Strength Training for Swimming

I am not an expert on weight training, but have found that core body work (abs and lower back) have greatly increased my swimming power. Try Pilates if you are looking for a formal class.

Bootygirl is right, core body work is the best. Weights are good for swimming but only as a supplement. If you really want to get better at swimming, work on your stroke. Stroke efficieny is the main thing to swimming. . . That is why people that can run marathons and ride bikes all day long have problems in the pool, not because they are out of shape but because their stroke is crap (no offense to anyone). So if you want to get better:

1) Spend time in the pool. Remember it is not quantity it is quality
2) Work on your stroke and then on your distance.
3) After you feel comfortable in the water and can do a good amount of yardage, then focus on weights that work on back, shoulders with other upper body thrown in.

Swimming itself is a great way to build muscle and it strengthens you up. . . Also, instead of weights, you can do exercises that actually force you to move your body around. Examples: Pushups, tri dips, pull ups, crunches. Basically those exercises that make you move your on weight around, this strengthens you without adding too much bulk.
Hope this helps.

I like to do wide and narrow grip lat pulldowns, chin ups and push ups for the upper back. I do a lower back machine for 3 sets at the gym. I do side laterals and an exercise that is specific to the rotator cuff for the shoulders. I can't really give the 2nd exercise for the shoulders a name, I don't know what they call it but it helps. Whatever you do be careful, back in Feburary when my training was going quite well I decided to change a few things and I developed shoulder tendinitis. It finally cleared up a couple of weeks ago. It really affected my training and I could have done better in my first tri this season had I not changed a thing.

Mike

I am also a new swimmer so I paid for a swim coach. She told me to do pilates, piyo and Yoga to help build the core. With some weight training. Just keep swimming and it will come.