Swimming training for fighters (Part 1)
Swimming for conditioning is little used, little known or misused by most wrestlers and coaches. It’s not that trainers don’t have a plan or a goal, but many trainers take standard gym work to the pool and stand on one end, doing double carries and jump squats, all great things, but if they really understood the benefits of swimming could put together a specific swimming program from circuits to aerobic, anaerobic and resistance series.
Swimming is a great workout and will increase lung capacity if used correctly by a fighter which obviously has benefits in the ring relative to hydrogen conditioning swimming also puts 25lbs of pressure on the entire body when swimming and also it is a form of physical conditioning without weight.
Obviously, the benefits can only be gained if the fighter can swim and is comfortable in a pool environment. The exercises below can be changed at any time and are just a suggestion.
There are many swimming aids, from paddles to buoys, and all can be used, however one of the easiest and cheapest is to wear an additional swim shirt and shorts during training to increase stamina, however, one should exercise caution and only use this extra drag every few weeks. If you don’t, your body will adapt and you will need more and more clothes to drag around.
Pool circuits are probably the easiest to understand and get started with, so here are some circuits to get you started.
route 1
You will need access to swimming widths (deep end) for this circuit and you will need two mats, one on each side for certain exercises, be sure to warm up before the start.
Swim 10 width front crawl as fast as you can.
Get out of the pool and do twenty push-ups, slide into the pool, swim one width underwater on the opposite side, do nineteen push-ups, then repeat until you have completed the set.
Upon completion, swim 10 wide front crawl again, then perform double-legged V-squats as above. When finished, repeat the process and perform double squat thrusts.
Circuit
10-width crawl sprint
Press ups 20 -1 swimming a width below taking 1 press up on each side
10-width crawl sprint
Double leg v sit 20-1 swimming a width under taking 1 seat V each side
10-width crawl sprint
Two-legged push squats 20-1- swim one width below taking one squat thrust from each width
Rest is up to an individual between sets, but not more than a minute.
Route 2
As above but run between widths this can be done in the shallow end or the deep end if you use the deep end wear an aqua jogger which is a blue support belt that goes around the waist and is normally worn for work of rehabilitation in the pool. .
route 3
As above, but swimming lengths and only one length of sprint crawl are required between exercises
route 4
Make sure you have a partner for this set.
They both run from the shallow end until the deep end begins and then back up ten times.
Partner 1 piggybacks number two for ten sprints up and then changes
Partner 1 sprints the same distance back for 4
Partner 2 squats until partner 1 finishes (head underwater, back straight, butt to heels, then explodes up)
To exchange
1 minute rest repeat one more time
Route 5
Jump squat in pairs 30 seconds with 15 breaks for 3 minutes
To exchange
Standing band strikes with the shoulders underwater partner 2 holding the band at the rear for extra tension
30 seconds on 15 rest for three minutes (without bands they use aquatic dumbbells)
To exchange
Front crawl style sprints* 30 seconds straight and 15 seconds off for 3 minutes
Partner holds your ankles while you power swim for 30 seconds front crawl
To exchange
Rest 1 minute repeat
Again, the above are a suggestion, however I believe these are the best exercises a wrestler should use in the pool for conditioning, as the lungs must be overloaded to increase oxygen uptake.
The last circuit should only be used with fighters who are proficient in the water and can swim at a reasonable level.
Deep access will be required
The wrestler treads the water with their hands for two minutes, then their feet for two minutes with their hands in the air.
The wrestler then has his hands clasped behind his back with an elastic band, then sinks to the bottom of the pool as soon as his feet hit the bottom, explodes on the surface, sucks in a gulp of air, and dives again, complete this. for five repetitions.
If the band breaks, the wrestler starts over, for a more advanced workout, also tie up the legs with a rubber band.
This exercise develops the CV system and allows the fighter to become hypoxic as hydrogen will begin to fly through the body.
Give them a try and see how it goes, we have tried to minimize the amount of equipment needed, if you don’t have bands or aquatic dumbbells to pull the buoys it will be enough to get you started.
Next time we’ll look at swim sets to develop the fighter and add additional training to their arsenal.
If you try them, please contact us and leave a comment.