3 Dryland Workouts for a Faster Freestyle Kick

Looking to level up your freestyle kick? Here are three dryland workouts designed to build a stronger freestyle kick.

A fast, strong and technically awesome freestyle kick is crucial for fast freestyle swimming.

Not just because it can add a bit of propulsion and velocity to your swimming speed, but because a strong kick helps you keep your technique together under fatigue, maintain optimal body position, and finish your races strong.

Improving your freestyle kick typically means logging lots of time on your kickboard and mastering the coordination between the arm stroke and kick, but it can also be strengthened with dryland.

Incorporating dryland training that is specific to a faster freestyle kick will give swimmers more stability and strength in the water.

Below are three sample dryland workouts that primarily target a better freestyle kick.

This means building general lower body strength, improving contralateral leg stability and strength, and developing some power.

Let’s jump in.

1. The Conditioning Circuit

The first workout is a broad lower body workout that targets improved ankle strength (which is a leading indicator of freestyle kicking speed), fast twitch fiber development (for “fast” feet), and power.

Perform it as a circuit, taking 30s or so rest between exercises to maintain a high level of output.

5x

• 2mins jumping rope
• 10 kettlebell swings
• 10 split squat lunges
• 10 single arm kettlebell swings
• 10 calf extensions
• 5 squat jumps

2. The Strength and Stability Combo

This dryland workout is all about developing maximal strength and core stability to develop a truly strong and powerful freestyle kick.

It covers the big compound lifts (barbell back squats) and unilateral lower body lifts like single leg RDLs and hip thrusts to challenge you to move under load while stabilizing the trunk.

Similar to how we use the trunk to generate stability in the water to exert power and force through the legs.

This is a full dryland workout and should ideally be done separately (>30mins) from swim training to ensure a high degree of work and adaptation.

Warm-Up and Activation

• 5mins dynamic stretches (leg swings, trunk rotations)
• 10mins of 30s work, 30s rest jumping rope
• 20s front plank
• 20s Superman hold

Main Set

• 5×5 squats
• 5×5 single leg hip thrusts
• 5×5 single leg squats
• 5×5 single leg RDLs
• 3×10 calf extensions

Core Circuit

3x

• 30s front plank
• 20 dead bugs
• 20 pot stirrers
• 20 bird dogs

Warm-Down

• 10 minutes light walking + static stretches

3. Planks and Bridges

This dryland workout is more core focused, incorporating variations of standard core exercises for swimmers like planks and bridges.

These basic movements and holds are excellent for working the deep core stabilizers that stabilize the spine and pelvis, pivotal for being able to exert more power when kicking.

Because it is low impact and won’t crush your CNS system, it can be done multiple times per week or before your swim workouts. Feel free to add a hip loop band (above the knees) to further activate the glutes and hip abductors during these exercises.

2-3 rounds:

• 30s front plank hold
• 30s glute bridge hold
• 20 reps planks with shoulder extension
• 20 reps single leg glute bridge
• 20 reps planks with flutter kicks
• 20 reps glute bridges with flutter kicks

Wrapping Things Up

Dryland training is one of the tools swimmers have at their disposal to improve specific aspects of their swimming performances.

Whether it’s increasing peak power and force to get off the starting block faster, improving functional movement scores to reduce injury risk, or powering up their turboprop kick, the right dryland workouts can make a biggie difference.

Use the dryland workouts above as inspiration to crank up your freestyle kick and happy swimming!

More Dryland Guides and Resources

5 Dryland Exercises for Faster Underwater Dolphin Kicking. Want a more explosive underwater dolphin kick? Here’s a look at the best exercises for faster walls and underwaters.