Posted on May 27, 2026 at 06:00 AM
You’ve probably found yourself halfway through the swimming leg of a race, shoulders fatigued and hyperventilating. You’ve reached dry land, but you’re already feeling exhausted – all before you’ve even touched your bike.
For many athletes, targeted shoulder training is a missing part of training that reveals itself on race day. The good news? You don’t need a lot of it to become a stronger swimmer.
“Getting a strong body and preparing it for three different sports can be difficult,” says Didi Griesbauer, a former Ironman champion and Stanford swimmer who now works as a swimmer. Strength and triathlon coach.
“A lot of athletes tend to see swimming as an inconvenience to a great triathlon event, so carving out time for specific shoulder strength can be difficult in the face of other demands. As with most strength work, a little work can go a very long way, and something is better than nothing!”
Signs you need more shoulder training
says Griesbauer Swimmer’s shoulder It is a common overuse problem in triathletes, and can be exacerbated in athletes with an often “forward” posture from time spent hunched over air bars and then working at a desk for hours afterwards.
“Stress, weakness or stiffness in the shoulder joint is a sure sign that the athlete should devote some attention to shoulder stability exercises, activating and strengthening the lower trapezius and rhombius muscles,” she says. “Also, addressing forward posture will allow the shoulder to hang properly at the joint and alleviate some of the relative strength imbalances within the shoulder stabilizers.”
Why your shoulders are the key to better swimming
The exercises below are designed to activate and Strengthen your lats (the latissimus dorsi, the large muscle in your back) and the triceps, two muscle groups central to an effective stroke.
“For swimmers, the back muscles are the primary strength muscles that provide propulsion through the water,” says Griesbauer. “The triceps provide the finishing touch at the back end of your stroke, so any upper-body exercise that creates strength and power in the lats and triceps will be beneficial.”
The other key piece is shoulder stability to create a basic “catch” position at the beginning of the stroke and maintain an early vertical forearm position.
“Having the shoulder strength and stability to maintain that catch position while activating your lat and propelling you through the water is crucial to an efficient, powerful swim stroke,” she says.
George Vafiadis, a New York-based strength and conditioning coach who has completed six Ironman triathlons and countless other triathlons, echoes the functional focus. “This strength work is less about getting burned or getting your heart rate up, it’s more about function,” he says.
Exercise overview
This routine doesn’t have to look like a traditional workout; Remember, the goal is control and functionality, not fatigue. Vafiades recommends 7-12 repetitions of each exercise, giving yourself a minute to complete each movement before taking a minute of rest. While the upper body is the focus, it integrates the entire system.
For an optional finish, add 15 minutes of compound movement (dumbbell, kettlebell, or barbell deadlift, 1 minute and 1 minute) to continue working the upper back, lower back, and hamstrings together.
how often: In the foundation and building phases of the season, Griesbauer recommends two to three strengthening sessions per week if possible. During track season, once a week is enough for time-starved athletes. “If you’re able to do this set once a week during the season, that’s great,” Vafiadis adds.
For additional swimming efficiency, Griesbauer recommends supplementing with pull-down exercises, Rows (cable, plank, or flying dog) and Basic work. To get a quick hit before swimming, rope stretches and band exercises can be done five to 10 minutes on the pool deck before getting into the water.
4 shoulder exercises for swimmers
TRX isometric suspension row
Take the straps in your hands and lower them to a diagonal position with your feet firmly on the floor and your arms extended. When you reach that low point, hold the position for one second and squeeze your shoulder blades together before “paddling” yourself – bringing your elbows closer to your rib cage. For a more advanced challenge, do the exercise with one leg raised.
Step back lunge with Kettlebell
Take a light bell and hold it around eye level with your arm extended and bent at a 90 degree angle. Step back into a lunge, lowering your knee toward the floor; Prevent the bell from swinging by engaging your biceps, triceps and upper back muscles.
Banded board
Place a resistance band around your palms or elbows and stay in plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart. Aim to hold for 60 seconds.
Push-ups with resistance band
Place a resistance band around your palms, then place both hands on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower into a push-up, keeping your elbows tight to your ribs. The resistance band helps prevent the elbows from extending and pulls the shoulder blades into the lower back. Keeping the shoulders engaged will help with shoulder stability.
Additional shoulder exercises poolside
These are Griesbauer’s favorite poolside shoulder exercises, which are easy to do 5 to 10 minutes before a swim session:
Bungee ropes before swimming
Stretch ropes are one of the most swimming-specific exercises you can do because they perfectly mimic the swimming motion, with the added advantage of being on dry land, so the swimmer can visualize that early forearm lift and get shoulder stability and lat strength all at once.
From a comfortable standing position, hinge at the waist to form a 90-degree angle. Then use bungee cords to mimic the swimming motion while focusing on the fundamentals and warming up the shoulders.
Internal and external rotation exercises
Pack a smaller bar in your swim bag to do some internal and external shoulder rotation exercises. This is a great way to warm up the shoulders and activate and strengthen all the small shoulder muscles anchored to the rotator cuff (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis).
Set up your stretch cord so it is hip height. Stand with your left arm down, extend your right arm across your body, and pick up the extended rope. While holding your right elbow close to your side, pull the rope until your right arm is fully rotated to your side. Slowly bring your right hand back to your left hip (without moving your right elbow). Rotate to the other side of the bar and repeat with your left arm.
Archer thoracic ball stabilizer
“This is great because the hand holding the ball gets isometric strength to the shoulder stabilizers while thoracic rotation provides that dose of lattice activation and overhead motion that most triathletes so desperately need,” says Griesbauer. These combined exercises have multiple benefits in one workout, providing you with a huge profit.
Start by kneeling on the floor next to a wall, with your right shoulder about a foot from the wall. Place your left foot up so that it is firmly planted on the floor. Take a stability ball and use your left hand to hold it against the wall. Place your right hand behind your head and rotate your torso until you are facing the wall. Rotate back to the starting position, holding the stability ball with your left hand the entire time. Show A Video demonstration From exercise.
