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Cross Train Your Swimmers With Vertical Aquatic Fitness
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Rhomboids
When strengthening the rhomboids and middle trapezius (or middle back muscles) you will simultaneously stretch the pectorals (chest muscles).
In shallow water stand in athletic stance or with one leg in front of the other. Hold the arms in front of the body at slightly below chest height. Forcefully horizontally abduct the shoulders or bring the arms back towards the body . Remember to squeeze the shoulder blades to fully engage the muscles.
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An advanced progression is using training fins. The body will be stabilized in an "L" position with the shoulders over the hips and the hips in line with the knees. Utilize resistive travel with the fins and an upright breaststroke to power into the direction of travel. Increase the intensity of the exercise by using flex paddles. Remember to streamline on horizontal shoulder adduction so you do not work the pectorals.
To help prevent unnecessary internal rotation that impinges the shoulder girdle, hold the hands with the thumbs pointed upward as you perform the upright breaststroke.
Envision squeezing an orange between the shoulders. Slice the hands forward to recover and return to the ready position and repeat the exercise. Try 2 to 5 sets of 10 to 25 repetitions or until the muscles fatigue.
A deep water training exercise is to wear a buoyancy belt. Cross the ankles and facilitate travel by utilizing only your arms. The lower body will add more drag resistance and balance (core stabilization) challenge. Focus on keeping the body still and isolating the muscles that are being engaged to assist travel.
Advanced Lower Body Strengthening & CV work
Step & Cuff training is excellent for both strengthening the quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteals as well as advanced cardiovascular training.
Lower Body Flexibility, Posture, Core Training
Any walking pattern will help to stretch the typically tight muscles.
Walking patterns ideally should be performed between waist and chest depth so that you may control the travel and plant of the foot. Giant steps will facilitate active stretching patterns for the hip flexors, hamstrings, calves, and gluteus maximus muscles. When walking forward make sure that the heel strikes first then roll the action through the forefoot or metatarsals to prepare the foot to push off again. This movement is reversed for backward walking and should always be performed correctly to release the calf muscles. Warming down properly will help the athlete rebalance for gravity as well as prevent injuries that may be attributed to tight musculature.
Prepared by Julie Twynham, Hons. BA. PFLC, ACE, Medical Exercise Specialist, and Educational Director of WaterART Fitness Inc.
For more information on Sports Conditioning
DVD017 - Personal Training Assessments
DVD018 - Foam Weights
DVD019 - Postural Analysis & Exercise Inventory without Equipment
DVD020 Equipment Analysis & Exercise Inventory with Equipment
DVD021 Finning the Ultimate Butt Burner Program
DVD037 Step Splash Video
DVD039 Awesome Abdominals
DVD040 Resistive Paddle Program
DVD041 Fit Band Program
DVD042 Advanced Cuffs Program
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About Julie Twynham
Go to about Julie Twynham.
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