1. Drills
  2. Swimming
  3. Endurance

Incline Push-Up Ladder

Build pushing strength with hands raised, then lower as you get stronger.

By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026

Set up

Put your hands on a sturdy bench, body straight.

Core: As written. Aim for smooth form and compare only with your own last time.

Ages
11 and up
Time
8 min
Players
Just you
Space
Pool
Bring
Bench or sturdy step
Level · skill
Developing · Endurance

The steps

How it works

  1. Put your hands on a sturdy bench, body straight.
  2. Do 3 push-ups, rest 15 seconds, then 4, then 5.
  3. Keep your body in one straight line.
  4. Rest 1 minute and repeat the ladder.

Coaching point

One straight line, chest to the bench.

Safety: Use a clear, non-slip floor. Move slowly into each position and stop if anything hurts.

Make it fun

Play it, don't drill it

Game version

Pool-deck follow-the-leader: one person leads a dryland movement and the group copies. Swap the leader each time.

Challenge

Pick a level: Less (slower or smaller), Core (as written), More (one extra twist). Aim for smooth form and compare only with your own last time.

Story

You are an explorer crossing the pool deck like a jungle.

My best

Beat your own count

Aim for smooth form and compare only with your own last time. Only your own number counts: today against last time.

Practice makes progress

Print it now, or save it free

Free for families and teams

Save this drill to your child or team, free

Sign up and the free swimming week for this age opens in your child's planner, kept to healthy limits. A coach can send this drill to the whole team as homework, and parents see every session logged.

14 days free for a family, no card · Running a team is always free

Does your child's coach know about this?

An email from you to the coach, with the words ready. Nothing is tracked and nobody is rewarded.