A useful gym session for a Masters swimmer is not simply a list of exercises. It is a carefully organised training session with a clear purpose, an appropriate level of challenge and a place within the wider swimming week.
Should you start with squats? Do shoulder exercises first? Add jumps and medicine-ball throws? Finish with a circuit?
These are sensible questions, particularly if you are adding strength and conditioning to an already busy swimming schedule. This guide explains how an S&C session can be structured, why exercise order matters, and how the approach may change for a beginner compared with an experienced swimmer.
Prepare to train. Develop the physical qualities you need. Add targeted support where it is useful. Then recover well enough to keep swimming.
Key takeaways
- A practical gym session can be organised into preparation, optional power, main strength and accessory work.
- The warm-up should prepare you for the exercises you are actually going to perform.
- Where power training is appropriate, it is generally placed early while movement quality and speed are high.
- Main strength exercises usually come before smaller accessory exercises.
- Not every Masters swimmer needs the same exercises, loading, volume or session duration.
Start with the purpose, not the exercise list
Before choosing exercises, ask what the gym session is intended to develop. Depending on the swimmer, priorities might include building general strength, improving force production, developing power, gaining confidence with fundamental movement patterns, or maintaining physical capacity while managing the demands of regular pool training.
That purpose should shape the session. An experienced swimmer preparing for a sprint event may have different needs from someone beginning resistance training for the first time. Equally, a swimmer in the middle of a demanding competition block may need a smaller gym dose than one in a quieter training period.
Research in competitive swimmers suggests that resistance training can be a valuable addition to pool work, but it does not establish one universally superior gym session for all swimmers. The practical task is to apply sound training principles to the individual.
Stage 1: Prepare — a warm-up that matches the session
Rather than performing an unrelated list of stretches, use the warm-up to move from general activity towards the specific movements and demands of the session.
A simple approach is to raise, mobilise, activate and prime as appropriate. These are useful planning prompts, not four rigid boxes that every warm-up must follow.
- Raise: use a few minutes of light movement to gradually increase activity and feel ready to train.
- Mobilise: move relevant joints through comfortable ranges needed for the planned session, such as hips, ankles or thoracic spine.
- Activate: include controlled movements that help establish positions and muscular control, where relevant.
- Prime: practise the main patterns and, when appropriate, increase speed or load gradually before the first working set.
For example, before a squat-focused session you could progress from easy movement to bodyweight squats, then use lighter sets of the squat variation selected for the main work. A swimmer new to lifting may benefit more from this technical practice than from adding elaborate drills.
Stage 2: Power — useful for some swimmers, not mandatory for everyone
Power is the ability to produce force quickly. It can matter in swimming, particularly around starts and turns, but power work needs suitable technique, preparation and progression.
Where it is included, power training is commonly placed before demanding strength work, after an appropriate warm-up. This helps preserve the speed and quality of the movement before fatigue accumulates.
Possible options for appropriately prepared swimmers include low-volume jumps or medicine-ball throws. The best choice depends on the individual's experience, physical capacity, training environment and goals. It does not have to look like a swimming stroke.
For a beginner: there is no need to force a power block into every session. Building competence with basic movements and developing a useful strength base may be the better priority.
Stage 3: Strength — the main work of the session
This is usually where the most important strength exercises sit. Many sessions will include a selection of fundamental movement patterns rather than trying to train every muscle in every possible way.
Depending on the session and the swimmer, these may include:
- Squat: a goblet squat, front squat or another suitable variation.
- Hinge: a Romanian deadlift or another controlled hip-hinge exercise.
- Push: an incline press-up, dumbbell press or other appropriate pushing movement.
- Pull: a supported row, cable row or other suitably loaded pulling movement.
- Single-leg: a split squat or step-up where it serves a clear purpose.
You do not need all five categories in every single session. Across the training week, the programme should provide an appropriate balance and enough repeated exposure to make progress.
The ACSM's resistance-training guidance supports progressive training adapted to the individual's goals and capability. Heavier or more technically demanding movements are generally placed before smaller assistance exercises. However, exercise choice and order still depend on the purpose of the session.
How many sets and repetitions?
There is no universal answer. A newer lifter might begin with a relatively small number of manageable sets, using repetitions that allow confident technique. An experienced swimmer may need different loads and volumes to achieve the intended adaptation.
Instead of prescribing one set-and-repetition scheme for every Masters swimmer, consider whether the training is challenging enough to be productive but manageable within the wider swim week. Keep a record of exercises, sets, repetitions, loads and perceived effort so that progressions are deliberate.
Stage 4: Accessory work — targeted support, not random extras
Accessory exercises can develop physical qualities that are not the primary focus of the bigger lifts. They might address shoulder capacity, trunk control, calf strength, single-leg work or other individual priorities.
For swimmers, it can be tempting to add a long shoulder circuit to every session. More is not automatically better. Choose accessories because they serve an identified need, not because they are associated with swimming on social media.
Examples might include a controlled external-rotation variation, a calf raise or an anti-rotation trunk exercise, where appropriate. Their selection should reflect the individual's capacity, history and current training programme.
Stage 5: Finish and recover
After the main work, bring the session to a close rather than adding extra exercises merely to fill time. Some swimmers find a short period of easy movement or comfortable stretching helpful as a transition out of training.
A cool-down is not a magic recovery tool, and stretching after every workout is not required to make strength gains. More important is how the complete programme manages training load, rest, sleep and nutrition.
A simple full-body gym session
1. Prepare (about 8–12 minutes): easy movement, relevant mobility and activation, followed by gradual practice sets.
2. Power (optional): a low-volume, appropriately progressed jump or throw if the swimmer is ready and power is a priority.
3. Strength: choose two or three main movements, such as a squat variation, a row and a hinge or pressing movement. Loads and sets depend on the individual.
4. Accessory: select one or two exercises with a defined purpose, such as trunk or shoulder capacity work.
5. Finish: a brief transition out of training, followed by appropriate recovery between sessions.
Important: This is an illustration of session organisation, not a complete training prescription. It leaves out individual decisions about technique, equipment, load, repetitions, progression and the rest of the week's training.
Should beginners and experienced Masters swimmers train differently?
They can follow the same broad principles, but the details often differ.
For a beginner
Make the session accessible. Select exercises that are easy to set up and learn. Use a manageable amount of work. Prioritise repeatable technique and the confidence to return for the next session. Power training may not be necessary initially.
For an experienced lifter
The session may include heavier multi-joint work, more specific power development and carefully organised loading. More experience also creates more options, but the programme still needs to fit around swimming and recovery.
A barbell front squat is not automatically superior to a dumbbell goblet squat. The better exercise is the one that fits the swimmer's current needs, strength, ability and equipment.
Where should gym sessions sit in the swimming week?
This is often more important than adding another exercise to the programme. Pool sessions targeting sprinting, starts or demanding race-pace work may be affected by residual fatigue from hard gym training.
Rather than applying a fixed rule to everyone, consider which sessions matter most, the amount of recovery time available, the swimmer's training history and how they respond to the combination of swim and land work.
When the week becomes congested, reducing gym volume or adjusting exercise choices may be more effective than trying to complete every planned set regardless of fatigue.
A good gym session can still be the wrong session if it undermines the training that matters most in the pool. Plan strength and swimming as parts of the same programme.
Three common gym-session mistakes
1. Starting with the hardest work before you are prepared
Move from general preparation to specific practice sets. Do not rush into heavy working loads or fast movements without adequate readiness.
2. Turning the whole session into a conditioning circuit
Circuits have a place, but if the primary aim is strength or power, too much continuous fatigue can compromise movement quality and the training stimulus. Choose the format to suit the objective.
3. Adding accessories without a reason
A long list of bands, raises and trunk exercises does not necessarily create a more complete session. Prioritise the work that addresses the swimmer's real needs.
How OXOLT approaches gym-session design
At OXOLT, the aim is to develop strength and conditioning that complements the swimmer's programme. The session structure may follow preparation, power, strength and accessory work, but the exact content depends on the person.
That means considering training experience, pool schedule, event priorities, available equipment, current physical capacity and the ability to recover. A structured programme should develop over time rather than changing exercises at random every week.
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Explore S&C Coaching →Book a Free Introduction →Frequently asked questions
Do Masters swimmers need power exercises in every gym session?
No. Power work should be included when it serves a clear goal and the swimmer is appropriately prepared. A beginner may benefit more from consistent strength practice first.
Should I train shoulders before legs?
There is no universal body-part order. In many sessions, larger and more demanding exercises come before smaller accessory work, but the priority movement depends on the session's goal.
How long should a gym session be?
Long enough to complete useful, high-quality work without unnecessary volume. Session length depends on experience, exercise selection, rest needs and the rest of the training week; longer does not automatically mean better.
Should I stretch after strength training?
You may choose comfortable stretching if it helps you finish the session or work on a specific mobility goal. It is not an obligatory recovery step for every swimmer.
Can I follow this structure at home?
Yes. The principles can be adapted to home equipment. The specific exercises and progression methods will depend on what is available and how much resistance you can create.
Related reading
For more context, explore the existing OXOLT Performance Journal article Strength Training for Masters Swimmers: What Actually Matters? and our guide to Strength Training at Home for Masters Swimmers. You can find both in the OXOLT Performance blog.
References and further reading
- Currier BS et al. (2026). American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand: Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance in Healthy Adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Read the position stand.
- American College of Sports Medicine (2009). Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. View publication.
- Wang et al. (2025). Comparative effectiveness of physical training modalities on swimming performance: a two-tier network meta-analysis. View research.
Important: This article provides general training information, not an individual exercise prescription or medical advice. Exercise selection and loads should reflect your health, experience and ability. If pain or a health condition affects training, seek appropriate professional advice.