Doing the right exercises for swimming is essential to improving your overall triathlon times.
Strong shoulders and back are the keys to stronger strokes, but it's not all about strength; flexibility is important to make your strokes as fast and efficient as possible.
For a one-two punch to build power shoulders, include strengthening exercises for swimming such as lat pulldowns, and stretching exercises such as the lat and shoulder stretch.
Lat pulldowns: Lat pulldowns are a staple of most back workouts, and they are helpful exercises for swimming.
But remember that your goal is strength, not bulk, so use a weight that allows you to maintain proper form, and to get good form, focus on three things: Shrug, pull, squeeze. Start by shrugging your shoulders slightly, and then, as you pull the weight down, pull your shoulders down your back and squeeze them together. Release to the starting position. Repeat 10-15 times for as many sets as your current swimming workout dictates.
Lat/shoulder stretch: Kneel on a carpet or mat and sit back on your heels. Extend your arms in front of you and pull back, keeping your arms straight while pressing down lightly with your palms. You should feel the stretch in your lats, shoulders, and arms. Increase or decrease the intensity of the stretch by shifting your hips, but don't strain. Hold for 15 seconds and release. Repeat several times before and after your swimming workout. If you want to isolate each side, do the stretch with one arm extended and the other arm bent in a relaxed position on the floor with the forearm in line with your forehead.