By Olivier Poirier-Leroy on SwimSwam
An explosive start is something that hovers at the top of just about every swimmer’s wish list.
And why wouldn’t it?
A block-rattling start shoots you ahead of the competition, demoralizes swimmers in the next lane, and sets up faster overall times on the clock, especially for the sprinty-minded swimmers in the pool.
Building an elite start is a blend of body positioning, power, precision, and the right dryland training.
And one of the best tools for more flight and power during the start is plyometrics.
The Mechanics of a Booming Start
Most swimmers should already know the basics of good starting technique:
Strong, balanced stance The more dominant leg on the rear wedge Arms engaged and ready to “pull” on the block to help with horizontal movementAnd so on.
These technical details matter. And once you have the mechanics locked and loaded, and you’ve built a strong foundation of leg strength in the gym, it’s time to project power so that you can explode off the blocks.
Plyometrics for Improving Start Performance
Plyometrics are one of the more effective and “obvious” dryland exercises for faster starts. Both the start and plyometrics demand explosive power. We are driving off the block and ground as if trying to launch ourselves into space.
In one study, eight weeks of plyometric training led to measurable speed gains in the water, with swimmers improving 15m, 25m, and 50m times by up to 1.5 seconds (Sammoud et al., 2019).
Many dryland programs focus primarily on jumping up—box jumps, squat jumps, CMJs. This makes sense as vertical jump ability is easy to measure, easy to coach, and fun to test.
But there’s one issue with a vertical-only approach: the swimming start is primarily horizontal, not vertical.
The goal shouldn’t be only increasing jump height, but the distance and velocity from the starting block. The evolution in block design with the addition of the wedge reflects this. That angled wedge helps swimmers push off with greater horizontal force, improving flight distance and velocity (Thng et al., 2020).
A 2016 study by García-Ramos and colleagues analyzed the starts of national-level swimmers and saw that horizontal acceleration and horizontal take-off velocity were the strongest predictors of start performance. Similarly, Sammoud et al. (2019) showed that swimmers’ gains in the standing long jump—a handy measure for horizontal power—were nearly double of their vertical jumps, which matched their improvements in 15-50m sprint times.
In other words, the further and faster you can lurch forward, the faster your start will be.
Go Vertical and Horizontal
So what does this mean for our training? Well, you shouldn’t totally abandon the vertical stuff like squat jumps and box jumps. Vertical force still matters. Your vertical helps you load the front foot and creates the vertical lift needed to successfully clear the blocks.
But to really dial in that outward drive, add some horizontal plyometrics to your routine.
Example exercises include:
Broad jumps. The simplest and most direct way to train forward power. A study by Rebutini et al. (2016) showed that swimmers who trained with broad jumps improved dive velocity and take-off distance. Single-leg broad jumps. Build balance and unilateral power, important since your legs don’t contribute equally during the start. Single-leg take-offs help with weak-side lag and sharpens coordination between the legs and the hips. Bounding or double-leg hops. These train rhythm and repeat horizontal force production. They are also a good entry exercise for horizontal jump training. Jump rope. Pound-for-chlorinated-pound, it’s one of the best dryland exercises swimmers can do, and it’s a proven way to boost horizontal power. In one example, eight weeks of jump rope training improved standing long jump performance by 7.3% in collegiate athletes (Chen & Wu, 2022).The Bottom Line
Fast starts are built through the combination of good mechanics, smart body positioning, the mobility to get into a thrust-worthy stance, a foundation of strength, and the explosive capability to take flight in a flurry.
That last part is where plyometrics can really shine.
Programming them smartly with both vertical and horizontal jumps will give you the confidence to know that you can create a lot of power and distance when the starter’s gun goes off.
So:
Keep doing the vertical jumps. They are still important, especially for loading the front foot, which provides much of the vertical lift at take-off. Box jumps. Squat jumps. Hit the horizontal jumps. Broad jumps and their variations mimic the “outward” power of a start and can improve dive velocity and horizontal force in swimmers. Standing long jumps. Bounds. Hops.Jump up…
Jump out…
And dive into more explosive starts.
Happy sprinting!
ABOUT OLIVIER POIRIER-LEROY
Olivier Poirier-Leroy is a former national level swimmer, 2x Olympic Trials qualifier, and author of several books for swimmers, including YourSwimBook, Conquer the Pool, The Dolphin Kick Manual, and most recently, The 50 Freestyle Blueprint.
The book is a beastly 220+ pages of evidence-based insights and practical tips for improving freestyle sprint speed.
It details everything from how to master stroke rate, technique, build a thundering freestyle kick, improve your start and underwaters, and much more.
The 50 Freestyle Blueprint also includes 20 sprint sets to get you started and a bonus guide on how to master the 100 freestyle to complete your sprint preparation.
Learn more about The 50 Freestyle Guide today.
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