If you've been hitting the treadmill for the boredom, or if you've been trying to get in shape but find that you're not seeing much progress, you should consider doing dryland workouts for swimmers. Unlike your typical running or cycling routine, swimming is a completely different type of workout and should be treated as such. There are specific techniques and ways to workout that will help you improve your swim ability. Here's how to do it.

Dryland workouts for swimmers primarily use free weights and medicine balls, instead of impact exercises. These exercises are specifically designed for building core strength, which is vital to swimmers since the muscles of the body are located in the abdomen, lower back, and pelvis. These exercises not only develop muscle strength they also aid in developing core strength, fix any joint imbalances the swimmer may be experiencing, and improve posture. Swimmers spend the majority of their time floating around under water instead of running so the exercises need to be designed to work multiple joints at once. These types of exercises are very effective for improving balance, strength, endurance, flexibility, and overall fitness.

The first thing you want to do when doing dryland workouts for swimmers is to work the abdominals. There are many different workouts that can be done using this area alone. Some of the exercises that are most effective include crunches, squats, lunges, and crunches with leg lifting. It's best to use free weights because they require more concentration than most machines. You can do a lot of repetitions and still not hit the same level of intensity as machines do, which leads to wasted time and effort.

The lower back is the next area to focus on during dryland workouts for swimmers. This is a very important part of the body and should not be ignored when doing workouts. It's important to work the lower back so that the athlete can keep his balance and remain upright. There are a variety of exercises you can do, but it's best to work with an instructor to find the best way to target these muscles.

The final area of the body that should be developed when doing dryland workouts for swimmers is the hip muscles. This is an important part of the body because it allows the athlete to complete his entire stroke. Many athletes do not want to develop their hip muscles because they believe it will take too much time. However, developing them in time will build core strength and prevent injury to the swimmer.

By following the correct dryland training style and performing the right exercises you can increase your athletic performance, create long, lean musculature and strengthen your joints, ligaments and muscles. These added benefits are also a huge plus since you'll be able to enjoy the water a lot more. Athletes who use this workout style report higher energy levels and improved swim speed and power.