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Student divers often obsess over the breathhold aspect of freediving, failing to realize that if they're more fit for the physical swim aspects of a dive, other key aspects such as breathhold and equalization will also come easier. We can build better power and stamina with consistent long hours in the water, but when that isn't feasible, smart divers supplement with dry resistance training and calisthenics. In this article, I'll share some exercises suitable for newer divers looking to improve their freedive and water fitness, adapted from workouts I've used myself for many years to stay in shape during bad weather windows, work breaks, or to build a really strong base early in the competition season.

And one note of caution--if you're really brand new to weights or resistance training, it would be smart to work with a certified personal trainer in the beginning to make sure your form is correct which will minimize chances of injury and maximize benefit. This article and the accompanying video is not meant to be a step by step guide on how to do these exercises (nowadays youTube does a passable job of that), but rather a presentation of a gym workout for freedivers with a few sport specific notes.

Warm-up

Kettlebell Main Set (Kettlebells or dumbbells, and done continuously with no rest breaks)

Bodyweight Main Set (Body weight and simple equipment, continuous with no rest breaks)

Yoga Ball MainSet (Yoga ball and simple equipment, continuous with no rest breaks)

Warm-down

You can watch the moves here...

- Lance Davis

Push-Ups: Just a classic push-up. Most all these exercises are classic swimming upper body core exercises. Even if you live in bi-fins, the duckdive starts with very classic upper body swimming movement, and from an energy perspective that is the most expensive portion of a dive, so it pays to be well conditioned here. In the video I show a few different hand positions.

Generally if you rotate the hands inwards and bring them closer together (diamond fingers) it can feel harder and you're relying more on the triceps--this is engagement at the very end of all swim movements which in swimming we'd call 'the finish'. It's same in all strokes--freestyle, no-fins, butterfly, or backstroke!

I notice a lot of students will have a weak finish because no one ever told them to finish strong, and because they haven't ever trained the muscles involved.

A push-up also engages the core a good bit which again build core stability. There are lots of push-up variations which target the different muscle areas, but a plain old push-up is a good start. If this is too much, just do it on your knees.

Muscles emphasized here include: Triceps, Anterior Deltoids, Pectoralis Major and Minor, Core muscles.

Dips: I'm doing dips on a bench to show a little bit of an easier version but I'd ordinarily be doing them on dip bars, and even with a hanging weight. Chair dips like this though can be done anywhere. They'll get harder if you scoot your feet away and straighten your legs, and easier if you bring your feet closer. This movement mostly works the finish of the upper body swim strokes.

Muscles worked include: Triceps, Anterior Deltoids, Pectoralis Major and Minor, Rhomboids.

Chest Flys: Muscles in the chest are essential to all the upper body swim movements and so this one way to target them. Dumbbells on a bench as shown here is a good way to start. More advanced would be to use TRX straps (or rings which you can see tucked away in the background) and ladder bars so that you can get a range of motion which is closer to the actual swim movement, and work more core stability. We are generally doing all these exercises to build strength, but if we work all the way through our full range of motion and even pause in a stretched position, we can also work mobility for the sport. Chest flys are good for that. Muscles targeted here include: Pectoralis Major and Minor, Deltoids, Triceps, Biceps.

Speed Push-Ups: Here's our burner where we're going straight from slower controlled strength movements into more explosive movements to get that quality contrast training. I'm doing clap push-ups in the video but if that's too much, just aim for fast explosive push-ups with good form, even just a few so long as your form is good and they're as fast as you can do them. When doing 'explosive' push-ups, a good rule of thumb is lower your body on 3 counts and come up on 1 count.

Triceps, Anterior Deltoids, Pectoralis Major and Minor, Core muscles are all worked.

Pull-Ups: These are another of the classic swimmer exercises. For swimming they should be done with an overhand grip, and should be 'strict'. Meaning you're not swinging your legs to create momentum and make the exercise easier. It's good vary the grip width a little bit, too, since the width of the hands during the arm sweep of a swimming movement changes as well. Shoulder width is a good start, and then on subsequent sets you can widen out a little, and go slightly narrower as well. Lead the pull-up with the chest.

Muscles targeted here include: Latissimus Dorsi, Trapezius, Rhomboids, Biceps, Brachialis, Pectoralis Major, Teres Major, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor.

Yoga Ball Sit-Ups: Strong and stable abdominals, especially lower abdominals are essential for swimming and kicking, and for freedivers this exact movement especially is practice for a smooth, strong duck dive. But this is important--try to keep your back relatively straight, sort of push or lead with your chest (you can see this more clearly on the video). I do the sit-up this way because that's actually the emphasis during the duck dive--you want to hinge at the waist, not curl the upper body. As a rule, anytime I'm in the water with all movements, I'm trying to keep my spine long so I practice that here as well. Muscles worked include: Rectus Abdominis, Int/Ext Obliques, Transverse Abdominis, Hip Flexors (Iliopsoas, Rectus Femoris).

Medicine Ball Twists: I don't twist in the waist very much in the water, but I still work this movement some as it just feels like a good stretch and builds stability. I'm using a 10lbs ball but it can be done with anything--kettlebell, plate, etc. Muscles worked here include: Int/Ext Obliques, Rectus & Transverse Abdominis, Erector Spinae, Back muscles, Quadratus Lumborum, Hip Flexors.

Double Crunch: Lower abdominal strength and stability is very important for posture in the water, especially on a vertical descent. The double crunch is great for building this. If the move is too much for you, do leg lifts or scissor kicks. Muscles worked include: Rectus Abdominis, Int/Ext Obliques, Transverse Abdominis, Hip Flexors (Iliopsoas, Rectus Femoris).

Back Extension: Obviously this is good for dolphin kick, but having strength here will also help to make crisp duck dives. They've fallen out of favor in many gyms because the over eager but under trained can so easily give themselves back injuries but the old school Roman chair is my favorite for this. Done on a yoga ball this way it's quite gentle. Erector Spinae and Lower Back are worked here.