Vasa Trainer

BHSC Dryland Skills

Vasa Trainer for Swimmers

A full guide for swimmers, parents and coaches on how to use the Vasa Trainer safely and effectively.
This page explains why the Vasa helps, how each stroke can be practised, what to focus on technically,
where its limitations are, and how to build simple dryland sessions that support pool performance.

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Why Vasa Works
Safety & Principles
Video Library
Freestyle
Butterfly
Breaststroke
Backstroke
Extra Exercises
Training Guide
Conditioning Circuits

 

Why the Vasa Trainer works

The Vasa Trainer is most useful for increasing stroke-specific strength, power and speed, building swim-specific endurance,
improving stroke technique, and supporting injury prevention or rehabilitation when used with appropriate resistance and control.

Improve technique
Many coaches use the Vasa to correct dropped elbows, teach proper arm position at the catch and improve awareness through the pull.
Build swim-specific strength
It strengthens the exact pulling patterns used in swimming, making dryland work more relevant than generic upper-body training.
Develop endurance
Timed sets can simulate race efforts and help swimmers maintain stroke rhythm and pressure when they are away from the pool.
Strength
Power
Technique
Endurance
Rehab Support

General principles and safety

Good Vasa work is controlled, technical and deliberate. Swimmers should treat every repetition like a skills exercise, not just a strength exercise.

General principles

  1. Set the hands comfortably in paddles or handles before starting.
  2. Match proper swim technique as closely as possible.
  3. Use a mirror or video to self-check your form.
  4. Keep feet apart to straddle the monorail and wear shoes.
  5. If fatigue breaks technique, stop and rest before continuing.
Coaching cue: For freestyle and butterfly, imagine the arms are reaching over a large ball or barrel at the catch.

Safety reminders

  • Never allow the bench to roll back rapidly.
  • Always control the lowering phase with your muscles.
  • Start with low resistance when learning a new drill.
  • Use help for advanced or unfamiliar positions where needed.
  • Breathe rhythmically and avoid holding your breath.
Important: Uncontrolled descent can result in injury. Slow recovery phases are safer and usually more effective.

Video library

These videos help swimmers understand setup, stroke mechanics and how the Vasa can be used to support freestyle, butterfly and general dryland swim training.

Freestyle & Butterfly Basics

A strong starting point for swimmers learning body position, stroke rhythm and how technical quality should lead every repetition.

Freestyle Technique on Vasa

Useful for extension, catch position, one-arm rhythm and a cleaner understanding of how the pull should travel.

Vasa Trainer Pro Overview

A broader guide to equipment setup, resistance and general use for swim-specific training.

Dryland Support for Multiple Strokes

Useful as a crossover clip for swimmers using Vasa work to support all four competitive strokes.

Freestyle on the Vasa Trainer

Freestyle is one of the strongest uses of the Vasa. It can be used for technique, endurance and swim-specific strength when the pull path and elbow position are kept accurate.

Key freestyle points

  1. Entry / catch: Start with one arm forward in the catch position and the other back in the finish position.
  2. High elbows: Keep the elbow high through the sweep. If there were an eye on the elbow, it would look out to the side.
  3. Pull path: Sweep the arm past the body as it would move in the water. Avoid crossing over.
  4. Finish: Brush the hand past the hip and complete the push strongly.
  5. Cadence: Use a smooth rhythm and keep tension through the whole stroke.
Technique rule: You should not be bouncing up and down the monorail during continuous freestyle. Good freestyle Vasa work looks smooth and suspended.

Freestyle coaching cues

  • Reach long before starting the pull.
  • Imagine the arm is wrapping over a barrel.
  • Keep wrist and hand firm through the catch.
  • Finish fully to the hip.
  • Stop when technique breaks down.
Hip rotation variation: Freestyle can also be practised with hip rotation by pressing the opposite hip into the bench as each arm begins the catch.

Butterfly on the Vasa Trainer

Butterfly on the Vasa is valuable for strength, pull shape, catch awareness and controlled finish mechanics. It should be done carefully, with conservative resistance while the swimmer learns the movement.

Basic butterfly sequence

  1. Entry: Arms fully extended at the catch, as if reaching over a large ball.
  2. Mid-stroke: Scull inward and under the monorail while keeping elbows high.
  3. Finish: Complete the pull with hands by the hips and arms fully extended.
  4. Recovery: Lower slowly and in control on the way back.
Important: The recovery phase can be demanding. Start conservatively and build repetitions gradually.

Advanced drill: mid-stroke isometric

Hold the mid-stroke butterfly position with elbows high and arms shaped over a barrel until the arms begin to shake, usually around 10 to 30 seconds.

  • Pull to the mid-stroke position and hold.
  • Concentrate on elbow height and shoulder control.
  • Finish to the hips, pause briefly, then return to the hold position.
  • Repeat for around 10 to 15 repetitions if technique stays strong.
Why it helps: This drill builds awareness, shoulder stability, rotator cuff support and better butterfly mechanics.

Breaststroke on the Vasa Trainer

The Vasa can help breaststroke significantly, especially with the pull pattern, strength through the outsweep and insweep, and upper-body control. Pool practice is still essential for timing, glide and kick coordination.

Breaststroke pull mechanics

  1. Setup: Cross the pulley cord or straps under the monorail and place the hands in the opposite paddles.
  2. Entry / catch: Extend the arms forward, then begin by pulling outward and away from the monorail.
  3. Mid-stroke: Scull outward and back inward under the monorail while keeping elbows high.
  4. Finish: End the pulling phase with the hands just under the stomach.
  5. Recovery: Return slowly and smoothly rather than rushing.

Breaststroke kick support

The manual also includes a breaststroke kick drill using ankle straps and the pulley system to improve kick strength and movement control.

  • Start with bent legs.
  • Straighten by pushing the heels rearward in a breaststroke kick motion.
  • Return to the start position in a controlled way.
  • Use the lowest incline when learning the movement.
Best use: Breaststroke Vasa work is strongest when paired with pool drills for timing, kick-glide and line through the recovery.

Backstroke on the Vasa Trainer

Backstroke can be supported on the Vasa, but it is better understood as partial-stroke work rather than a full backstroke simulation. The manual focuses on the finish segment of the stroke.

Backstroke finish segment

  1. Start with arms bent and hands by the chest or shoulders.
  2. Push the hands towards the hips while keeping forearms and wrists strong.
  3. Extend fully to the finish position.
  4. Return slowly to the starting position.

What it helps with

  • Finish strength
  • Shoulder control
  • Pull awareness
  • Stroke-specific upper-body conditioning
Limitation: The Vasa does not fully reproduce face-up body position, natural backstroke rotation or backstroke kick timing.

Additional swim-specific exercises

The Vasa manual also includes useful dryland exercises beyond the main stroke patterns, including off-machine pulling patterns and lower-body work for starts and turns.

Off-machine fly and freestyle

Using the pulley system while standing or over a stability ball can be a good warm-up and a way to rehearse full movement patterns with less technical complexity.

Plyometric push-offs

Leg push-off drills can help starts, turns, vertical power and abdominal engagement when performed carefully with low initial volume.

Track start drill

The track start drill develops start power and flexibility and can be a useful addition for swimmers preparing for competition.

How often should swimmers use the Vasa?

Frequency depends on the goal. The manual separates strength training from aerobic or endurance training and recommends using appropriate resistance for the swimmer’s level and target.

Training goal Suggested frequency Typical volume Key technique emphasis
Strength About 3 days per week Sprinters: 3–10 sets of 10–15 reps
Distance swimmers: 3–10 sets of 25 reps		 Pull up on 1 count, lower on 3 counts, keep elbows high and finish to hips.
Endurance / aerobic 2 days per week for sprinters, 2–3 for distance swimmers on non-strength days Timed sets based on race duration or long continuous freestyle work Maintain race rhythm with efficient technique, not rushed repetitions.
Technique support Short, frequent technical blocks Low to moderate volume with full concentration Stop when technique fails. Quality is more important than quantity.
Practical guidance: If a swimmer is already doing high pool volume, Vasa endurance work should be used carefully. Technique or short strength-focused work is often the better choice.

Conditioning circuits

The manual includes a conditioning circuit for swimmers built around 3 training days per week, every other day, with aerobic work or swimming between strength sessions.

Example swimmer circuit elements

  • Plyometric squats
  • Butterfly
  • Super ab crunches
  • Biceps curls
  • High lat row / seated row
  • Reverse flys
  • Freestyle endurance
  • Chest press
  • Internal rotator cuff
  • External rotator cuff

Simple BHSC-friendly message

Warm up first, start at low resistance, increase only when form stays clean, and emphasise perfect stroke mechanics throughout. If breaststroke is the swimmer’s primary stroke, the circuit can be adapted with breaststroke technique in place of butterfly-based work where appropriate.

Best practice: Keep a training log. Tracking sets, reps, resistance and how the swimmer felt makes progress easier to manage.
 

Final coaching reminder

The Vasa Trainer should reinforce what swimmers are learning in the pool, not replace the pool. The most effective use comes when swimmers focus on high-quality movement, ask coaches for feedback, and transfer what they feel on the Vasa back into drills, pace work and full-stroke swimming.

For younger swimmers, keep sessions short and highly supervised. For older swimmers, progress resistance only when the catch, pull path and finish remain technically strong.

 

Download Manual

Vasa Trainer Manual

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