Swimming Anatomy

The tensor fasciae latae and gluteus medius are two important stabilizers of the pelvis. They also make minor contributions to the kicking movements that take place with all four strokes. Strengthening of these muscles is often overlooked in dryland programs. This exercise should be cycled into the dryland program at various times during the year to ensure that the muscles do not become neglected. Breaststrokers, who depend more on strong and stable hips, should incorporate it more often. The involvement of the rectus femoris and gluteus maximus can be increased by increasing the amount of knee flexion.

SAFETY TIP

Placing the exercise band below the knee can put undue stress on the tendons and ligaments surrounding the knee.

VARIATION

Band Diagonal Shuffle

Adding the diagonal movement will greatly increase the activation of the rectus femoris, which can improve kicking strength across all the strokes. This variation, however, will decrease the activation of the gluteus medius.

Standing Hip Adduction

Execution

1. Stand sideways to a backstroke flagpole with a band fixed to the pole and the ankle closer to the pole. Tighten your core muscles to stabilize your hips.

2. Allow the resistance of the band to pull your leg out to the side.

3. Keeping your knee straight, pull your leg across and in front of the stabilizing leg.

4. Slowly return to the starting position.

Muscles Involved

Primary:Adductor magnus, adductor longus, adductor brevis, pectineus, gracilis

Secondary:Transversus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique

Swimming Focus

Direct targeting of the adductor muscle group can help the breaststroker increase the strength and stamina of the kick.

When performing the exercise, tightening the core stabilizers and holding the upper body in a tall, upright posture will help to isolate the adductor muscle group. Swimmers who are currently experiencing or have a recent history of knee pain should anchor the resistance band just above the knee.

Inversion and Eversion Ankle Band Strengthening

Execution for Inversion

1. Supporting the foot off the ground, wrap the exercise band around the forefoot so that the resistance is coming from an anchor point to the outside of the foot performing the exercise.

2. Without rotating the knee or hip, pull the toes toward the midline of the body.

3. Slowly return to the starting position.

Execution for Eversion

1. Supporting the foot off the ground, wrap the exercise band around the forefoot so that the resistance is coming from an anchor point to the inside of the foot performing the exercise.

2. Without rotating the knee or hip, pull the toes away from the midline of the body.

3. Slowly return to the starting position.

Muscles Involved

Primary:Tibialis anterior and tibialis posterior (invertors); fibularis longus and fibularis brevis (evertors)

Secondary:Flexor digitorum longus and flexor hallucis longus (invertors); fibularis tertius (evertor)

Swimming Focus

The ankle invertors (tibialis anterior and tibialis posterior) and the ankle evertors (fibularis muscle group) are important stabilizers of the ankle joint. Incorporation of exercises targeting these muscles can help protect the ankle joint by improving its dynamic stability. Strong ankle invertors provide support to the ankle during flutter and fly kicking and help maintain the foot in a slightly inverted position. Strengthening the ankle evertors helps with the positioning of the ankle and foot as the legs are being set for the whip portion of the breaststroke kick. The ankle evertors also provide lateral stability to the ankle, which can help protect against ankle sprains when performing cross-training activities such as running.

CHAPTER 8

WHOLE-BODY TRAINING

This chapter focuses on whole-body exercises that require simultaneous muscle activation from muscles of the upper extremity, core, and lower extremity. Because the previous chapters discussed the specifics of joint and muscle anatomy, muscle actions, and their role in swimming, the focus of this chapter is to describe the importance of whole-body training and the role of these exercises in enhancing swimming performance.

The focus of the previous chapters has been on exercises that isolate a single joint or, through a combination of movements, the joints of the upper extremity or lower extremity. In contrast, the exercises in this chapter integrate the upper and lower extremities during total-body movements, allowing one exercise to link these areas with the core. These exercises involve multiple joints and multiple muscle groups and are therefore very functional, or sport specific.