Save Your Shoulders With These Four Exercises

It’s no secret that swimming can be hard on the shoulders; many swimmers experience imbalances and injuries to their shoulders at some point over the course of their careers. But the following four exercises can help you strengthen your shoulders and help you manage all of that pulling you're doing in the water, reducing the chances of injury. 

Pronated Hang 

For the first exercise, you're going to need a pull-up bar or something to hang from. You can use a tree, a rafter—anything that will support your weight as you hang from it with your arms overhead. 

To start, grab the bar with both hands in an overhand grip. Your hands should be about the same width apart as they are when they enter the water while swimming. Find a comfortable position that’s not too narrow and not too wide. 

Then, commence a pronated hang. To do that, hang from your hands while keeping the shoulders down and the ears above the shoulders. Lift your feet off the ground and position them slightly in front of your body and a couple inches off the ground to activate the abs. You’ll feel your lats and shoulders engage, too. Hold that hang for 20 seconds, then relax for 40 seconds. Repeat this three times. 

The aim of this hang is to improve grip strength, which is important for swimming and life in general. If you have good grip strength, you can hang on to the things around you. After all, if you can't hold on to something, you can't lift it. Grip strength also helps with pulling power in the water because it’s connected to forearm strength, which you use to reach and pull the water. 

Internal Rotation + Band

For the next exercise, you'll need a resistance band and a stable attachment point at about waist level. 

Start with a light band, and as you get more comfortable and stronger you can increase the band resistance or move farther away from your attachment point. 

For this internal rotation exercise, stand a couple feet to the side of the anchor point of the resistance band and grasp the resistance band handle in your hand. Your elbow should be bent at a 90-degree angle, so your forearm is parallel to the floor. Pin your elbow to the side of your body—you can tuck a folded towel between the elbow and your body to act as a cushion. Angle the palm toward the centerline of your body.

Then, drive the elbow into your side and pull your hand toward your torso slowly. Pause for a moment when your hand touches your belly and then release the hand back slowly to the starting point. 

This should all be done in a very controlled manner—don't let the band pick up speed. Don't let the resistance band rip your hand back to the starting position. Pull it in and then slowly release it. Keep your torso straight and your core engaged. Don’t lean to one side or the other. 

Complete three rounds of 12 reps on each side with 40 seconds rest between rounds. 

3-Point Row + Dumbell 

The third exercise is a three-point row using a heavier weight. You’ll need a chair or a bench and a dumbbell, a full water bottle, or a weighted backpack—whatever is available to create a weight you can lift. 

To start, place your left hand flat on the bench and send your right leg back far enough so that the heel is off the ground. The foot should not be flat on the floor, so take another step back if it is. The idea is to load your weight on the front leg. The front leg should be strong and stable with a flexed knee. 

Then, with your right hand, reach down and grab the weight and pull it up and back toward your hip. Be careful not to pull it straight up toward your chest, which creates a biceps-curl movement that can put stress on the front of the shoulder. Instead, focus on keeping your shoulder down and back, and the elbow bent so that the weight comes up and back toward your hip, which will activate your back and lats optimally. 

Aim for three rounds of 12 reps on each side with about 40 seconds rest in between rounds.

Seated Overhead Press

Swimmers spend a lot of time with their arms in the overhead position. If you arch your back too much, it can cause a pinch in the lower back. But this is where the overhead press can help. 

Start in an upright seated position on the bench with feet flat on the floor and spine straight. With your left hand, grasp a dumbbell and raise it until it’s even with your shoulder. Your elbow should be pointing directly down to the ground. Activate your abs and keep the spine and back still. 

Slowly raise the arm straight up, pressing the weight straight above your head with your palm facing inward toward your head. Keep the arm in line with the ear. As you lift, keep your shoulder down and spine straight. When your arm is fully extended, pause a moment and then control the release back down.

Don’t arch your low back and don’t let the barbell tilt behind the plane of your ear or pull your arm backward. If you’re doing that on land, you might be doing it in the water, too, and it’s inefficient and could lead to injury. 

Instead, focus on bracing the core and keeping everything in a straight, controlled line. Keep the low back stable and keep your head in the same position want to use in the water. Putting your free hand on your stomach can help you feel your abs engaging and remind you to control your core as you move through the exercise.  

Complete three rounds of six repetitions on each side with about 40 seconds of rest in between rounds. 

Complete these four movements two or three times a week to help strengthen your shoulders.