Swimming Anatomy

Supine Medicine Ball Partner Pass and Catch

Execution

1. Lie on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on ground.

2. Have your partner stand 4 to 5 feet (120 to 150 cm) away, out past your feet.

3. From an overhead position, forcefully throw the medicine ball to your partner, releasing it as your hands pass shoulder level.

4. Allow your hands to follow through until they are by your side.

Muscles Involved

Primary:Pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi

Secondary:Serratus anterior

Swimming Focus

Similar to the standing double-arm medicine ball throw down, this exercise targets both the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi in an explosive manner. The primary difference between the two exercises is the release point of the medicine ball. In this exercise the medicine ball is released as the hands pass the shoulders. The main benefit of the exercise is that it strengthens both the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi in an overhead position. This benefit will enhance your confidence and strength during the initial portion of the pull phase for all strokes.

A key to maximizing the benefits of the exercise is to initiate the throw with the arms in an elongated position. You can accentuate this positioning by catching the medicine ball passed to you by your partner, decelerating the ball, and then quickly reversing its direction to initiate the throwing motion.

Wheelbarrow

Execution

1. From a push-up position, have your partner grab both feet and lift them to waist level.

2. Focus on holding your body in a straight line from your ankles to the top of your head.

3. Moving one hand at a time, walk your hands forward.

Muscles Involved

Primary:Pectoralis major

Secondary:Anterior deltoid, triceps brachii

Swimming Focus

The wheelbarrow exercise focuses on several areas that are beneficial to the swimmer. As a strengthening exercise it targets the pectoralis major and triceps brachii, which are vital contributors to the portion of the pulling phase of all four strokes. The exercise also requires activation of the shoulder-, core-, and hip-stabilizing musculature, which will help with injury prevention and maintenance of a streamlined body position in the water. One of the biggest advantages of the wheelbarrow exercise is that it builds mental toughness.

The emphasis should be on maintaining the body in a straight line from the ankles to the tip of the head. Flaws encountered when performing this exercise include not holding the head in line with the rest of the body and allowing excessive arching or sagging of the back. Both alterations in body position increase the risk of injury. To transition into performing the exercise, first attempt to hold the wheelbarrow position without moving your hands. When you are able to hold this position with good technique for 60 seconds, you can begin to start the walking motion with your hands.

SAFETY TIP

When performing this exercise on a pool deck, wear protective gloves to avoid unnecessary trauma to the hands.

CHAPTER 5

ABDOMEN

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, of which the muscles of the abdominal wall are a primary component. Besides helping to link the movement of the upper and lower body, the abdominal muscles assist with the body-rolling movements that take place during freestyle and backstroke and are responsible for the undulating movements of the torso that take place during butterfly, breaststroke, and underwater dolphin kicking.

The abdominal wall is composed of four paired muscles that extend from the rib cage to the pelvis. The muscles can be divided into two groups—a single anterior group and two lateral groups that mirror each other. The anterior group contains only one paired muscle, the rectus abdominis, which is divided into a right and left half by the midline of the body. The two lateral groups each contain a side of the remaining three paired muscles—the external oblique, internal oblique, and transversus abdominis (figure 5.1). In human motion and athletics, the abdominal muscles serve two primary functions: (1) movement, specifically forward trunk flexion (curling the trunk forward), lateral trunk flexion (bending to the side), and trunk rotation; and (2) stabilization of the low back and trunk. The motions mentioned earlier result from the coordinated activation of multiple muscle groups or the activation of a single muscle group.

Figure 5.1 Abdominal muscles.