for swimmers at home or on the pool deck remove barriers to consistency. No equipment, no setup, no excuses — just structured movement.
For many athletes, this becomes the most sustainable form of resistsance training for swimmers at home or the pool, particularly during travel, heavy competition phases, or recovery blocks where maintaining movement quality matters more than increasing load.
Programming Principles
Most swimmers respond best to two bodyweight sessions per week. More than that rarely adds benefit unless volume is tightly controlled.
I typically use bodyweight dryland as an entry point for younger or returning swimmers, between high-intensity swim blocks to maintain strength without adding fatigue, and on recovery days where movement quality takes priority over load.
This exact structure is built into the Bodyweight Training for Swimmers program, with three progressive weeks followed by a deload to support adaptation while protecting long-term durability.
Continue Your Dryland Training
Bodyweight work is often the starting point, not the endpoint. As swimmers build better control, coordination, and resilience, dryland training can be layered progressively to match their event demands, season, and training age.
At Train Daly, all dryland programs follow the same principle: movements must transfer directly to the water, not just look good on land.
Explore the full collection of dryland programs designed to support swimmers at every stage of development.