Top 10 Dryland Training Routines to Try for Building Explosive Power Out of the Pool at Home
Hey everyone, welcome back to the blog! We all know the grind of endless laps, the burn in your lungs, and the constant chase for that elusive personal best. But what if I told you that one of the biggest secrets to dropping time isn't found in the pool at all? The key to unlocking truly explosive power—the kind that launches you off the blocks and propels you off every wall—is built on solid ground. This is the world of dryland training.
For many swimmers, "dryland" might conjure images of a few half-hearted push-ups and sit-ups before practice. However, a well-structured dryland routine is the other, equally important, half of your training regimen. It's where you build the raw strength, stability, and explosive force that water resistance can sometimes limit. A powerful swimmer is a fast swimmer, and that power is forged through targeted exercises that build a strong foundation.
The best part? You don't need a state-of-the-art gym to do it. You can build incredible, swim-specific power right in the comfort of your own home with minimal to no equipment. This guide will walk you through ten of the most effective dryland exercises to develop the explosive strength that translates directly to faster, more powerful swimming. Let's get started.
1. Jump Squats
Jump Squats are a foundational plyometric exercise and a non-negotiable for any swimmer serious about building lower-body power. This movement directly trains the fast-twitch muscle fibers in your quads, glutes, and hamstrings—the exact muscles you rely on for an explosive start, a powerful underwater dolphin kick, and a forceful push-off from every wall.
Think about the crouched position on the starting block. You're coiled like a spring, ready to explode forward. The jump squat mimics this exact motion: a deep squat followed by a maximal vertical jump. By repeatedly performing this movement, you're teaching your body to generate force as quickly and efficiently as possible. This isn't just about building strength; it's about building fast strength, which is the definition of power.
- How to do it: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower into a deep squat, keeping your chest up and back straight. From the bottom of the squat, explode upwards, jumping as high as you can. Land softly, immediately absorbing the impact by sinking back into the next squat.
- Pro Tip: Focus on the landing. Your goal is to land quietly, like a cat. A soft landing indicates that your muscles are properly absorbing the force, which protects your joints and primes you for the next jump. Aim for 3 sets of 8-12 reps with a focus on maximum height and perfect form on every single repetition.
2. Box Jumps
If jump squats are the foundation, Box Jumps are the next level. This exercise is one of the most direct ways to train for an explosive start. The goal is simple: jump from the floor onto a stable, elevated surface. This movement requires a massive, coordinated effort from your entire lower body and core to propel you vertically.
The beauty of the box jump for swimmers is that it forces you to commit 100% to the jump. There's no faking it. This develops not only physical power but also the mental confidence to be aggressive off the blocks. It trains your central nervous system to recruit muscle fibers instantly, which is exactly what happens in the split second before the starting buzzer goes off.
- How to do it: Stand in front of a sturdy box, plyo box, or stable bench. Start with a low height you are comfortable with. Dip into a quarter-squat, swing your arms back, then swing them forward as you explode up, jumping onto the box. Land softly in a squat position. Step down, don't jump down.
- Pro Tip: As Goh Ling Yong often emphasizes, quality trumps quantity. It's better to do 5 perfect, explosive jumps on a lower box than 10 sloppy ones on a higher box. Your focus should be on generating maximum upward force. Start with 3-4 sets of 5-6 reps, giving yourself plenty of rest in between sets to ensure each jump is at 100% effort.
3. Medicine Ball Slams
Power doesn't just come from your legs. It comes from connecting your entire body into one fluid, powerful chain. Medicine Ball Slams are the perfect exercise for this. They build explosive power through your core, lats, and shoulders while teaching you to transfer force from your upper body to your lower body and vice-versa.
This movement is a fantastic simulation of the powerful connection required in your swimming stroke. Think about the moment your hand enters the water in freestyle—you engage your lats and core to anchor your hand and pull your body past it. The medicine ball slam develops that same aggressive, core-driven power, creating a more forceful and efficient pull through the water.
- How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a medicine ball. Raise the ball overhead, rising up onto your toes to get full extension. In one explosive motion, use your core and lats to slam the ball into the ground directly in front of you. Squat down to pick it up and repeat.
- Pro Tip: The power comes from your whole body, not just your arms. Focus on hinging at your hips and engaging your core to generate the force. You should feel this in your abs and lats. Use a "non-bounce" slam ball if you have one. Aim for 3-4 sets of 10-12 powerful slams.
4. Kettlebell Swings
A strong, undulating dolphin kick is a swimmer's secret weapon, essential for fast underwaters and a dominant butterfly. The power for this kick originates from the posterior chain: your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. The Kettlebell Swing is arguably the single best exercise for developing explosive power in this crucial muscle group.
Unlike a squat, which is knee-dominant, the swing is a hip-dominant movement. It trains you to generate force through a powerful hip hinge, which is the exact biomechanical motion of a dolphin kick. By mastering the kettlebell swing, you're building the engine for a propulsive, lightning-fast kick that will leave your competition in your wake.
- How to do it: Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width, with a kettlebell about a foot in front of you. Hinge at your hips, keeping your back flat, and grab the kettlebell with both hands. "Hike" it back between your legs, then explosively drive your hips forward, standing up straight and squeezing your glutes. The power comes from your hips, not your arms—your arms are just there to guide the bell.
- Pro Tip: The kettlebell should feel weightless at the top of the swing (around chest height). If you're lifting it with your arms, the weight is too heavy or your form is off. Start light to master the hip hinge. Aim for 4-5 sets of 15-20 explosive swings.
5. Burpees
Ah, the burpee. Loved by some, dreaded by most, but undeniably effective. The Burpee is the ultimate full-body conditioning exercise. It combines a squat, a plank, a push-up, and a jump into one seamless, heart-pounding movement. For swimmers, this translates to improved muscular endurance and the ability to maintain power even when you're fatigued at the end of a tough race.
The explosive part of the burpee—the jump at the end—is crucial, but the true benefit lies in its full-body nature. It challenges your cardiovascular system, builds core stability in the plank position, develops upper-body strength in the push-up, and works lower-body power in the jump. It's a dryland workout all by itself.
- How to do it: From a standing position, squat down and place your hands on the floor. Kick your feet back into a plank position. Perform one push-up. Immediately jump your feet back towards your hands, then explode up into a vertical jump.
- Pro Tip: To make it even more swim-specific, focus on the "up" phase. When you jump your feet back towards your hands, try to land in a low squat, similar to a tuck position off a turn, before exploding up. This reinforces a powerful transition. Try completing as many reps as possible (AMRAP) in a set time, like 2 minutes, to build serious endurance.
6. Clapping Push-Ups
Upper body power is critical for a strong catch and an effective pull. While regular push-ups build strength, Clapping Push-Ups build explosive strength. This plyometric variation forces your chest, shoulders, and triceps to generate enough force to propel your upper body off the ground, allowing you a brief moment to clap.
This ability to generate force quickly with your upper body is what separates a good pull from a great one. It's the difference between simply moving your arm through the water and aggressively grabbing the water and launching yourself forward with every stroke. This exercise builds the raw power needed for that aggressive catch.
- How to do it: Get into a standard push-up position. Lower your chest towards the floor. Then, explosively push up with enough force that your hands leave the ground. Clap your hands together in mid-air and land back in the starting position with your elbows slightly bent to absorb the impact.
- Pro Tip: If a full clapping push-up is too difficult, start by practicing explosive push-ups where you just try to get your hands to lift an inch or two off the ground. You can also perform them on your knees to reduce the load. Focus on the explosive "push" phase. Aim for 3 sets of 5-8 perfect reps.
7. Plank Jacks
A strong core is the foundation upon which all athletic movement is built. For a swimmer, your core is the conduit that transfers power from your arms to your legs and vice-versa, keeping your bodyline straight and efficient. While a standard plank is great for stability, Plank Jacks add a dynamic, cardio component that challenges your core to stay engaged while your limbs are in motion.
This is crucial for swimming, as your core is constantly working to prevent wiggling and energy leaks while your arms and legs are churning through the water. Plank jacks train your core to maintain that rigid, streamlined position even under stress, leading to a more efficient and powerful stroke.
- How to do it: Start in a high plank (or push-up) position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your feet together. Keeping your core tight and your hips level, jump your feet out wide, then immediately jump them back together again. That's one rep.
- Pro Tip: The biggest mistake is letting your hips sag or bounce up and down. Imagine a glass of water on your lower back that you don't want to spill. This will force you to keep your core braced and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Try performing these for time, such as 3 sets of 45 seconds on, 15 seconds off.
8. Russian Twists
Swimming fast isn't just about moving forward; it's also about powerful rotation. In freestyle and backstroke, your power comes from rotating your hips and shoulders along the long axis of your body. Russian Twists are a fantastic exercise for developing the rotational strength in your obliques needed for this powerful body roll.
A strong, well-timed body roll allows you to engage your larger back and core muscles in your pull, rather than relying solely on your smaller shoulder muscles. This not only generates more power but also reduces the risk of shoulder injuries. Russian twists directly target the muscles responsible for this key swimming motion.
- How to do it: Sit on the floor, lean back slightly with a straight back, and lift your feet off the ground. Clasp your hands together (or hold a weight, like a dumbbell or medicine ball). Rotate your torso from side to side, touching your hands to the floor beside your hip on each rep.
- Pro Tip: Keep the movement controlled. The rotation should come from your torso, not from just swinging your arms. To increase the difficulty, hold a weight or extend your arms further out from your body. To make it easier, keep your heels on the ground. Aim for 3 sets of 20-30 total twists (10-15 per side).
9. Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs)
Balance and stability are often overlooked components of power. The Single-Leg RDL is an elite-level exercise for building unilateral (one-sided) strength in the hamstrings and glutes, while also dramatically improving your balance and core stability.
Swimmers are constantly balancing forces from one side of their body to the other. An imbalanced kick or a weaker side in your pull can lead to a "snaking" motion in the water, which wastes energy. The single-leg RDL helps correct these imbalances by forcing each leg and its stabilizing muscles to work independently. This creates a more stable and powerful kick and a more balanced stroke.
- How to do it: Stand on one leg with a slight bend in the knee. Keeping your back perfectly straight, hinge at your hips, extending your other leg straight back behind you for balance. Lower your torso until it's parallel to the floor, then use your hamstring and glute of the standing leg to pull yourself back up to the start.
- Pro Tip: Move slowly and with control. Hold a light dumbbell or kettlebell in the opposite hand of your standing leg to add a counterbalance and increase the challenge. Focus on keeping your hips square to the ground—don't let the hip of your extended leg open up to the side. Aim for 3 sets of 8-12 reps per leg.
10. Broad Jumps
While box jumps build vertical power, Broad Jumps build horizontal power. This is perhaps the most direct translation of dryland power to a swimming start you can find. The goal is to jump as far forward as possible from a stationary position, which perfectly mimics the explosive, forward-driving motion off the starting blocks.
This exercise trains your entire body to work in sync to generate maximum horizontal propulsion. You'll use your arms to generate momentum and your hips, glutes, and quads to explode forward. Mastering the broad jump will directly correlate to a more powerful and longer start, getting you ahead of the competition before you even hit the water.
- How to do it: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Swing your arms back as you sink into a partial squat. Then, swing your arms forward powerfully as you explode forward, jumping as far as you can. Land softly in a squat position, absorbing the impact with your legs.
- Pro Tip: Focus on "sticking" the landing. This ensures you are in control of your body. Measure your jumps and try to beat your distance with each set. Like with box jumps, full recovery between reps is key to ensuring maximum power output. Do 3-4 sets of 5 jumps, focusing on pure distance.
Putting It All Together
There you have it—ten of the best dryland exercises you can do at home to build explosive, race-winning power. Remember, the goal of dryland training isn't to leave you too sore to swim; it's to complement your work in the pool. Incorporate 2-3 of these sessions into your weekly routine on non-swim days or as a dedicated workout.
As Goh Ling Yong would say, consistency is the real secret. A little bit of focused, high-quality work on land will pay huge dividends in the water. Start with the exercises that feel most accessible, master the form, and then progressively challenge yourself. You'll be amazed at how much stronger and more powerful you feel off the blocks, through your turns, and in every single stroke.
Now I want to hear from you! What are your go-to dryland exercises for building power? Is there an exercise on this list you're excited to try? Drop a comment below and let's talk training
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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