Butterfly Pull Dryland Exercises
In This Article
Bar Hang
Bar hang builds strength and range of motion through your shoulders.
To do this exercise, grab a bar above your head with your feet on the floor or on a box if the bar is too high. Start with your weight on your feet and gradually apply pressure with your hands onto the bar to shift weight from your feet to your hands. Breathe slowly and patiently while maintaining control of your torso.
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Dumbbell shoulder press builds strength and stability in your shoulders while your hands are overhead. This movement develops strength and control during the initiation of your pull.
To do this exercise, from a seated position, press two dumbbells directly overhead and then lower them under control. Perform with a neutral grip, a grip with your hands facing each other, to reduce stress on your shoulders. You can do the exercise one arm at a time if that’s more comfortable.
Triceps Press-Down
Your triceps create stability in your elbow throughout your pull, allowing you to maintain effective pulling positions throughout your stroke.
To do triceps press-down, attach a bar to a cable machine with the pulley at eye level or higher. Grab the bar with your palms facing down and your elbows bent and at your sides. Extend through your elbows and press the bar down to raise the weight.
Or you can use a triceps rope attachment instead of a bar, which will allow for a larger and more natural range of motion.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Dumbbell lateral raise strengthens the muscles on the sides of your shoulders, muscles that can become underdeveloped. These muscles assist with your arm recovery. They are important because a bad recovery can keep you from doing a great pull.
To do this exercise, grab two light dumbbells and hold them by your sides while standing. Raise the dumbbells straight out to your sides, up to approximately shoulder height or slightly lower. Slowly lower the dumbbells under control.
Straight-Arm Pull-Down
Straight-arm pull-down strengthens your lat muscles, which power your pull. Keeping your arms straight while doing this exercise works your lats.
To do this exercise, use a cable machine with a straight bar attachment. Begin each repetition with the bar at eye level. With straight arms, bring the bar down to your hips and then slowly let the bar rise back up to the starting position. Don’t lean forward or backward while doing this exercise.
Wide-Grip Pull-Down
Wide-grip pull-down strengthens your lat muscles, which power your pull.
To do this exercise, grasp the bar while using a lat pull-down machine with a grip wider than your shoulders. Pull the bar down past your chin without leaning forward or back. Slowly return the weight to the starting position.
Push-Up
The push-up is a simple and effective way to strengthen your chest muscles, which are critical for an effective pull. This exercise also requires you to create force with your upper body while controlling the position of your torso.
To do a push-up, start in a plank position with your palms on the ground. While maintaining a straight torso, slowly lower your torso and then press against your hands on the ground to raise your body back to the starting position.
Dumbbell Pullover
Dumbbell pullover develops strength and mobility in your shoulders. This adds strength to the start of your pull, when your stroke is set up and you’re applying pressure to the water.
To do this exercise, while lying on your back on a bench, grasp a dumbbell with both hands and press it overhead above your face. Slowly lower the dumbbell over your head across a range of motion you can control. Then raise the dumbbell back to the starting position.
Overhead Triceps Medicine Ball Throw
Overhead triceps medicine ball throw develops power in your triceps, which are responsible for an explosive finish to your pull. The focus with this exercise will be on throwing a medicine ball with speed.
To do this exercise, hold a medicine ball overhead while facing a wall or a partner. From this position, aggressively throw the ball at the wall. Focus on throwing the ball up slightly to avoid the ball rebounding into your face.
Medicine Ball Slam
Medicine ball slam helps you learn to create more force in less time, a key aspect of an effective pull. Rather than trying to only create a lot of force, focus on creating force fast.
To do this exercise, while standing, hold a medicine ball at chest level with both hands. From that position, press the medicine ball straight up and then throw it straight down at the ground as hard as possible. Pick the medicine ball back up and repeat.
As you slam the ball down, drop into about a half-squat position to help you create and absorb the force. You don't need to worry about the exact position. Just allow your knees to bend and your hips to drop to ensure you do the movement safely.
