Dryland

About once every week my swimmers do what is called dryland, which is essentially exercise that is out of the water. The name makes sense for swimmers since they’re constantly soaked in water. Football? Soccer? Running? Oh yea, all just dryland.

If you want to argue with me here, wait until next post when I delve into just how intense swimming really is.

The dryland I do with my swimmers is nothing major as I simply want to build more core strength and do some leg work since this is where my swimmers are the weakest. This means that I rely heavily on abdomen exercises. I will also take my swimmers running (usually no more than twenty minutes). Conveniently, there is a park located next to the pool in which we practice at so I try to head over there every other week. For some reason this never works for me though; the weather usually turns extremely sour. The Gods of rain and wind must hate me. For the past six months every time I have tried to go running with my swimmers, Njord and Thor decided to have a party (I’m sure it included mead, vast amounts), which results in a failed attempt yet again. It’s okay though because as one of my swimmers pointed out to me, “[they] run slower than a hoard of turtles stampeding through peanut butter.” My swimmers really hate dryland. I mean, I get it; it’s why they swim. But their complaints mean nothing to me. So here is one typical dryland workout that they do:

4 X 25 crunches – just getting their shoulder blades off the ground

3 X      {20 straight leg curls (like this but with a streamline and all the way up)

            {30 second plank  – making sure they are engaging their core

50 X toe touches

3 X      {10 V-sits (this is a decent video)

            {30 second 6 inch hold (I like this video)

3 X      {15 squat jumps

            {10 lunges each leg

2 minute wall sit in a streamline position

5 standing Ts each leg

I try to make dryland no longer than 25 minutes as they are still in the stages of growing into their athleticism (my average age is 11). However, I can see the effects of dryland in their swimming capabilities, even if they can’t. By working on their core and legs, they are able to push off the walls faster and stronger with more efficient dolphin kicks. Core work also impacts their strokes, especially butterfly. Instead of dropping their hips, they are able to keep them up longer and engage their core more during their stroke. When they can’t keep their hips up they look like frilled sharks (want to see one? They're creepy. Try this) purposefully trying to drown themselves even though they can’t physically do that.

Dryland is also a time where my swimmers can talk without repercussions. Practice doesn't usually provide for this since it's difficult to talk underwater and they just don't have the time in between sets. But during dryland, I strike up conversation if their jaws get idle. Here is one said example:

While doing a wall sit:

Me—guess what trailer came out today?

Swimmer1—the hobbit!

Me—Seriously? That came out like four months ago

Swimmer1—oh…

Swimmer2—I am number four

Me—I don’t care about preteen nonsense

Swimmer2 becomes highly offended and starts to speak preteen nonsense

Me—you all fail. Thor!

Swimmer(s)—oh I saw that!

Me—did you?

Swimmer(s)—yea it looks awesome!

Me—I know! I can’t wait! Has anyone else seen it?

Swimmers shout

Swimmer3—plot twist: there is no Thor trailer. 10 minute wall sit

Yep, that’s what my swimmers think of me. A compulsive liar who just likes to torture them. But perspective is everything. They think dryland is to simply torment them, but I know different. I wait for the day they start to think for themselves and appreciate the pain they think I induce. However, for now I just say what any good coach would: “pain is weakness leaving the body.”