By Michael Sharf & Nick Folker - BridgeAthletic.com

Water polo is an incredibly demanding sport. The best players are both versatile and tenacious. Given the unique composition of contact and racing that occurs during any game, water polo players must take a holistic approach to their strength and conditioning. They require excellent strength, power, speed, and endurance. Moreover players must develop land-based athleticism and coordination for better coordination in the water.

From an early age water polo players need to develop their coordination to be successful in the sport. Water polo requires complex movements in the pool, such as transitioning from a horizontal swimming position to a vertical shooting position, rotating with possession of the ball, and blocking a shot. In the weight room, this means the athletes should conduct compound movements rather than exercises that only isolate single muscle groups. Practicing complicated motor patterns on land will help develop the athlete's overall coordination and proprioception (awareness of one's body position in space), resulting in better coordination in the water. This is important because it will help the athlete react to situations in the pool with agility and control, making him or her a better player overall.

Players not only require strength and power, but also they need endurance to play to their full capacity throughout games and long tournaments. Those who have the greatest cardiovascular fitness will perform better and maintain greater consistency in their quality of play. This can be achieved through cardio training in the pool—namely swim workouts that range from sprint sets to longer endurance sets. In the off-season, regular swimming training will build a cardiovascular fitness base so that the athlete can maintain this fitness throughout the year. The preseason is another period where the volume can decrease and the intensity of the swimming can increase as the athlete prepares for the sport specific movements of water polo in the upcoming season.

Additionally, strength training is critical for the contact and wrestling parts of the game. Shooting, swimming, and moving quickly through the water require power that's obtained through strength training. Defenders and centers wrestle more, but attackers also need to train in the weight room for these other aspects of the game.

Some key focal points in any player's strength training are upper-body mobility, lower-back and leg strength, and rotational power. The athlete integrates leg, core, and upper-body strength to shoot, pass, defend, and block. Because your strength training needs to address so many areas, it's important to learn a variety of compound exercises that involve coordination among multiple joints and muscle groups.

Strength training can help prevent common injuries among water polo players. The knee joint is at risk of injury due to the abnormal and repetitive rotation during the eggbeater. Groin injuries can occur from a lack of flexibility. Shoulder tears are relatively common—the imbalance of internal rotation in the shoulder from swimming, passing, and shooting needs to be countered with correct motions.

With the appropriate focus on strengthening muscle groups surrounding high-risk joints and stretching habitually tight areas, you can minimize your risk of injury and be able to play through tournaments without developing chronic pain. For example, you can start by focusing on scapula stability and activation exercises, hamstring activation to support the knees and groin, and groin stretches to lengthen muscles at risk of tearing.

In general, the preseason involves a hypertrophy phase followed by a strength phase. This is also a time for longer swim sets to help the athlete boost his or her cardiovascular endurance. Strength training may involve a combination of weightlifting and bodyweight exercises; the primary goal is to build general strength for the upcoming season. The in-season strength and conditioning will introduce power and speed work. This will translate to more-powerful shooting capabilities. The more strength the athlete continues to build, the greater control in passing and ball handling. In the off-season, players can expect more general strength and conditioning. Without the rigorous schedule of tournaments, athletes can devote more time to strength training and still have ample time to recover.