The King of the Water Workout inspired by Cullen Jones

Workout Overview: This 20-minute AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible) is inspired by the explosive power, endurance, and core strength demanded by competitive swimming—particularly in sprint events like those Cullen Jones excelled in. Swimmers rely on powerful upper-body pulls, a strong and stable core for streamlined movement through the water, and explosive power off starts and turns. Each exercise in this routine targets key muscle groups critical for swimming performance.

1. Clap Push-Ups

Description:

  1. Begin in a high plank position with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

  2. Lower your chest toward the floor as in a standard push-up.

  3. Explosively push up through your hands so that your upper body leaves the ground.

  4. Quickly clap your hands in front of your chest before placing them back on the floor and moving into the next repetition.

Muscles Worked:

  • Chest (Pectorals): Main driving force when pushing away from the ground.

  • Shoulders (Deltoids): Assist in the pressing motion and help stabilize the upper body.

  • Triceps: Contribute to extending the arms explosively.

  • Core (Abdominals, Lower Back): Engaged to maintain plank alignment and control body movement.

Tie to Swimming:

  • Explosive push from the block at the start of a race requires upper-body power and core stability. Clap push-ups build that explosive power necessary for a fast, powerful start and strong pull phase in the water.

2. Ab Wheel Rollouts

Description:

  1. Kneel on the floor and place the ab wheel in front of you, hands on either side of the handle.

  2. Engage your core, keeping a slight pelvic tilt so your lower back doesn’t arch.

  3. Slowly roll the wheel forward, extending your body as far as you can while maintaining a stable core.

  4. Roll the wheel back toward your knees, returning to the starting position.

Muscles Worked:

  • Rectus Abdominis (Front Abs): Main driver of the movement, stabilizing your torso as you extend.

  • Obliques: Help prevent rotation and maintain torso stability.

  • Hip Flexors: Assist in controlling the rollout and pull back.

  • Lower Back (Erector Spinae): Stabilizes the spine to protect against hyperextension.

Tie to Swimming:

  • Core strength is crucial for maintaining a streamlined body position in the water, reducing drag, and efficiently transferring power from the arms to the legs. Strong abdominals also help swimmers keep a stable torso during high-intensity sprints.

3. Plank Hops

Description:

  1. Start in a forearm plank position with elbows under your shoulders and feet together.

  2. Keeping your core tight, jump your feet up toward your chest (tucking knees slightly) and then quickly hop them back into the plank position.

  3. Maintain a consistent rhythm, focusing on proper plank alignment with each repetition.

Muscles Worked:

  • Core (Abdominals, Obliques): Stabilize the spine and keep the body aligned.

  • Shoulders and Upper Back: Help support bodyweight in the plank position.

  • Hip Flexors: Engage when you hop your feet forward.

  • Leg Muscles (Quadriceps, Glutes, Calves): Provide the explosive movement required to hop in and out of the plank position.

Tie to Swimming:

  • Swimmers benefit from explosive lower-body movements when pushing off the walls for fast turns. Plank hops train a quick contraction and extension of the hips and core, simulating rapid transitions and strengthening the muscles needed to power off the wall in flip turns.

4. Plank Ups

Description:

  1. Start in a forearm plank with elbows under your shoulders and feet shoulder-width apart.

  2. Press one hand at a time into the floor to transition from forearm plank to a high plank (push-up) position.

  3. One arm at a time, lower back down to the forearm plank.

  4. Alternate the arm you use first to push up or lower down to ensure balanced development.

Muscles Worked:

  • Core (Abdominals, Obliques, Lower Back): Maintains alignment as you move between plank positions.

  • Shoulders (Deltoids): Bear bodyweight during the transition.

  • Chest and Triceps: Assist in the pressing motion.

  • Scapular Stabilizers: Help prevent the shoulders from collapsing.

Tie to Swimming:

  • Moving from a lower, more “compressed” position to a higher position under tension mimics the control swimmers need during stroke transitions and breathing phases. Strong shoulder and core stability help maintain proper stroke technique and reduce fatigue in the pool.

5. Shoulder Taps

Description:

  1. Begin in a high plank with hands under your shoulders and feet hip-width apart (wider feet increase stability).

  2. Keeping your hips as still as possible, lift one hand to tap the opposite shoulder.

  3. Return your hand to the ground and repeat on the other side.

  4. Focus on minimizing sway in the hips by bracing your core.

Muscles Worked:

  • Shoulders (Deltoids): Primary support and stabilization in the high plank.

  • Core (Abdominals, Obliques): Prevent torso rotation and keep the body stabilized.

  • Upper Back and Arms: Stabilize your position and control the tapping movement.

Tie to Swimming:

  • Enhanced shoulder stability is vital for swimmers to maintain powerful and injury-free arm strokes. The anti-rotation challenge engages the core to keep the body “straight as a board,” similar to the alignment swimmers strive for in the water.

Putting It All Together

  1. Perform 25 repetitions of each exercise in sequence.

  2. Continue cycling through all five exercises for 20 minutes, aiming for as many rounds as possible (AMRAP).

  3. Rest only as needed to maintain good form.

By integrating explosive movements (Clap Push-Ups), core-intensive exercises (Ab Wheel Rollouts, Plank Hops, Plank Ups), and stability drills (Shoulder Taps), this routine captures the athletic demands placed on a champion swimmer like Cullen Jones. It emphasizes upper-body and core strength, endurance, and dynamic power—qualities that set top swimmers apart in the water.

Challenge yourself to complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes with proper form, and you’ll build a stronger foundation for improved power, stamina, and body control—both in and out of the pool!

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