Author | Lightnews

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 20h

Most swimmers think core work = crunches. Wrong.

Your core links your upper & lower body — every kick, pull, & breath depends on it.

Train to brace, breathe & stabilize, not just burn.

That’s how you move efficiently & swim faster. 💪🌊
Comment “ABS” if you want to train your core like a swimmer.

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 1d

Stop chasing numbers that make you slower.
Strength training for swimmers isn’t about bulk — it’s about power ⚡️
Fewer reps. More intent. More speed.
That’s how you swim faster and hold form longer. 🏊‍♂️

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 2d

Did you have your transformation yet? 👇🏼

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 2d

If your goal is speed:
🔥 80% of training = swim
🔥 20% = strength
But that 20% is the multiplier.

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 3d

Can’t swim more than 25m fly?
Fix these 5, and you’ll finally feel smooth, in control, and able to hold your fly beyond 25m.

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 10d

Caught someone mid-lap?
In practice: light tap = “I’m here.” Pass mid-lane or swap at the wall.

In public swim: skip the foot tap, wait for space, and keep it chill. A bump isn’t personal—smile, reset, and keep the lane flowing. 🌊

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 14d

Most swimmers think “diet” = food. 🙅
But your movement diet matters too.

Sitting, slouching & switching off outside the pool trains the opposite of fast swimming.

Tight hips & weak posture kill bodyline & power.
Move like an athlete all day. 🤸🏊‍♂️

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 15d

Elite swimmers aren’t “just swimmers.”
They’re athletes.
Run. Jump. Lift. Throw.
Then swim.

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 16d

Pull-ups improve your pull.
Push-ups improve your finish.
Swim faster and have better muscular balance by mastering both.

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 17d

Sprint swimmers lift heavy.
Distance swimmers should too.
Endurance is built in the pool. Strength is built in the gym.

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 17d

Want more distance per stroke?
Don’t just stretch more.
Build strength in the range you swim through. Mobility + load = usable reach.

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 18d

The power of streamline 🏊‍♂️
Most swimmers lose seconds before their first stroke.
A bad streamline = drag, broken rhythm, wasted energy.
Same effort. Same fitness.
One glides. One fights.
Who wins?
Comment “FREESTYLE” & I’ll send my top streamline drills 👇

2

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 19d

Dryland isn’t “extra.”
It’s swim-specific insurance against shoulder pain + burnout. 🛡️

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 20d

If your 100m freestyle is over 2:00 swimming more won’t fix it

🚫 More laps
🚫 Hours in the gym
🚫 Fancy gear

✅ Body line — hips high, reduce drag
✅ Breathing & timing — no rhythm breaks
✅ Propulsion — connect pull + kick into one system

Comment “FREESTYLE” for a free guide

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 20d

Every stroke is a plank in motion.
If your core collapses, your speed leaks.
Strong streamline → strong swim.

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 21d

Swimmers: stop ignoring legs in the gym.
Squats & deadlifts = stronger kick, better starts, more power off walls. 🚀

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 22d

Most swimmers think more meters = more speed. But strength is the missing gear. 🏋️‍♂️
Strong pull → higher velocity → faster splits.

2

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · 24d

Wrapped up my open water season with one of my favorite races — the 5K at Hopewell Lake with French Creek Racing 🏊‍♂️ Third year in a row and a 2-min PB, taking 1st overall in 1:11 🥇 Perfect sunny 71°F conditions — a nice change from the usual chill. Excited to dial back volume and focus on speed.

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · Sep 27

Open water swimming speed comes from short fast sets & easy long ones.
Go hard or go long—rarely both, unless it’s race day. 🏊‍♂️🏊‍♀️💪

2

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · Sep 25

Triathlete swimmers, the offseason is a great time to focus on your swim technique in the pool and strength in the gym

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · Sep 22

Training plans, pacing strategy, and how we timed the tides—all the details from my 7-hour-35-minute Swim Around Manhattan. @urbanswim

www.traindaly.com/train-daly/b...

Manhattan Island Marathon Swim 2025: My 7h 35m Solo — Train Daly

On Sept 10, 2025, I swam 28.5 miles around Manhattan in 7h 35m. Learn what a marathon swim takes—distance, feeds, crew, and UrbanSwim support.

www.traindaly.com

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · Sep 19

Let’s go swim

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · Sep 14

Not swimming at the pace you’d like? 🏊‍♂️
Here are 3 simple tweaks that cut drag and make your freestyle feel lighter and smoother:
1️⃣ Head down, hips high
2️⃣ Fingertips down, elbow high
3️⃣ Rotate from the core
Follow these and you’ll glide instead of fight the water. 🚀

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · Sep 14

Think pool laps prep you for open water? 🌊 Wrong.
Chop scrambles your breathing, temps sap energy, packs wreck rhythm, currents shred your stroke.
The gap between pool hero & open-water champ isn’t strength—it’s mastering the 10 pillars of open-water swimming.

1

Dan Daly @traindaly.bsky.social · Sep 12

Still skipping a 5-min deck warm-up? 💥 You’re slowing yourself down.

6 key drills unlock rotation, hips & ankles so your first stroke is smoother & faster: thoracic rotation, hip/adductor rock, shoulder-hip-ankle stretch, armbars, side & reverse lunges.

1