Heard of the FINIS Slide Dryland Trainer?  It's a total game changer you can slide into your training kit and use anytime, almost anywhere.

Dryland Cords.

Dryland cords are an effective way to improve conditioning and stroke technique when you don't have a pool handy: all you need is a door, fence or sturdy surface to attach the cords to.

Their "next level" magic is clear when you put them to work warming up and staying warm either at training or in competition. 

Cords can springboard you up yet another level when used to build strength, address stroke weakness and activate muscles that miss out on love in the pool.

Are there different Dryland Cords?
Yep. FINIS has a couple of different types of cords and they also come in different weights for various fitness levels.

Dryland cords are long bands of stretch cord with plastic handles. Our most adaptive design is the Slide Dryland Trainer.  It comes in heavy duty, which is red, for competitive daily swimmers and yellow which suit regular swimmers and those undertaking rehab.  Both cords can be used on all strokes.

 

FINIS Dryland Resistance Cords are an entry-level cord which comes in light, medium and heavy.  These are colour-coded: yellow is light and ideal for newer swimmers and is the starting cord for most women, green is for swimmers who hit the pool a few times a week and red suits competitive daily swimmers.

Will Dryland Cords Make Me Faster?

It is possible but nothing changes the magic formula: swimming speed depends on stroke rate and distance per stroke.  What Dryland Cords do is strengthen many of the tiny muscles, ligaments and tendons that can be overlooked when training in the pool. An increase in the strength of all the little connectors and smaller assets that contribute to each stroke can lead to increased swimming speed.

For swimmers looking for that extra edge, Dryland Cords are a great tool to use during warm up to activate and target muscles that are often overlooked.  It can also pay off to pack cords in your kit for swim events where staying warm and “in the zone” can be tricky.

Let training slide
Begin by attaching your Dryland Cord to something sturdy.
Make sure the object is strong and will not move, fall or become unstable and dangerous.

Fly Butterfly
Hold the cords in front of you and stand far enough away to create some tension in them.

Bend at the waist and lower your head. With arms straight and stretched out in front, pull your arms down to your sides as if doing an actual butterfly stroke.

Remember to start the pull phase with your palms and forearms. Make sure to keep your elbows pointed out and at your shoulder line. Finish with your hands past your hips.

Iso Fly
Same as the butterfly, but alternate one arm at a time.

Tri Pull
Use the same starting position as the butterfly but keep elbows tucked to your sides and press your arms behind you.

Make sure to squeeze the muscles at the back of your arms at the end of each stroke.

Chest Pull
Use the same bent-over starting position as above and make breaststroke motions with your arms.

Maintain a high elbow position and execute the motion with your palms and forearms. Be careful not to let your elbows drop below a line parallel to your shoulders.

Back Fly
Stand upright holding the cords in front of you with a little bit of tension.

Start with arms stretched out in front.  With arms at chest height, pull each arm to the side and back until your hands are in line with your shoulders.

Chest Fly
Standing upright and facing away from the cords, position your hands next to your shoulders and your elbows at shoulder level.
Keeping your arms parallel to your shoulders, push out until you can press your hands together in front of your chest.

Getting started with Dryland Cord Training
The easiest and most effective way to perform these exercises is with intervals. Start with three sets of 10 repetitions. Rest for 30 seconds to one minute in between each set.

To get the best results use Dryland Cords consistently and maintain a routine of using them two to three days a week.

Dryland Cords are also ideal to use as part of your warm-up for a swim race or event. They are super travel friendly and take up minimal space in your bag so the holidays is the perfect time to add this game-changer to your routine.