Shoulder Presses A swimmer is more prone to shoulder injury then any other athlete. By focusing on strength training specifically in the shoulders this will not only help to eliminate the chance of injury, but also give more power to the stroke. Standing up or sitting on a bench, position dumbbells in hands on each side of the shoulders, and position the elbows under the wrists. Press the dumbbells upwards until arms are extended. When bringing the arms back down make sure to only lower to shoulder length.