Dryland Training's 3 Biggest Questions

Dryland Training's 3 Biggest Questions

From SWIMMING GOLD by Wayne Goldsmith

March 19, 2026 · 10 min

About this episode

Wayne Goldsmith addresses the three biggest questions surrounding dryland training in swimming.

By Wayne Goldsmith One of the hottest topics in swimming is always Dryland Training. When I speak at conferences, it’s inevitably a question from the audience. Swimming coaches have more opinions about dryland than just about anything else. Here are the three most commonly asked questions: * What are the best dryland exercises and programs? * When should we do dryland — before or after pool workouts? * At what age should young swimmers start strength training? My answers: 1. Best exercises / best programs It doesn’t matter as much as you think. Free weights, machines, body weight, pilates, yoga, a hybrid of everything — the method is less important than the outcome. The key is to vary your dryland program so that: * The swimmers enjoy it * They complete it with the same focus and commitment as pool training A program they hate is a program they won’t do properly. 2. Timing — before or after pool? Simple answer: it depends on your focus. If you’re doing a precise, accurate, speed or technique-focused pool session — it makes no sense to fatigue swimmers with heavy dryland beforehand. Match the dryland timing to the pool session goals. 3. Age to start dryland It doesn’t matter what…

People in this episode

Host: Wayne Goldsmith

Topics covered

  • dryland training
  • swimming
  • strength training
  • coaching
  • exercise programs

Keywords

  • dryland exercises
  • training timing
  • young swimmers
  • strength training
  • swimming coaches

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