Dan Daly, CSCS

Elite swimmers don’t just train physically. They mentally rehearse and visualize their races, their pacing, and their response to adversity before they ever step on the block.

Most think swimming is just physical. It’s not. Your brain changes first. Within minutes, stress drops, focus sharpens, and the noise quiets. That’s why it feels different. It’s not just a workout. It’s a reset.

Practice what you want to race. Race what you have been practicing.

if you want speed, train it directly: Heavy, low-rep strength work or explosive lifts (jumps, swings, med ball throws). Same in the water—sprint, use resistance (chute/paddles/fins). Power and speed decline with age… if you stop training it.

Many swimmers plateau not from lack of yardage but lack of strength. A small amount of targeted dryland (2–3 sessions per week) can unlock speed, durability, and better technique in the water.

Most swimmers think more swimming or stretching fixes everything. If your shoulders hurt, the missing piece is usually dryland. Scapular function, thoracic mobility, and serratus activation keep the shoulder centered so the catch stops grinding the joint.

How often should swimmers lift and swim each week? It depends on recovery, schedule, and training tolerance. Elite swimmers may do 8–10 sessions/week of swimming and lifting, with double sessions. Youth and adult athletes usually do better with fewer, more focused sessions.

Strength and power declines with age but mostly because people stop working on it.

I failed swimming lessons so I joined the swim team and never looked back. I was a seasonal multisport athlete through my sophomore year before specializing in swimming.

@thepeterford Thanks, Peter

@TrainDaly Nice one buddy

Not gonna lie… I was a little embarrassed to share this 😅 But I went 23-high in the 50y free right after a hard resistance session. 20 years after college, still training, still sprinting, still pushing 🚀 That’s what I’m proud of. What’s your 50 free PB? 👇🏼

Swimming Speed = enough stroke force applied in the right shape (streamline)

Expert Swim Coach & Trainer: Dan Daly youtu.be/GkzyR_cZ-1s?si… via @YouTube

Most panic in open water swimming isn’t fitness—it’s pacing. Triathletes and open water swimmers go out too fast, under-breathe, skip a real warm-up, then add a tight wetsuit + cold water. Train goal pace & tempo in the pool. Race by feel. You’re faster early than you think.

Swimming isn’t just about fitness—it’s about force. Train for strength, and the endurance takes care of itself.

Racing works best when you treat every event as a rep. More racing = more comfort = better execution.

@thepeterford More externally rotated with palm in. Interesting insight. I posed this question on Reddit and someone mentioned a similar strategy for improving speed

@TrainDaly I was trying to mimic Ben Proud with my palm facing out (see pic). Now my palm is facing in and no more impingement at the beginning of the recovery.

What’s one technical fix that instantly made you faster? I’m currently working on turning my head even less on freestyle breaths, as little as I can get away with.

@thepeterford Interesting. How were you doing it?

@TrainDaly Doing straight-arm freestyle fast really hurt my shoulders. Vladimir Morozov suggested leading the recovery with my pinky first and rotating my hand at the last minute. The shoulder problem immediately went away.