Motivational Monday: 5 Offseason Training Activities for Swimmers to Try

As the short course season wraps up, many swimmers are taking their well-deserved break from the pool. After a long season full of rigorous practices, early mornings and numerous meets, it is natural to want to exercise your body in different ways. Cross training during the offseason is not only beneficial for swimmers to stay active, but it is also a good way for them to take their mind off the pool and avoid the potential of feeling burnt out. Listed below are various activities that swimmers can try out so that they can still train in the offseason and stay motivated, but in different ways than they are used to!

Cardio

Cardio is a great way to keep up with aerobic exercise. Cycling, running and walking are all examples of cardio activities that swimmers can do while they take their time away from the pool. Trying out different workouts is beneficial so that swimmers can work different muscles in their body and maintain their strength and endurance. Cycling, running and walking will all continue to exercise swimmers’ lungs while they are in the offseason, too.

Lifting

Swimmers who continue to lift while they are in the offseason will not only get stronger, but they will also be less sore when the time comes to jump back into their regular in-season weight-training schedule. It can be fun to try new lifts and even focus on training other body parts of the body to build muscle and gain strength in different areas.

Intramural sports

Intramural sports are a fun way to stay active and move your body differently in the offseason. Get together with some friends and go to the gym to shoot some hoops, or the field to kick around a soccer ball. Play catch with a football or baseball, or take a trip to the driving range to hit some golf balls. Intramural sports are meant to keep exercising fun and different.

Exercise classes

Many recreation centers or local gyms offer various exercise classes. If swimmers are looking for a structured workout, they should try out a class of their interest like cycling, boxing, yoga, Pilates, or CrossFit.

Dryland/HIIT workouts

Dryland is nothing new for swimmers. Keeping up with dryland is a valuable way for swimmers to stay active while taking a break from the pool. If you are interested in expanding your typical dryland workout, try a HIIT workout. HIIT stands for high intensity interval training. Overall, dryland and HIIT workouts are relatively similar, although, this type of workout is designed for people to perform high intensity work for short periods of time, with long periods of rest. Some exercises may include burpees, jump roping, squats, kettlebell swings, mountain climbers, etc. HIIT workouts are bound to get your heart rate up and your body moving.

There are several ways to stay active while out of the water. Try something new and make sure to have fun moving your body in a different way. Comment below some of your favorite offseason workouts.

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