TRX, or suspension trainers, have gained a ton of popularity over the last few years. This is for good reason. TRX exercises can work wonders for swimmers. On top of this, suspension trainers do not require a lot of space, can be used for hundreds of different exercises, can easily be placed on a pool deck, and are not expensive. Perhaps best of all, you can adapt the intensity of TRX exercises for each swimmer. Meaning younger swimmers can get the same benefits as a high level collegiate swimmer would.
When coaches, swimmers, or parents ask me what is one of best pieces of dryland equipment they can purchase, the answer I almost always give is a suspension trainer. Because of how popular suspension trainers are and how many exercises you can do on them, this blog will cover some of the best TRX exercises specifically for swimmers!
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Upper Body TRX Exercises For Swimmers
Wall Angels
At The Swimming PT, we love exercises that check multiple boxes at once. This is exactly what the TRX wall angels do. They are great for promoting thoracic spine mobility, shoulder stability, and in addition to strengthening the muscles around the scapula. To make this exercise easier, try standing more upright or bring your arms closer together.
Rows
Rows should be a staple of any swimmers strength training routine. They are great at strengthening the lats, traps, and rhomboids, which are all key swimming muscles. You can do traditional TRX rows, but if you want to make it harder you can either make yourself more vertical or try using only 1 arm.
Row with a Twist
This is another favorite of mine for swimmers who are rehabbing from a shoulder injury. It will strengthen your shoulder, but it will also promote total body coordination. You have to use the muscles around the scapula in concert with the core in order to rotate and reach with your arm. As you can imagine, this is exactly what needs to happen in swimming!
Serratus punch
In numerous other blogs, the importance of activating the serratus anterior in swimmers with shoulder pain was discussed. If you want to read more on the importance of activating the serratus anterior, check out How to Fix One of The Most Common Swimming Injuries. Using a TRX suspension trainer is a great way to get the serratus anterior firing again. A cue I like to use is to the push through the heel of your hands in order to get a proper serratus punch.
Core TRX Exercises for Swimmers
TRX Bird Dog
Swimmers need to be able to move their legs (i.e. kicking) while maintaining a stable core. If you have unstable core while moving your legs, your efficiency in the water will significantly decrease as your hips will drop. Exercises like the TRX bird dog will promote stability in the core, while moving your legs, just like you need in swimming!
Abdominal Falls Outs
Just as you need a stable core while kicking, swimmers need a stable core while pullings. Without a stable core when you are pulling, you will loose your body line, decreasing efficiency in the water. Abdominal fall outs will help train you to maintain core stability while moving your arms, just like you need in swimming.
Lower Body TRX Exercises for Swimmers
Straight leg bridge
Many swimmers, parents, and coaches know of bridges, but know if straight leg version on a suspension trainer. This is another great way to strengthen glutes and hamstrings, helping give you a more powerful kick.
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat
Many swimmers and coaches run into the same problem when doing rear foot elevated split squats (RFESS). That problem is that they do not have something to put their foot on! After all, bleachers can be rather uncomfortable. Instead you can put your back leg into a TRX suspension trainer! The best part is that you can change how high or low your foot is!
Single leg squats
Many times bridging the gap between double leg squats and single leg squats is challenging. Using a TRX suspension trainer is a great way to help bridge the game. By holding onto the straps, you can take some of your bodyweight away to make a single squat more manageable. You then can hold less and less onto the TRX suspension trainer the stronger you get!
The Wrap Up:
TRX or any other suspension trainer can be an incredibly useful tool for swimmers. You can put suspension trainers anywhere, there are hundreds of different exercises you can do, and they are not as expensive as other pieces of exercise equipment.
Happy swimming,
Alex Ewart