| The Achilles' Heal of Swimming | | | | pointing towards ground. Hold for 2 seconds and |
| Swimming is a low-impact, safe, fun, and challenging | | | | repeat 10-15 times. |
| form of exercise. If you have a history of injuries in | | | | External Rotation |
| your legs, then it's a great alternative form of cardio. | | | | Stand straight Lifts arms out to sides with elbows 90 |
| Studies show that swimmers live longer and are less | | | | degrees and hands making a fist. Knuckles should be |
| prone to various diseases, even compared to people | | | | pointing towards the sky. Rotate backwards and hold |
| who engage in other forms of exercise, including | | | | for 2 seconds and repeat 10-15 times |
| running, rowing, and cycling. Swimming can counter | | | | Internal Rotation |
| some of the negative effects of sitting and driving all | | | | Stand straight. Bend your elbows at 90 degrees. |
| day. It's a sport that actually elongates the spine. | | | | Knuckes should be pointing towards the ground. |
| Swimming promotes flexibility in many ways, but | | | | Rotate shoulders fowward. Hold for 2 seconds and |
| improving your shoulder health is crucial for optimal | | | | repeat 10-15 times. |
| performance. It takes some time to promote shoulder | | | | Horizontal Flexion |
| health, and many swimmers often ignore it because | | | | Stand straight. Bring one arm across body. Place other |
| they feel they don't have enough time. The other | | | | hand on elbow that is crossing the body. Hold for 2 |
| problem is that a stretching routine will only prevent | | | | seconds and repeat 10-15 times. |
| injuries, so the benefits are subtle. But the cost of not | | | | Horizontal Flexion |
| doing it is an injury. The benefits outweigh the | | | | Stand straight. Bring one arm across body and place it |
| investment of time. You'll perform better, reduce the | | | | over your shoulder. Place other hand on shoulder. Hold |
| chance of injury and recover better. | | | | for 2 seconds and repeat 10-15 times. |
| Mike Harris is an aspiring professional swimmer in | | | | Triceps stretch |
| Northern Virginia. Harris was swimming everyday as | | | | Stand straight. Bring one arm up and back with elbow |
| an undergraduate college student for his team. His | | | | bent. Place other hand on elbow. Hold for 2 seconds |
| typical distance per week usually hovered around | | | | and repeat 10 times |
| 50-60,000 meters. He felt strong but was always | | | | Posterior hand clasp |
| feeling sore in his shoulder after workouts. He had no | | | | Stand straight. Clasp hands in each direction. Try to |
| recovery plan and continued to push through the pain. "I | | | | grab the hands. If you cannot, you can use a towel. |
| live for pain in the water, that's what I'm good at, but | | | | Always strive to reach the hands. Hold for 2 seconds |
| not this kind of pain. Very little strength training was | | | | and repeat 10-15 times. |
| involved in my routine. Almost all my training was done | | | | Ys |
| in the water along with the occasional 'extended | | | | Lie on the stability ball in a prone (face down) position. |
| stretching and flexibility' I would do on my own just to | | | | Place feet on the floor and stomach on the ball. Hold |
| say loose. | | | | light dumbbells (weighing no more than a kilogram or |
| He had been swimming his entire life since he was the | | | | 2.5 pounds), and lift the arms to form a Y. Bring the |
| age of. None of his coaches had ever shown him | | | | arms towards the floor and then lift again. Lower your |
| basic exercises to keep his shoulder healthy. While he | | | | arms and repeat. Make sure the top of your abs or on |
| learned some basic stretches that swimmers usually | | | | the middle of the ball. Retract your shoulder blades |
| do before diving into the pool, he never learned how to | | | | down and back |
| properly recover from his long and intense workouts. | | | | Ts |
| Most of his coaches were a poolside presence, and | | | | In the same position, hold the dumbbells straight down |
| prescribed a few dryland exercises.. Although he has | | | | along the side of the ball. Lift the dumbbells to your side |
| a strong and large upper body, his shoulder health was | | | | and repeat Pul your shoulder baldes in toward your |
| becoming a limiter to his performance. | | | | spie and extend your arms to the sides. Keep your |
| When I met Mike I introduced him to dryland exercises | | | | arms at 90 degrees. Lower your arms and repeat |
| that he needed to do if he was going to keep his | | | | Ws |
| shoulder healthy, and if he was going to ever realize | | | | In the same position, hold the dumbbells straight down. |
| his dream of becoming a professional swimmer. | | | | Bring your hands towards your chest and bend your |
| These exercises were totally new and completely | | | | elbows and repeat. Squeeze your elbows toward you |
| foreign to Mike. "Immediately after Kevin designed a | | | | ribs. Take your thumbs and rotate them back toward |
| dryland routine for me based on my personal workout | | | | the ceiling, squeezing your shoulder blades together to |
| load and training needs, I felt more flexible and able to | | | | form a W |
| perform drills with greater ease. Mobility is a must in | | | | Ls |
| my training schedule and is done every day." | | | | In the same position, hold the dumbbells straight down. |
| Before your implement this program, it's important to | | | | Bring the arms up and bend the elbows 90 degrees. |
| have a basic understanding of the anatomy of the | | | | Turn the forearms forward. Turn them backwards and |
| shoulder joint. The glenohumeral joint actually | | | | then drop the arms to the original position. Flex your |
| comprises four muscles that surround the joint, and are | | | | elbows until they are 90 degrees with your upper arm. |
| referred to as the rotator cuff: the supraspinatus, the | | | | Squeeze your shoulder blades together to raise your |
| infraspinatus, the teres minor and the subscapularis. | | | | upper arms so they're 90 degrees to your torso. Once |
| When they're flexible and strong, you'll avoid any kind | | | | they form an L, externally rotate your upper arms so |
| of injury | | | | that the backs of your hand stretch toward the ceiling |
| The following program is the same one Mike uses to | | | | Side-Lying External Rotation |
| not only maintain his shoulder health, but to feel even | | | | This is a great exercises for the infraspinatus and |
| more flexible and stronger in the water. He does them | | | | teres minor, your shoulder external rotators. Lie on |
| every day, including days he doesn't swim. He prefers | | | | your side and hold dumbbell in your top arm. Your arm |
| to do them right after workouts. | | | | should be 90 degrees and the dumbbell should be just |
| Of course, you're probably not a professional | | | | above the floor. Rotate your elbow until your arm is |
| swimmer. But even recreational swimmers and | | | | parallel to the floor. Slowly lower to the starting position. |
| triathletes should include this program if they want to | | | | Noticeable Benefits |
| continue swimming without any problems. The program | | | | Swimmer usually ignore dryland exercises, because |
| includes active-isolated stretching, a Swiss ball routine, | | | | they don't perceive the benefit or value. They simply |
| and some dumbbell exercises. | | | | don't think that stretching or strength training will |
| Active-Isolated Stretches | | | | improve their times like the thousands of meters they |
| Created by Aaron Mettes, the premise of | | | | swim in the pool. But Harris disagrees: I believe that |
| active-isolated stretching (AIS) is that prolonged static | | | | strength training is a must for any athlete who wants |
| stretches greater than two seconds actually | | | | to achieve next level success. Every tool must be |
| decreases blood flow within tissue creating ischemia | | | | used in order to maintain a consistent level of peak |
| and lactate build up. AIS allows the target muscle to | | | | performance," Harris says. Without a detailed strength |
| optimally lengthen without triggering the stretch reflex. | | | | training plan, my training intensity and load would |
| AI stretching activates the opposing muscles, which | | | | steadily decline over time due to fatigue and strain. It's |
| contract, and force the target muscle to elongate. The | | | | comforting to know that I can get the most out of |
| body them remembers this new range of motion. | | | | every workout without losing a day to "being drained", |
| Thus, the muscle is activated in this new position and | | | | or physically tired." |
| isn't just stretched and released. AIS also increase | | | | While you certainly won't set a world record or double |
| blood flow and can increase core temperature. | | | | your speed in the pool, that's not the point. A balanced |
| Arm circles | | | | strength and stretching program could give you the |
| Bend over and let your arms drop. Spin your arms in | | | | extra edge in a sport where hundredths of seconds |
| circles 10 times in each direction. | | | | separate 1st and 2nd place. "Times drop on a |
| Horizontal Abduction | | | | consistent basis and muscle fatigue has drastically |
| Bring your arms out and back. Hold stretch for 2 | | | | decreased, which is great for any athlete to insure |
| seconds and repeat 10-15 times. Extend your arms as | | | | performing and drilling at the upper levels of your ability |
| far as you can. | | | | every time," Harris says. For Harris, the lack of |
| Hyperextension. | | | | stretching and strengthening was his Achielle's Heel, |
| Stand straight. Bring arms up behind body with fingers | | | | and it might be yours. |