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Dryland training for swimmers

What is dryland training and why is it important?

A dryland training program can help you to maintain your fitness through the winter, prevent injury and improve your technique and endurance. You don’t particularly need equipment to train on dry land, but a couple of pieces of kit will increase the exercises you can do, helping you to isolate and activate key muscles and improve aspects of your stroke.

Strength training

Whether you use dumbbells, kettle bells, resistance bands or your own body weight, strength and conditioning brings loads of health benefits and it makes you feel badass. Health benefits include better bone health, mobility, longevity and quality of life. It also helps to reduce injury and improves performance in the water. You can also use resistance training to target specific parts of the body, making them stronger and educating yourself on how to use them effectively: working on your back and shoulder muscles, for instance, will help you to engage them for a stronger pull when swimming front crawl. 

Kit to invest in

While you don’t actually need any tools or special kit, we would strongly recommend getting hold of a set of stretch bands or dryland training cords. Elastic bands used for strength training and physical therapy, stretch bands are super cheap and can be packed up small in your kit bag. A set of dryland cords costs anything from £40-£50 from BuddySwim or Decathlon to £250 upwards for a complete home gym set up from a brand like TRX. If going to the gym is impractical for time or cost reasons, investing in a set of dryland cords makes sense as they don’t take up much space and you can use them for swim-specific strength training at home or in the garden.

Stretch cords

Stretch cords are simple to use and to set up. A length of rubber tubing that you can anchor to a fixed object – such as a goal post, fence or tree – you adapt the tension simply by moving your body away from the anchor. You can then perform catching and pulling movements, as you would in the water. They are compact enough to bring with you to the pool, to an open water venue or when travelling. You can even use them to warm up or train beside the water, reaping the wellbeing benefits of being beside water even if you don’t decide to swim that day.

Dryland training without any kit

Yoga and running are also superb exercises for outdoor swimmers. Running is a great way to work on your cardiovascular fitness, stamina and core strength and, like swimming, it has immense benefits for mental health and resilience. Whether you’re a casual dipper or challenge swimmer, mastering your breathing is key, too. So along with cardiovascular exercise, yogic breath work can help you control your inhalations and exhalations, while focusing your mind. Yoga is also great for improving flexibility, core and functional strength, and helps you learn visualisation and relaxation techniques.

Read on for our favourite pieces of dryland kit this month.

ZEN8 Swim Trainer

£97 (On sale, RRP £159)

They say: Whether you’re a professional athlete or a swimming enthusiast, ZEN8 is your answer to achieving your full potential in the water. In less than 15 mins per day you can improve technique, stroke efficiency, and core stability, this revolutionary indoor swim trainer is a game changer. It’s a tool designed specifically to make you faster in the water. Many of our users have reported dramatic improvements in their 100m pace in just weeks of regular use. It also works on swim-specific strength; ZEN8 isn’t about bulking up, it’s about building strength where it counts. 

We say: A surprisingly small box arrived for what looked like a big piece of kit online. The Zen8 Swim Trainer is a clever way of creating a swim movement on dry land. It was very simple to set everything up and, once inflated, there’s no need to deflate the bench. The online starter video was a great guide to setting up the equipment and we really liked the online coaching guide. Using the online coaching ensured we made best use of the Swim Trainer and built-up significant sweat and muscle ache, so it works! We are really interested to see how it enhances our stroke over time. A well thought-out piece of kit to bring swimming into your home.


BUDDYSWIM Super Stroke Dryland Cords

€49.90

They say: The Buddyswim Resistance Rubbers with Interchangeable Paddles and Levers is designed for performing dry swimming exercises. Out-of-water swimmer workouts are an essential supplement to improve stroke endurance and technique. Thanks to the possibility of using paddles or levers, the swimmer can perform an infinity of exercises out of the water such as rotations, pulls, extensions, strength exercises, and many more.

We say: We really rated these resistance cords, which came in a mesh bag so you can easily take them to the pool or open water venue to warm up before a swim. Available in four levels of resistance, they’re quick to set up and simple to use. We’ve been securing them to a post in our garden, and you can adapt the tension simply by moving your body away from the anchor. The paddles are really useful as they simulate the position used in real swimming, transferring the force throughout the hand and finger flexors. A well-priced piece of kit that has opened up new ways to improve our endurance and technique.


SKINNERS Comfort 2.0

£53.90

They say: Developed from one of the most successful Kickstarter funding projects in history, these stretchy, minimalist sock shoes offer ultralight and flexible freedom for your feet – with added ground protection. The accommodating yet low-profile fit is just like walking barefoot, yet a tough sole offers reliable grip, while a removable footbed absorbs impact. Super light and compact, they also roll up like a pair of socks, making them the ultimate packable adventure footwear, whether you’re camping, hiking, backpacking, surfing, wild swimming or travelling. Or stash them in your pack as a ‘just in case’ backup shoe for any adventure.

We say: One of the best ways to train on dry land is simply to run or to walk and so we decided to include these innovative barefoot-style shoes (available in the UK at wildbounds.com), which fuse the functionality of a shoe with the comfort of a sock. Super light and compact, they roll up in your kit bag or tow float, opening up more possibilities to jog to your swim spot or to plan an A-B route across land and water. The stretchy upper fits like a sock and wicks away moisture, while the 3mm sole is grippy and built to last for up to 500 miles. We’ve been wearing them to the gym and for our dryland workouts and they have a barely there comfort and all the grip we need.

All products were chosen independently by our editorial team. This review contains affiliate links and we may receive a commission for purchases made. Click here to subscribe to the magazine. Read more Outdoor Swimmer gear reviews. Words by Jo Tinsley & Rowan Clarke.

Jo is the Gear Editor for Outdoor Swimmer and also writes news and features for the website. A keen open water swimmer and long-distance walker, she loves seeking out lakes and lidos close to her home in the Mendip Hills, Somerset. She is the author of The Slow Traveller, editor and founder of independent magazine, Ernest, and has previously tested outdoor clothing and kit for BBC Countryfile Magazine, BBC Focus and Ernest Journal.