Why was this strength test created?

Swimmers are no strangers to testing themselves. We push through challenging sets, time every effort, track our hours of sleep, and monitor calories with precision. Yet one area is consistently overlooked—even by dedicated athletes: tracking strength changes.

Strength is a cornerstone of fast, efficient swimming, but many swimmers have no structured way to measure it. Without data, it’s hard to understand what’s improving, what’s not, and how to tailor a conditioning program for real progress.

That’s why this test was created.

It isn’t complicated or high-tech. In fact, it’s intentionally simple—easy to complete with minimal equipment, repeatable anytime, and accessible to swimmers of all levels. The goal is to give you a clear baseline and a meaningful way to track your athletic development over time.

Strength was one of the key factors in Laura’s swimming transformation. In her 30s—after an eight-year break from competition—building targeted strength helped her get faster than ever and qualify for the World Aquatics Championships. Now, she’s passionate about helping other swimmers experience the same breakthroughs.

This challenge is for anyone who wants to understand where their strength truly stands, set a measurable starting point, and enjoy a fun, motivating test along the way.

Ready to see what you’re capable of?

Why strength testing matters for swimmers

Strength testing is a powerful tool for swimmers to track progress, identify imbalances, and guide smart training decisions. It helps assess how well your body can produce force in key movements like pulling, pushing, and core stability—all essential for strong swim strokes. Regular testing gives you clear feedback, helps set realistic goals, and ensures your dryland training is translating to faster swimming.

Who can do this test?

This basic strength test is designed for swimmers of all ages! The test was created by Laura (Aura Move) in collaboration with Senior Physiotherapist Alex Lowen (Lowen Physiotherapy and Performance), provides a safe and effective way to establish a baseline understanding of a swimmer's strength before progressing to heavier, weighted assessments. Using simple, technique-focused exercises, the test identifies current strength levels, uncovers any imbalances, and ensures athletes have the stability and control needed for more advanced training. This early assessment helps guide personalized training plans, promotes long-term performance improvements, and reduces the risk of injury as training intensity increases.

When you complete the form to record your scores it feeds directly into our results spreadsheet. This challenge relies on trust — any entries using false names will be removed. If your entry is removed in error, please email info@auramovenz.com to discuss.