Mega Drills for Dryland Training

with Coley Stickels, 14x NCAA All American with University of Arizona;
has coached National Age Group record holders and Olympic Trials finalists

Mega Drills for Dryland Training is a refreshing mix of new and unique exercises mixed in with traditional exercises that include a challenging spin. In this series, Coley describes and demonstrates exercises with compound movements that are swimming specific. This concept gives the athlete a positive swimming focus for the exercises.

Much like in swimming, several body parts are moving at the same helping to develop overall body strength and develop explosive power in the swimmer. With an emphasis on core stability and increasing swimming strength Mega Dryland Drills takes a unique approach to not only increasing strength but also increasing athleticism for the advanced swimmer.

Warm Up:
Coley demonstrates several dynamic exercise series. These exercises are done in low repetitions and are mostly swimming specific. They include push-ups, somersaults, squats and core development exercises.

Dynamic Exercises:
In this segment, the emphasis is on push-ups and upper body strength. Coley describes over 50 different exercises that require low reps. These exercises are designed for the athlete to be quick, reactive and explosive with their entire body.

• Push Up series - 8 different advanced ways to do push ups. Core stabilization, quick and light hands and explosiveness are the emphasis.
• Pull up series - 16 different ways to do advanced pull ups. This series is an advanced way to do pull ups and has a plyometric focus on the lats, forearm and core strength, providing good muscle variation.
• Jungle Gym dryland strap series - With nearly 15 multi dimensional exercises, Coley incorporates different exercises from rehab based to multiple compound plyometric exercises. Many of the exercises with the straps mimic swimming in the water, requiring stabilization, balance and multiple muscle groups working together. A stronger swimmer is a faster swimmer.
• Cord Series - 9 with Multi-planer compound movements. Not the traditional swimming exercises for stretch cords. Incorporates MMA style exercises
• Plyometric and Agility Series - 3 Key is to keeping it elastic to allow the athlete to jump high. Lastly Coley takes many of the exercises previously demonstrated and puts them together in an agility series. By using 12 different exercises, Coley has created a total body circuit consistent with his vision of compound movements for increased total body strength and power.

Stickels' drills have variety, adaptability, and are easy to work into an existing program. Coaches looking to introduce some new exercises into their dryland workouts, coaches looking to create a new regimen from the ground up, or personal trainers working with swimmers will love this video.

61 minutes. 2013.