Swimming performance is a multi-factorial phenomenon involving energetic, biomechanics, hydrodynamics, and anthropometrics and strength parameters. Strength, endurance and speed are major factors determining performance of swimmers. Muscle power output is also an important issue in sport performance; it is also a reliable predictor of swim speed in front-crawl performance. Therefore, different training methods have been devised to improve performance. Several studies have been done on swimming performance but little effort has been directed towards improving performance using dry land as a tool. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of dry land strength training on front-crawl swimming performance among undergraduate trainees of Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria. Pretest-posttest/control group experimental research design using 2x2x3 factorial matrix was used for this study. Twenty two participants were used for the study using total enumeration sampling method. The participants were placed into two groups; experimental and control group. Participants were exposed to eight weeks training using the manual developed by the researcher. Data were collected before and after the intervention programme. Data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The descriptive statistics used were frequency count and simple percentage while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was the inferential statistics used to determine the main as well as the interaction effects of the independent, dependent and moderating variables.Participants were male and female with a mean age of 19.6±1.7. There was significant main effect of treatment (F(1, 20) =20.217; partial ƞ2=.822) and gender (F(1, 20) =10.773; partial ƞ2=.366) on swimming performance of swimmers in Lead City University, Ibadan. Participant in experimental group obtained a lower posttest mean (10.649) than control (13.972). There was significant interaction effect of treatment and gender (F(1, 20) =64.907; partial ƞ2=.671), treatment and body weight (F(1, 19) =16.394; partial ƞ2=.222). There was no significant main effect of body weight and the interaction effect of gender and body weight was also not significant. There was significant 3-way interaction effect of treatment, gender and body weight (F(2, 19) =52.099; partial ƞ2=.471). Dry-land training was effective on swimming performance among swimmers. It was therefore recommended that there is need for swimming coaches to be educated on the benefits of using dry-land exercises to improve swimming performance.
Keywords: Performance, body weight., dry-land, endurance and speed, strength
