Introduction
Swimming is a demanding sports that requires an above-average balance of strength, endurance, and technique. The power and speed at which a swimmer can move through the water can make the difference between winning and losing a race. Because of this, what you do both in and out of the water is hugely important.
Velocity training is a popular technique used by swimmers to improve their speed and strength in the water. In this article, we will explore what velocity training is, how it helps, and why you should incorporate it into your training program.
What is Velocity Training?
Velocity training is a form of strength training that focuses on the speed and explosive power of an exercise. It generally involves the use of resistance bands along with weights or some other form of resistence equipment in order to increase the speed of a movement.
How Does Velocity Training Help?
The goal of velocity training is to improve the speed at which a muscle contracts, resulting in faster and more powerful movements. This directly impacts the speed and power of your starts, flipturns, and stroke, improving your overall performance in the water.
In addition to what was listed previously, velocity training can help swimmers in several ways:
Increased Explosive Power
By specifically performing fast movements with added resistence, you can better train your fast-twitch muscles to increase speedy, explosive power. Swimmers need explosive strength for pretty much every aspect of swimming: starts, turns, stroke, kick, and more.
Improved Technique
Velocity training can also help to improve a your swimming technique. By building strength and speed under resistance, you can specifically improve various swimming mechanics that benefit your performance in the water.
Movements like archer rows, trap bar deadlifts with resistance bands, and banded push-ups can all contribute to your swimming performance by replicating similar motions.
Prevents Injuries
By dropping the weight and focusing on the speed of your movements, velocity training can help to prevent injury by strengthening the muscles and joints that are essential for swimming while decreasing the load of your weight sessions.
Velocity training is particularly beneficial for swimmers because it helps to address the unique demands of the sport. Swimming requires a combination of strength, endurance, and technique, and velocity training targets all of these areas. By improving their speed and power in the water, swimmers can move through the water with greater efficiency, conserving their energy for longer races. Additionally, by improving their technique, swimmers can reduce the risk of injury and improve their overall performance.
Conclusion
Velocity training is a powerful tool for swimmers looking to improve their speed and strength in the water. By training the muscles to contract faster, swimmers can generate more force with each stroke, resulting in faster and more powerful movements. Additionally, velocity training can help to improve a swimmer's technique and prevent injury. If you're looking to take your swimming to the next level, consider incorporating velocity training into your training routine.
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