Abstract
Abstract. Dryland training is an important part of any competitive swimmer’s programme. However, this non-specific training is usually neglected in prepubertal swimmers, its importance being recognised more often in junior and senior swimmers. This paper is a case study regarding the beneficial effects that a well-developed and suitable dryland training programme can have on a prepubertal swimmer’s results. The participant in this case study was a Romanian male swimmer born in 2010, who got the highest score at the National Championships in 2020. The detailed dryland programme (developed by the author of the current study) was followed by the athlete for a period of 7 months. The implementation of this programme took place between two national championships (October 2020 - June 2021). The specific objectives were: winning the title of national champion in 50-meter butterfly and making a progress of 2 seconds; ranking among the top three swimmers in 100-meter freestyle and making a progress of 4 seconds. After applying the programme, the athlete made a progress of 2.57 seconds and won first place in 50-meter butterfly. In 100-meter freestyle, he made a progress of 6.34 seconds and won second place. This paper emphasises the beneficial effects of an organised dryland training programme and also proposes a model of such a plan that can be followed by prepubertal swimmers.
Highlights
Dryland training defines all movements and exercises performed out of the water with the purpose of improving in-water performance
After completing the dryland training programme, the participant recorded a progress of 2.57 seconds and won first place in 50-meter butterfly at the National Championships in June 2021 (Figure 1)
It is true that these results are due to the specific in-water training and the biological development of the athlete, so it is difficult to say exactly to what extent dryland training has contributed to his performance
Summary
Dryland training defines all movements and exercises performed out of the water with the purpose of improving in-water performance. Over the years, adding dryland training to a swimmer’s programme has been proven beneficial and has allowed many athletes to enhance their swimming performance. Marques et al (2011) state that a specific strength training programme can improve the rate of force production and contribute to increased performance. According to Lopes et al (2021), after implementing a dryland training programme, the increase in upper-body strength was obvious and improvements in 50-meter and 100-meter swimming performance were found. Lopes et al (2021) revealed in their study that “ST increased specific strength and could be used to maximize swimmer performance by adapting swimming technical patterns enhancing swimming economy” Marques et al (2020) believe that “coaches and strength and conditioning professionals should consider including inseason dry-land ST programs within the training routine in order to obtain further improvements in swimming performance” This paper is a case study that aims to highlight the importance and beneficial effects of dryland training on the performance of prepubertal swimmers
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