Swimming Dryland Training Practice Plan for 9 and 10 Year Olds
At 9 and 10, dryland gains its swimmer's priorities: SHOULDER care's gentle start (band-less Ys and Ts, the blade squeezes that guard the sport's most-billed joint), CORE as the swimmer's spine (hollow holds arriving: the streamline's land twin), rocket JUMPS with soft landings, and the ankle's weekly minutes.
This session runs about 45 minutes on carpet. The hollow-streamline connection gets revealed (the pool's shape IS the land hold), quality gates everything, and the shoulder work's framing plants early: swimmers' shoulders bill by the thousand-stroke, and the guard habit starts before the bills do.
This plan was written for every 9 and 10 year old. ParentEdge writes one for yours.
Built around their game, their goals, and what they’re working on.
Why does shoulder care start before shoulder problems?
Because swimming bills shoulders by the thousand-stroke and the guard muscles (the blade squeezers, the Y-T family) train cheaply years before the bills arrive. Light precise weekly doses at 9 build the habit and the armor together: the sport's classic overuse story mostly happens to the unguarded.
What makes the hollow hold "the streamline lying down"?
Same shape, same muscles: arms squeezed overhead, ribs down, body one pressed line: the hollow IS the wall push-off position under gravity. The connection revealed makes both improve together, and swimmers who own the land twin hold walls visibly better.
How much dryland fits a 9 or 10 year old swim week?
One session like this (or two halves) beside whatever teams assign: the priorities (shoulders, core, ankles, the pose) in play-sized doses. The land half stays the pool's servant at this age: short, precise, and joyful, never a second training burden.