DRYSIDE TRAINING SUMMER SPEED

BY J.R. ROSANIA • DEMONSTRATED BY NORIKO INADA • PHOTOS BY EMMI BRYTOWSKI

With the summer months upon us and the pandemic slowing, swimmers around the globe are “fixing to get faster.”

Things slowed down for past year as we scrambled to keep our fitness. No racing left us without any chances to improve upon our live racing speed. As meets resume, swimmers now need to prepare for competition and make sure they have the speed they need.

In this month’s article, let’s look at exercises that can enhance one’s swim speed. Perform each exercise two to three times a week. Perform 10 to 12 repetitions, focusing on speed of movement over weight. Use your perceived effort resistance of 75% where you can perform six to 10 repetitions without failure. As usual, discontinue weights 1 to 2 weeks prior to a major competition.

As you work through these exercises, you will feel an increase in strength and speed after six to eight weeks.

1 ) JUMP ROPE (FOR LEG SPEED) Perform three rounds of two minutes with 4 x 15-second all-out efforts per 30 seconds. Over time, increase effort related to speed.

2 ) ALTERNATING DUMBBELL BENT-OVER ROW (BACK STRENGTH) While standing, bend over until until your shoulders are parallel with the floor. Perform a single arm row motion, alternating arms, while staying in a horizontal position.

3 ) PRONE PLANK WITH ARM EXTENSION (CORE STRENGTH) Establish a prone plank position, keeping your back flat and horizontal with the floor. Extend one arm forward and overhead, and hold for three seconds. Alternate to the other arm.

4 ) DUMBBELL SQUAT JUMP WITH OVERHEAD PRESS (LEG POWER) Standing straight and holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, perform a squat. When standing up, press the dumbbells overhead, keeping your arms straight. Repeat. 5 ) STABILITY BALL ALTERNATING DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS (SHOULDER STRENGTHENING) While lying supine with your back and shoulders on a stability ball, perform an alternating bench press movement.

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MEET THE TRAINER J.R. Rosania, B.S., exercise science, is one of the nation’s top performance enhancement coaches. He is the owner and CEO of Healthplex, LLC, in Phoenix. Check out Rosania’s website at www.jrhealthplex.net. MEET THE ATHLETE Noriko Inada, 42, swam for Japan at the 1992, 2000 and 2004 Olympics. She now swims Masters for Phoenix Swim Club, and owns Masters world records in the women’s 25-29, 30-34, 3539 and 40-44 age groups.

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NOTICE All swimming and dryland training and instruction should be performed under the supervision of a qualified coach or instructor, and in circumstances that ensure the safety of participants.