Go Swim Dryland Cord Training

Important Note to the Viewer

LESSONS: 18 VIDEOS

Introduction

You can pick up some cords here. Swimmers often have questions when they consider adding dryland cords to their swim program, like: How old should I be? Which exercises are best? When should I do them (before or after practice)? How many reps of each? How long per session? How many times per week? The answers will be different for everyone, based on body maturity, goals, available time, and what their coach or program calls for or allows. Dryland cord exercises should be used ONLY with swimmers who’ve developed the muscle control and coordination necessary to “work” the cords with slow, controlled movements. Swimmers should also have an awareness of different muscles and muscle groups because they will need to isolate different muscles in order to use the cords effectively. With dryland, the most important question is not how much or how often, but HOW. How you perform each exercise – your FORM and technique – is far more important than how many reps you do. Five reps, performed with control and focus, can benefit you just as much, if not more, than 50 reps done with improper form and without isolating the muscles you want to strengthen. The rule of thumb is to do only as many reps as you can do while holding good form. For a young swimmer, this might mean 5 or 10 reps of each exercise. For an older athlete, this might mean 10 to 20 reps of each exercise. Or, a mature swimmer could think about doing two or three sets of an exercise – 30 seconds “on,” 15 seconds “off,” and 30 seconds “on” again. These are just guidelines. There’s no set order in which you need to do the exercises. You can do all of them…or pick and choose. You can go straight through…or mix them up. You can do half of them one day…and the other half on another day. You can do them before practice…or after…or both. The details are up to you. This course contains 16 easy-to-follow, swim-specific exercises for dryland cords. We give you the essential visual images to show you the proper “form” for each exercise. Pay attention to how Signe aligns her head, neck, and spine in each exercise. Notice how she plants her feet and bends her knees. Notice how she focuses her eyes. Try to imitate Signe’s level of control and focus. When she performs the moves slowly and with perfect form, Signe finds it easier to isolate and work the muscles she wants to strengthen. This course gives you the basics. Now it’s up to you to add focus…and dryland cords…to your training.

Stretch-Cord Basics

Connect your cords to a stable object – at about waist height. Check your distance and adjust until you can move the cord through the correct range of motion while maintaining the correct form and control over the movement.

Single-Arm Early Vertical Forearm (EVF)

Grasp one handle of the cord in your right hand and stand facing the attachment, with the right leg slightly forward of the left leg and knees slightly bent. Adjust your distance so that when the right arm is extended toward the attachment, the cord is straight but carries no tension. Stabilize the torso, shoulder, and upper arm. Keep the elbow high and steady as you bend at the elbow and pull back on the cord. Isolate the motion and control the movement. Pull back until there is a 90-degree angle at the elbow. Keep your motions rhythmic and controlled as you pull back and slowly return the hand to the starting position. Instead of grasping the handle with a closed fish, keep the palm open with fingertips pointing down and wrist straight. This more closely imitates the position of the hand and wrist as you initiate the “catch” in freestyle. Repeat with the other hand.

Breaststroke Arm Recovery

While facing AWAY from the attachment, grasp one handle in each hand and bend the elbows to a 70- or 80-degree angle, keeping elbows tucked into the sides. Stand far enough from the attachment so that when your arms are in the start position, with the knees slightly bent, the cords are straight but carry no tension. The eyes look straight ahead to maintain good posture. While maintaining stable posture, and while keeping the non-working elbow tight to the side, drive one arm straight forward into extension. Keep the working elbow and arm “narrow” to the body. Control the movement forward and back. Switch arms for several repetitions, then do several reps with both arms simultaneously. Drive the arms forward, while keeping the elbows and arms narrow to the body. Keep your motions rhythmic and controlled. When done correctly, this exercise will strengthen the muscles needed as you recover the arms and drive the hands forward in breaststroke.

Double-Arm Early Vertical Forearm (EVF)

Grasp one handle in each hand and stand far enough from the attachment so that when you extend the arms and bend at the waist, with knees slightly bent, the cords are straight but carry no tension. While keeping your back nice and straight, stabilize the torso, back, shoulders, and upper arms. Keep the elbows high and steady as you bend at the elbows and pull back on the cord. Isolate the motion and control and movement. Pull back until there is almost a 90-degree angle at the elbow. Keep your motions rhythmic and controlled as you pull back and slowly return the hands to the starting position. Instead of grasping the handles with a closed fist, keep the palms open with fingertips pointing down and wrists straight. This more closely imitates the position of the hand and wrist as you initiate the “catch” in freestyle.

Breaststroke Catch and Insweep

Grasp one handle in each hand with palms open and fingertips pointed slightly out to the sides. Stand far enough from the attachment so that when you extend the arms and bend at the waist with knees slightly bent, the cords are straight but carry little or no tension. At the starting point, the hands are wider than the shoulders. While keeping your back nice and straight, stabilize the torso, back, shoulders, and upper arms. Keep the elbows high and stable and in front of your shoulders as you bend at the elbows and sweep inward with the hands and forearms. Isolate the motion and control the movement. Keep the elbows higher than the hands. Keep your motions rhythmic and controlled as you sweep the hands inward to the midline of the body and slowly return the hands to the starting position. Instead of grasping the handles with a closed fist, keep the palms open. This more closely imitates the position of the hand and wrist as you initiate the “catch” in breaststroke.

Single-Arm High Side Pull

Grasp one handle of the cord in your left hand and stand with your left side toward the attachment. Feet are wider than shoulder-width apart, with knees slightly bent. Adjust your distance so that when the left arm is extended toward the attachment, the cord is straight but carries very little tension. Stabilize the torso, left shoulder, and left arm from the shoulder to the elbow. Keep the left elbow just below the level of the shoulder and hold it steady as you bend the elbow and pull the cord toward the top of your left hip. Pull the cord until there is a 90-degree angle at the elbow. Keep your motions rhythmic and controlled as you pull the cord toward the hip and slowly return the hand to the starting position. Instead of grasping the handle with a closed fist, keep the palm open with fingertips pointing down and wrist straight. This more closely imitates the position of the hand and wrist when you swim.

Freestyle Double-Arm Pull - Triceps

Grasp one handle in each hand, tuck your elbows against your sides and stand far enough from the attachment so that when you bend at the waist, with knees slightly bent, the cords are straight but carry no tension. While keeping your back nice and straight, stabilize the torso, back, shoulders, and upper arms. Keep the elbows and upper arms stable and tucked against your side as you pull back on the cord with the hands and forearms. Isolate the motion and control the movement. Pull back until the arms are straight, but be careful not to “lock” the elbows. Keep your motions rhythmic and controlled as you pull back and slowly return the hands to the starting position. Instead of grasping the handles with a closed fist, try to keep the palms open with fingertips pointing down and wrists straight. This isn’t always easy to maintain, but it more closely imitates the position of the hand and wrist during the freestyle pull.

INTENSE Freestyle Double-Arm Pull - Triceps

Grasp one handle in each hand with palms facing inward. Tuck your elbows against your sides, and stand far enough from the attachment so that when you bend at the waist, with knees slightly bent, the cords are straight but carry no tension. While keeping your back nice and straight, stabilize the torso, back, shoulders, and upper arms. Keep the elbows and upper arms stable and tucked against your side as you pull back on the cord with the hands and forearms. Isolate the motion and control the movement. Pull back until the arms are straight, and then SLOWLY return the hands to the starting position. Your triceps may start to tremble a bit if you really control the movement. Now comes the intense part. Exercise SUPER control as you SLOWLY return the hands to the starting point. Keep the back straight and the torso steady. Keep the elbows tucked in so that you isolate the muscles that are doing the work. Those muscles might start to shake a bit with the effort. And to add even more intensity…

Butterfly Double-Arm Pull

Grasp one handle in each hand and stand far enough from the attachment so that when you extend the arms and bend at the waist, with knees slightly bent, the cords are straight but carry no tension. While keeping your back nice and straight, stabilize the torso, back, neck, and head. Start with the hands shoulder-width apart, and try to grasp the handles with the palms open and fingertips pointing down. As you pull back on the cords, keep the elbows high and keep everything steady and stable EXCEPT for the arms. Push all the way back until the arms are straight and the hands are slightly above the hips. Notice that our athlete’s palms are open at the end of the pull. This more closely imitates the position of the hand and wrist during the butterfly pull. Keep your motions rhythmic and controlled as you push back and then slowly return the hands to the starting position.

Freestyle Pull

Grasp one handle in each hand and stand far enough from the attachment so that when you extend the arms and bend at the waist, with knees slightly bent, the cords are straight but carry no tension. While keeping your back nice and straight, stabilize the torso, back, neck, and head. Start with the hands shoulder-width apart. Initiate a freestyle-like motion with the arms, but pay attention to a few key points. As you pull back, keep the pulling elbow high. Don’t let it collapse! As you pull back with one arm, keep the elbow of the OTHER arm high as well. The non-working arm should remain steady and high, with the hand pointing toward the attachment. As you pull back, keep everything stable and steady EXCEPT for the arm that’s doing the work. Keep the back straight and try not to bounce. Keep your motions rhythmic and controlled as you pull back and slowly return the hand to the starting position. Think about doing a few reps with tremendous focus and form, rather than a lot of reps with poor focus and bad form.

Biceps/Triceps Curl

While facing AWAY from the attachment, grasp one handle in each hand and stand far enough from the attachment so that when your hands are at your sides, the cords are straight but carry no tension. Feet are shoulder-width apart. Palms face forward. Elbows are tucked into the sides. The eyes look straight ahead to maintain good posture. While maintaining stable and good posture, and while keeping the elbows tucked in to the sides, lift one hand up toward the shoulder. At the endpoint, the forearm will be at a 45-degree angle to the upper part of the arm. Return the hand SLOWLY to the starting point. Control the movement so that you feel a contraction in the triceps on the back side of the upper arm. Just as the working hand returns to the starting position, lift the other hand up toward the shoulder. Keep your motions rhythmic and controlled as you lift each hand and slowly return it to your side. When done correctly, this exercise will strengthen both the biceps AND triceps.