Getting Back In The Water

I am happy to say that I am back in the pool again and just like with any sport there’s a point where the gym isn’t enough and you have to start practicing your stamina again.  But I am not walking away from my offseason workouts having learned nothing.

I learned both from swimming and in the gym that when using your arms your triceps are really important for form and for strength in breaststroke more than any other stroke. Ian Mcleod supports this thought of mine. “Unlike in the other strokes, during the initial portion of the pull phase of the breaststroke the triceps brancii is the primary muscle that is active at the elbow joint” (Mcleod, 13). Knowing this I can feel and control the muscles in my arms more because I know how they should be moving and working in my stroke.

In addition, I will be continually working on my abs because of their importance to swimming. “To move your body efficiently through the water, a coordinated movement of the arms and legs must occur. The key to this coordinated movement is a strong core” (Mcleod, 85). Every aspect of my swim life revolves around a strong core, so the stronger I can make it the stronger my strokes will become.

Lastly, I learned how much I could improve my strokes just by working on my legs more often.  This is because the majority of my strength is in my arms and if I am able to strengthen my legs my strokes would improve drastically. “Strong legs are a critical component to reaching your true potential as a swimmer. They are not only the basis for having a powerful and efficient kick but also the key to driving your body off the starting blocks and turns” (Mcleod, 141).   

 I feel a difference in my strokes already and along with that I can single out which muscles I am using easier and I have more control over them. I am also not giving up on working out outside of the water, I still continue to go to the gym when I can.

If any of you have question on my schedule or workouts or swimming in general feel free to ask.

MLA CITATION:Mcleod, Ian. SWIMMING Anatomy
. N.p.: Human Kinetics, 2010. Print.

Offseason Training: Back

People normally can point out a swimmer based on their back or shoulders. This is mainly because swimmers work and depend on their backs to do almost anything unlike most sports. I was in L.A a couple years ago for my cousins wedding and my family was going to dinner and as we were waiting to get our table the women behind me asked just out of the blue if I was a swimmer or not. I told her “yes I am swimmer”, I asked her how she knew because I was so surprised someone could guess that I was a swimmer so easily, she told me it was my back and broad shoulders. Not only are swimmers isolated by their backs but they also depend on them physically to keep them steady, straight and fast.

The Workout:

2 rounds of…

·        3 Pull Ups

·        20 Standing Straight-Arm Pull-Downs

·        25-30 Double Arm Seated Machine Rows

·        15 Bent-Over Single-Arm Rows

·        25 Lumbar Extensions

·        15 Physioball Back Extension

Favorite of the Day:

Double Arm Seated Machine Rows:

I don’t just enjoy this exercise because you feel like you’re actually rowing I also like how it makes my back feel during and after the workout.  You feel powerful during the exercise because it feels as if you’re really moving forward. You’re working your entire back which is why I enjoy this exercise so much. The exercise can be beneficial for breaststrokers by enhancing the inner pull and the beginning motion of the extension.

Pull Up:

Unless you are superman, these will most likely be difficult for you but feel free to do more than I suggested just know that you’re doing more back exercises after these and you won’t want to overwork your back. Pull ups are helpful for all strokes, to do them properly grab the bar with your knuckles facing towards you and cross your ankles as you begin to pull up.  On page 119 Mcleod states “the difficult nature of the exercise builds mental toughness”. Along with helping a swimmers pull it is improving your stamina for mentally and physically exhausting races.  

Standing Straight-Arm Pull-Down:

This is a relatively simple exercise that will improve the pull of freestyle, butterfly and breaststroke. To do this exercise properly you will want to stand straight in front of the pulley machine with your hands on the top of the bar and pull it down until it’s about an inch away from touching your thighs.  “it is beneficial for swimmers because the start of the exercise targets the latissimus dorsi in an overhead elongated position...strengthening the initial portion of the pulling phase... this exercise is more specific to the demands of swimming” (123, Mcleod). This is beneficial to me personally because small aspects like a stronger pull is always helpful when wanting to drop time in any stroke.

Bent-Over Single-Arm Row:

I feel like this exercise can be easily incorporated into anyone’s life because all you need is a flat surface and a weight. You will want to put a knee and an arm down on a flat surface while in your other hand you hold a dumbbell. Keeping your back straight, lift the dumbbell towards your chest and then back down to the starting position. This exercise works your latissimus dorsi and can play a key role in any swimmers stroke. Mcleod says something along the lines that this exercise can be beneficial to breaststrokers second half of their pull which makes sense because the exercise is dealing with the latissimus dorsi which has relations with the shoulder blades. The shoulder blades are important because they have to do with the vertical and horizontal movement of a breaststroker.

Lumbar Extension:

This exercise is another favorite of mine mostly because its unique and works the erector spinae (the muscles that surround your spine) which is a muscle that I don’t normally feel when I’m working out. It’s a refreshing exercise and you will start to feel working early on. How to do it: first, lie face down with the barrier just below your hips then with your ankles secured slowly lower yourself until your almost hanging then bring yourself back up so your spines in line. The exercise can benefit a swimmers underwater dolphin kicks along with quicker dives.

Physioball Back Extension:

These were weird, you really have to find your balance for this exercise or else you are going to find yourself on the floor. To do it you’ll want to be facedown, with the physioball on your hips with your hands and feet touching the ground; then lift your heels and shoulders upward then back down. This exercise also works on your erector spinae and is beneficial to breaststroke and butterfly swimmers. On page 133 Mcleod states “the motions performed during this exercise closely mimic the undulating and wavelike body movements performed during butterfly and breaststroke.” Undulation is only used in these two strokes; this is why this exercise is more selective than the lumbar extension.

A strong back doesn’t just benefit swimmers, it benefits everyone even people who don’t participate in sports. We need our backs to live properly, to stand up straight, to move things around, to make us feel sturdy… etc. So if you find yourself doing one of these workouts I would love your feedbacks on the how the workout went for you and if you end up doing more than one, comment which one was your favorite.  

MLA CITATION: Mcleod, Ian. SWIMMING Anatomy. N.p.: Human Kinetics, 2010. Print.

Offseason Training: Arms

As we near the end of the year I am always hearing people say that for their New Year’s Resolution they plan to finally commit to working out multiple times a week. Some people stick with this plan for a couple mouths others stick with it for a couple weeks. The truly dedicated stick to this resolution all year and get amazing results. You can be any one of these people but if your resolution is to start working out again and you need an idea for a workout, then here is a great one to start the year off with.

The Workout:

·        30 close-grip bench presses

·        25 medicine ball chest passes

·        20 Tate presses

·        15 Dumbbell bicep curls (on each arm)

·        15 forward dumbbell deltoid raises (on each arm)

·        20 T raises

·        20 concentration curls

Favorite of the day

Concentration Curl:

This exercise is primarily working on your biceps and can help strengthen any stroke. You’ll want to sit on the end on a bench with a weight of your choosing in one hand with your elbow pressed against the inside of your leg, then begin to curl upwards. For swimming focuses this exercise helps a swimmer strengthen their pull.

Close-Grip Bench Press:

This workout can help strengthen any stroke. It focuses on the triceps and the pectorals which in breaststroke are incorporated with the pulling aspect of the stroke. The stronger these muscles are the quicker my pull becomes. Most people know what a bench press is and how to execute it, but maybe not the purpose. The main purpose is to put more resistance on the triceps. This exercise helps swimmers to isolate their triceps and really work on them specifically, which in-turn will strengthen many aspects of their stroke including pulls. (21, Mcleod)

Medicine Ball Chest Pass:

This exercise also helps enhance any stroke along with diving.  It focuses on your triceps and pectorals. If you have ever played basketball, it’s just a normal chest pass with a medicine ball. If you have never played basketball, then this is how you would execute this exercise: First grab medicine ball of your choosing and bring it up to your chest with your elbows facing outwards. Next toss the ball as hard as you can to your partner, your arms should end fully extended. For swimmers this exercise will help strengthen open turns that are used for butterfly and breaststroke and the explosiveness used in this exercise helps to “absorb and redirect momentum” in the turn. This means that the more you practice this exercise the faster your turns will be (23, Mcleod). For breaststroker’s, fast turns can make or break your race. You can either waste seconds on the wall or make it snappy. 

Tate Press:

The Tate press can also be helpful to any stroke, including breaststroke. You start this exercise by laying on your back with weights of your choosing in each hand up against your chest with the weights facing vertically. Next, push the weights upward (still vertical) until your arms reach a halfway point then turn the weights horizontal and finish pushing the weights upward until your arms are straight. In swimming this exercise is mainly used in dry land workouts to strengthen your triceps.

Dumbbell Bicep Curl:

The dumbbell bicep curl can also strengthen any stroke and is focusing on your biceps. To do this exercise you will need a weight in each hand while sitting on the edge of a bench. Next, slowly rotate your hand while curl one arm at a time in towards your chest.  “The rotation of the palm inward at the ending position places extra emphasis on the biceps and mimics the final portion of the pull phase during breaststroke” (29, Mcleod). The more I work on this the quicker and stronger my pull will get which will in turn drop my time.

Forward Dumbbell Deltoid Raises:

This exercise is specific to backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly and strengthens your deltoid. Start by having a weight in each hand and raise the weight one hand at a time until it is in line with your shoulder, then repeat with the other arm. “During breaststroke it contributes by guiding the movement of the arm and hand from underneath the swimmers chest to a fully extended and elongate position, maximizing the efficiency of the stroke.” (37, Mcleod)

As a swimmer I use muscles from every single muscle group in my body, but my favorite muscles to use are my arms. Arms are some of the most important ligaments a swimmer has they can out touch an opponent to win by .0001 second in a race. They also contain muscles that have importance in every stroke.

If you are a swimmer or are interested in doing these exercises, I would love to hear your opinion on how this workout helped or affected you.

Offseason Training: Chest and Abs day

Blog post 2

Off Season Training: Chest and Abs

It’s that time of year again, the time were we tell ourselves that just one more cookie won’t hurt us, but then that one cookie magically turns into 12. It’s time to burn off those cookies and I planned a great workout to get ourselves back into swimming shape.  

The Workout:

·        45 feet elevated push ups

·        6 dips

·        80 physioball crunches

·        20 cable crunches

·        30 kneeling chops

·        80 physioball jackknifes

·        40 squats with weights

·        10-minute elliptical

·        *I suggest spacing these workouts out so you don’t accidentally pull anything. Sometimes working on a muscle too intensely for a long time can hurt you more than help you.

Favorite of the day 

                                                                      Physioball crunch:

Something that you will defiantly feel in your upper core for a few days and is more interesting than regular crunches. All you need to do this is a physioball (see diagram), position your back on the physioball so that it covers the top of the ball. This way your shoulders will not touch the ball in a relaxed position, then begin crunches. The workout is designed for breaststroke and butterfly and helps better your stroke by targeting muscles in your abdomen that work with the extension process of the strokes.  

Feet Elevated Push Up:

This workout is targeting freestyle, butterfly and breaststroke swimmers.  It helps quicken pulls by strengthening your pectorals. You will need a table or stable object that will elevate your feet enough to where your back and feet are completely inline. Once your back and feet are in line you can begin with pushups, I did 3 rounds of 15.

Dip

This exercise helps any swimmer who is looking to improve their pull. Find a dip bar, start by lifting yourself and then locking your elbows. Then lower your chest downward and lean your upper body forward, stop when your elbows have made a 90-degree angle then return to the starting position. This exercise is mainly focusing on your pecs and triceps. “The exercise will be particularly useful to breaststrokers because it closely mimics the final portion of the underwater pull performed off the start and each turn” (77, Mcleod). This exercise will help strengthen my pullout by making it quicker and stronger.  

Cable Crunch

This ab workout also helps strengthen any stoke along with dives. It focuses on your abs and your oblique’s. The exercise helps swimmers specifically with flip-turns by making the motion stronger and faster through strengthening these muscles. “The motion preformed in this exercise closely mimics the motion preformed during a flip turn, but because of the wide range of motion through the abdominal muscles are targeted and the variable resistance, this exercise is beneficial across all four strokes” (99, Mcleod).

Kneeling Chop

“To move your body efficiently through the water, a coordinated movement of the arms and legs must occur. The key to this coordinated movement is a strong core.” (85, Mcleod). In every stroke you need a strong abdomen. So along with the majority of these workouts the kneeling chop also benefits all of the strokes. First you need to face the machine kneeling, then adjust the weight, and finally begin pulling the lever from the top right of your body to the bottom left.

Physioball Jackknife

This exercise is specifically for breaststroke and butterfly. It strengthens your abs, gluts, hamstrings, and oblique’s. This exercise helps develop muscles that will help swimmers better their streamlines and curling motion that is used in breaststroke. This specifically helps breaststroke because it strengthens a major motion of the stroke both the extension and the pull inward. To complete the workout you will need a physioball, place your toes on the top of the physioball and place your arms in a push up position; then push your legs out and then back in towards your stomach.

*I personally added squats and the 10 minute elliptical to not leave out major muscles that I need as a swimmer. I feel like for my body personally if I leave a large muscle group unattended for a few days then it becomes weaker. This is because I am so used to intense swimming whole body workouts 24/7. Feel free to add this to your workout, it is just a suggestion though.

MLA CITATION: Mcleod, Ian. SWIMMING Anatomy. N.p.: Human Kinetics, 2010. Print.

Off Season Training - Leg Day

I have been a competitive swimmer for 11 years now. 5 years on a select swim club, 2 years swimming varsity for my high school (Go Chargers!), and 11 going on 12 years of summer swim. Even with this magnitude of training, I still am finding things I can improve on.

My favorite stroke to swim is breaststroke, and this season I had the fasted 50 breaststroke split on the team. I want to improve this time even further. To do this I am doing a series of vigorous off season training workouts, instructed by “Swimming Anatomy” by Ian Mcleod. Oddly enough while looking through the book for the first time I realized something right away. In the leg workout section of the book every single exercise was designed to increase muscle that breaststroke's could use. I mainly use my arms and back while swimming and not much of my legs. Obviously, I was excited about this because it told me I had room to grow.   

The Workout:

2 rounds

·        15 single leg squats on each leg

·        20 standing hip internal rotations (each leg)

·        20 leg curls

·        15 burpees

·        15 box jumps

·        20 Lat pull-downs

·        5 chin ups

               My favorite workout would probably have to be the Single Leg Squats. Although this is the workout that I felt for the next three days. All you need is a table and some weights of your choosing, I chose 12 lbs. The foot on the ground needs to be 2 feet from the table. Then simply lower and raise your hips. According to the text “Targeting all the major muscle groups of the lower extremity improves kicking strength and endurance as well as strength with starts and turns.” (Mcleod, 149). In any race, you can get a head by being faster and more efficient at the little things like turns or starts. Those two aspects of my race weren’t the best this year and that is why I will be continuing this exercise throughout the next three months. Every second counts and this exercise will lead to a quicker push off from my turns and farther underwaters.

Standing Hip Rotations: This a workout is specifically designed to help with breaststroke. It works your gluteus medius, gluteus minimus and tensor fasciae latae (a muscle in your hip). Its helpful to breaststrokers because these are the muscles we use to snap are legs together when kicking. (154, Mcleod)  

Leg Curl: This is also another great workout that is specific to breaststroke. There is a machine for leg curls and how it works is: pick the amount of weight you want to lift, lie down, put your feet under the roller pad, then pull your feet into your butt and then extend fully. The exercise works your hamstrings and calf’s. It is helpful for breaststrokers by allowing them to have a faster rotation in their kick. (162, Mcleod)

Burpee: Most people know what burpees are but maybe not why their helpful, cause let’s face it, we all hate burpees. For swimming purposes, it helps with open turns. “The primary focus of the exercise is the transition from a push up position to a streamline position. Emphasizing quickness when drawing the feet up under the hips will improve your speed with open turns ...during butterfly and breaststroke.” (179. Mcleod)

Box Jump: The name says it all. All you do is take a box and jump up on it and then jump (backwards) down. Doing box jumps helps with your reaction time off of a start. Which is one of my personal workon’s and will help lower my current breaststroke time because I was gaining a second or two on my time because my reaction time is poor.

Lat Pull-Down: The Lat pull down is one of my favorite work outs of all time, on the days I was at the gym I had the weight on 65. For the best workout on this machine you will want to pick something that you can pull down multiple times but will still give you some sort of a challenge. How it works is: you pick your weight, then grab the bar (knuckles towards you) that will be stationed above your head, then pull the bar down to your upper chest, and return to the extended position. The Lat pull down obviously focuses on your latissimus dorsi which is helpful for a strong and swift pull, in any stroke. (121, Mcleod)

Chin ups: For this you will want to grab the bar with your hands facing inwards, cross your ankles and begin pulling yourself from a hanging position. My advice is to breath because this isn’t everyone’s favorite workout. Although, it’s a great back and shoulder workout because you’re really working your Latissimus dorsi. “Benefits all swimmers… works on strengthening your pull” (117, Mcleod)

   Some people think that after 10 years of a sport you’ve perfected it. I disagree completely, there is always something to improve on in every aspect of your life. So my question to you is, what is your next step towards improvement?

MLA CITATION: Mcleod, Ian. SWIMMING Anatomy. N.p.: Human Kinetics, 2010. Print.