Refining Stroke Technique for the Competitive Swimmer with Pilates

Transcription

1 Refining Stroke Technique for the Competitive Swimmer with Pilates Giovanna Grinarml Healthy Changes Pilates Reading, MA Sondra Karman April 26, 2018 Summary 1

2 As a competitive swimmer for 12 years and a competitive swim coach for over 12 years, I am familiar with the observation of swimming mechanics and the feeling of working dynamically in the water. In this paper I will discuss the anatomy of a swimmer and create a pilates program for the competitive swimmer to utilize the proper muscles with the goal of improving one's efficiency and speed in the water. Table of Contents 2

3 Introduction..page 2 Anatomical Diagrams.page 4 Basic Anatomy of a Swimmer...page 5 Case Study...page 6 Pilates Program...page 7 Conclusion...page 9 Bibliography..page 10 Major Muscle Groups Used While Swimming 3

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5 Basic Anatomy of a Swimmer Swimmers must work with the water to swim efficiently and fast. Swimmers encounter drag as their body moves through the water. Making the body as long and narrow as possible allows the body to flow through the water with as little resistance as possible. Balance, strength, coordination and flexibility are all essential to be efficient. Swimming is a full body workout. The upper body is used primarily during swim practice, as the swimmer will spend the majority of practice swimming freestyle. Most swimmers will save their legs for sprinting sets, kick sets and stroke sets that have a greater lower body demand. Freestyle works with a constant rotation of the shoulder joint, as well as a side breath. This repetitive movement can lead to an overdevelopment of the shoulder muscles and postural deviations in the upper back. Neck problems can occur if the swimmer does not bilaterally breathe. It is important for the body to be long and balanced to minimize drag and to have the greatest range of motion for catching water and moving the body through it. Flexibility is important but frequently can become a problem if the joints become hyperextensive. Stability training will be needed for shoulders, hips and ankles. The core muscles initiate the coordinated movement of arms and legs in each competitive stroke. The core also assists with rotation in freestyle and backstroke and in the undulating motion performed in butterfly and breaststroke. If the core is weak 5

6 then the body position will be out of alignment and drag will increase, slowing down the stroke and forcing the body to work harder to get through the water. Pilates is an ideal dryland program for the competitive swimmer to combat the overstressing of joints and focus more on stabilizers, to maintain flexibility with strength training, to increase strength in the powerhouse core, to creative balance in the body and to create the best posture in the body both in the water and out. Case Study My subject is a Master s Swimmer that is currently competing in swimming competitions as well as triathlons. Mary is 45 years old and has been swimming off and on since she was a child. She has Kyphosis and Lordosis in her spine. She has hip and ankle instability and pain in her sacrum. She sometimes wakes up with neck and upper back pain. I will be creating a mixed equipment program for Mary using mat exercises, reformer, cadillac and Wunda chair. We will be focusing on lengthening the spine, stabilizing the shoulders, hips and ankles, lower abdominal and pelvic floor strengthening, initiating the correct muscles when moving through exercises and drawing in through the ribcage. Pilates Program 6

7 Warm Up on Mat Beginning with 3 Roll Downs and Breath Work Pelvic Curl Supine Spine Twist Chest Lift Chest Lift with Rotation Leg Lifts Footwork on Reformer Heels Toes Small V Wide V Heels Wide V Toes Calf Raises Prances Prehensile Single Leg Heels Single Leg Toes Abdominal Work on Reformer Hundred Prep Coordination Hip Work on Reformer 7

8 Frog Circles (Down, Up) Openings Spinal Articulation on Cadillac Monkey Tower Prep Stretches on Cadillac Shoulder Stretch Arm Work on Cadillac Shoulder Adduction Sitting Forward Shoulder Adduction Sitting Side Scapula Glide Sitting Side Full Body Integration Sitting Forward Side Reach Kneeling Cat Stretch Leg Work on Wunda Chair Hamstring Curl Hip Opener Lateral Flexion/Rotation Side Stretch Back Extension 8

9 Basic Swan Finish with 3 Roll Downs Conclusion Since beginning the program, Mary has noticed significant changes in her awareness of her posture and even measured taller at her most recent visit to the doctor. Her hip stability has increased and she has less pain in her sacrum. Her shoulders have improved dramatically. Mary no longer initiates movement from her upper trapezius while doing shoulder exercises and is able to work her shoulder stabilizers effectively. Mary had no awareness of her ribs popping up during abdominal exercises when we first began and is now able to disassociate her upper abdominals while working her lower abdominals. We started slowly working Mary s back extension. She was very inflexible in her thoracic spine when we first began. Mary is now able to move in a greater range of motion without going into her lower lumbar. These results were achieved by working together twice a week for several months. It helps that Mary has a very strong mind-body connection and she was able to make adjustments to her body quickly and productively. Overall Mary is excited about all the changes that pilates has brought to her body and her swimming. She has noticed that her awareness of her posture and muscle control has increased in the water. She has noticed the greatest change through her 9

10 shoulders. She is now able to connect to her shoulder stabilizers and take stress off of her shoulder joint. Mary plans on continuing her pilates training. Bibliography Book McLeod, Ian. Swimming Anatomy: Human Kinetics,