Streamline Teams
Aug 24, 20217 min
Written By: Claire Mills
Dryland and weight training has been a “hot topic” in recent years, with programs and philosophies as varied and unique as the clubs and coaches that employ them. The question about dryland training almost always comes down to this: “What are we doing in the gym to make the athletes faster in the pool?” Here at Bolles we work to design our weight lifting program to improve jumping, pulling, explosiveness, and core stability and control. We like to use movements and shapes that compliment the shapes the athletes will make in the water. When an athlete is able to perform a movement on land, especially with external resistance, we have seen that it can translate into better execution of the same pattern of movements in the aquatic environment. For this segment, I will be going over two movements that are always a part of our weight room program regardless of the season we are in: squats (specifically back squats) and single arm dumbbell snatches.
Movement 1: Low Box Back Squats—Background and “Why”
We have always used squats in the weight room—I like to alternate between front and back squats by season, and I always include overhead squats—and we typically require athletes to squat to a box to ensure adequate and consistent depth. In previous seasons I have measured the athletes’ appropriate squat depth by having them sit on a box and adjusting the height to a point where the athletes’ hips and knees were at parallel (90⁰ to the floor). My strength training knowledge told me that this was the appropriate depth for strength development when working on jumping power both off the blocks and off the walls. However, mid-way through our last short course season, we began to notice a trend across all of our athletes: they were flipping too far away from the wall and getting an inadequate push off. We looked at their hips and knees underwater during a flip turn and compared to our squats and realized that the athletes were not actually squatting to that 90⁰ threshold that we had intended. When the athletes fully sat on the box, their hips ended up consistently a couple of inches lower than when they would squat to the box. I decided to drop the height of the box, creating a lower squat. While their strength with this adjustment is still developing (we have been doing this since May), we have already begun to notice a difference in their flip turns. The angle of their hips and knees when in a low squat is an ideal angle for the best push off from a wall. We of course continue to coach an appropriate approach into the wall, but they are starting to put the pieces together as they feel the shape in the weight room and in the water.
Coaching the Low Box Back Squat
Measure the box for the athlete’s height. When they sit on the box their hips should be about 1-3 inches below their knees. Squatting lower than this will inhibit power production because the hamstrings are stretched too tight to snap back quickly, and the risks of knee injury increase.
Have the athlete rack the barbell on their back, with it resting approximately on their trap muscles. Feet should be slightly wider than hip width apart, with toes angled slightly outward. Note that the angle of the knees and feet may vary between athletes based on their own flexibility and mobility.
Have the athlete begin the squat by pushing their hips back then down, shifting their weight to the mid-foot and heel. The athlete’s knees can move forward, but it is important to make sure that weight is always centered over the mid foot to heel and that hips are back behind the feet. The athlete should squat until they lightly tap the box, then stand back up. Core should remain engaged with the head neutral or angled slightly upward.
Relating the Squat to the Pool
In my experience, athletes feel uncomfortable when starting a low box squat, especially if they haven’t been asked to squat to a specific depth before. It is likely that they will not be able to squat as much weight, as this bottom point in the squat is the weakest point. I encourage the athletes to drop weight in order to do the movement correctly, because they will be able to add the weight back as the bottom part of their squat gets stronger.
When coaching athletes in the weight room, I work to remind them of how each movement relates to a specific swimming skill. I have them take note of the feeling of being at the bottom of the squat and to remember that feeling the next time they go into the wall. When practicing flip turns, we encourage the athletes to bring “heels to butt” on the flip, landing on the wall in the exact position they are reaching within the squat. A drill we often use when trying to solidify this movement pattern is a plant-pause-push turn—where the athletes approaches the wall, flips and pauses with their feet on the wall for 1-2 seconds. Here they take note of the position of their hips, knees, feet, and core on the wall. When performed consistently and correctly, the athlete’s strength in the bottom of this squat will translate into a more powerful push off the walls.
Movement 2: Single Arm Dumbbell Snatch—Background and Why
I like to include “Power” movements into each weight session, particularly in the short course season. We are seeing an increased need for athletes to be incredibly explosive off the blocks and to use walls to their full advantage when racing. So in addition to the classic plyometric movements (box jumps, med ball slams, etc.), I work to include Olympic movements and variations into both of our weekly weight sessions. These movements help to create the movement pattern of exploding into action from a condensed, static position. This particular movement, the single arm dumbbell snatch, is a variation of the Olympic barbell snatch movement. I like the single arm snatch because it is easier to teach 18 & under athletes with what I feel is significantly less risk to the shoulders and back when compared to a traditional snatch. The movement begins from the ground, in a stance similar to a traditional deadlift stance, and ends with the weight overhead. The dumbbell adds an element of shoulder stabilization at the top that helps to keep the rotator cuff and scapular stabilization muscles strong. This helps to both protect the rotator cuff from injury and to create stability upon entry into the water during a start.
Coaching the Single Arm Dumbbell Snatch
I like to have athletes begin this movement from the ground, as the entire movement most closely translates into the movement pattern of a start. However, it may be helpful for younger athletes or athletes newer to strength training to begin the movement from the hang position (just above the knee). Once able to perform the movement well they can move to starting from the ground.
Starting position should have one hand on the dumbbell with the other arm to the side or at the hip for balance. Back should be flat, with core engaged and shoulders pinched slightly back. Eyes should be looking forward.
To initiate the movement, the athletes shoulders should rise as the hips come forward, keeping the arm holding the weight straight until the dumbbell is at about hip height. When the dumbbell reaches hip height, the athlete should drive the elbow up towards the ceiling, keeping the weight close to the body as the hips continue to extend. When the weight reaches approximately eye level, the athlete will “punch” it up overhead, finishing the movement with the dumbbell directly over the shoulder and posture tall. I encourage them to land “softly,” in a slight squat. This allows them to absorb shock and finish the weight in an athletic position.
Important points to watch out for include:
Pulling the weight too early—the arm should remain straight until the hips extend. Upon full extension the athlete will drive the elbow upward and catch overhead
Rounded back—Starting with a rounded back or soft core will put pressure on the back, so make sure the athlete has a flat back with hips slightly lower than shoulders.
Explosiveness—This movement only works as intended when the athlete moves quickly. Encourage a “jumping” motion as the hips extend, asking the athlete to move the weight quickly from ground to overhead.
Load—Start at a lighter load and take care when progressively increasing. Athletes should be able to control the weight at all points of the movement, especially when it is overhead. This ensures safety of the athlete during the movement.
Relating the Snatch to the Pool
The most important parts of the SA DB snatch when relating to a start are the explosiveness of the movement as a whole and specifically the hip drive within it. While the lift looks like a heavy upper body movement, it should be primarily driven from the hips. When looking at a start, we encourage the same rapid hip extension and explosive movement of the arms from the ground to overhead. In both movements, the athlete begins in a compact position and finishes completely extended, ideally with good posture from fingertips to toes. Just as I do with squats, I like to remind athletes as they perform the movement what element in the pool we are working to strengthen (ex. “Boom, right there, that’s your start”). The fast-twitch muscle fibers that are activated during the snatch should help to improve response time off the block, power within the jump, and posture upon entry.
The Bolles Swimming weight program doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel. We want to take shapes made in the water and strengthen them on land, with the intention to create even better shapes back in the water. While weight training is a fun and different training modality for most swimmers, I always like to remind them that we lift to swim faster, we don’t swim so that we can lift better. Every movement has a purpose!
Claire Mills is the National Group Assistant coach for the Bolles School Sharks and the lead strength and conditioning coach for the Bolles School senior groups. She has a bachelor’s degree in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Northern Colorado, a master’s degree in Kinesiological Science from Jacksonville University, and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. She has been a coach with Bolles since 2017 and has led the strength and conditioning program for the Bolles School athletes since 2019.
Prior to coaching at Bolles, Claire coached for 5 years for the Colorado Athletic Club Stingrays in Englewood, Colorado. With the Stingrays she coached athletes of all levels and oversaw basic dryland and strength training for the senior groups.