Dry Land Swim Training - Part 2

EDITOR'S NOTE: THIS ARTICLE PICKS UP WHERE PART 1 LEFT OFF...

A preoccupation with auxiliary training would usually be to the detriment of the age group athlete. In the case of a more mature athlete (national competitor) with a strong foundation (to be discussed), this scenario may be challenged.

Exercises are designed to produce body coordination, functional strength, and explosiveness. Because the development of these qualities are neurally based, these capacities are compromised when an athlete works in high states of fatigue. It is therefore advisable to schedule auxiliary training sessions either during or after a swimming session or at some time that allows complete recovery from its execution so that no residual fatigue is carried into the swimming practice. For example, in the case of an age group swimmer, if exhaustive auxiliary training was to occur prior to a swimming practice, fatigue may reduce the learning potential of the swimming session.

In general, the development of physical capacities is governed by the stage of maturation of the individual. The types and amounts of auxiliary activity improvements may be governed by the stage of maturation of the individual. Since growth rates vary considerably, it is only appropriate to judge improvements within the athlete, but it is inappropriate to compare athletes. No athlete should be made to feel that he/she has to improve as much as another when participating in auxiliary training activities.

Building the Foundation

The endurance phase of swimming, which is a necessary part of training, has a tendency to stifle quick and powerful movements. Auxiliary training programs may therefore be used to counteract this suppression. Activities should be either static, as in holding body postures and stabilizing movement bases or explosive and power-based, such as those used with medicine ball training.

Bodyweight training itself provides the foundation for future development. Gymnasts, who evolves their whole training routine around bodyweight drills that challenge their centre of gravity, serve as great examples. While weight training tends to isolate muscle groups, putting stress on the joints, body weight training allows a more rapid recovery of these muscles. For example, look at the bench press exercise as opposed to the push-up. While the bench press primarily focuses on the chest and arm musculature, the front support position of the push-up (on the toes) develops the whole body as a unit from the arms to the toes through the abdominal region. As an athlete matures with a solid foundation of bodyweight strength, core strength, body awareness and swimming training, only then should one include weight training - which may be used to provide the stimulus to build upon the athletes foundational strength by challenging ones centre of gravity, breathing patterns and neuromuscular activation.

Core Strength Continuum

Concentrating on key movement patterns reduces the number of activities the athlete must master. Variety and difficulty are added after the building blocks of each key movement pattern is mastered – front support, rear support, lateral support and upright patterning and rotations.

These building blocks provide the coach with teaching points that carry over from one skill to the next. As certain physical ability pre-requisites are required, the coach can stress a progression from the simple to the more difficult for each activity. Once general skills are acquired, the athlete’s ability to pick up new techniques is quickly enhanced.

Coaches should ensure that enough strength has been acquired at each level of technical sophistication before proceeding to a higher level.

Therefore, it is important for a coach to evaluate athletes using appropriate tests. Testing can provide direction and motivation to the athlete and vital feedback to the coach. Assessing, identifying and recording athlete ability and potential also provides the coach with the appropriate data to design varied training sessions relating to the ability of the athlete.

Body Sense and Spatial Awareness

Knowing and understanding body position and location during any movement (especially during rotation) results in increased confidence, creativity in play and higher recovery speed. Drills that rotate athletes through all three axes should be performed on a regular basis to improve this awareness.

Core stabilisation of the hip (pelvis) and shoulder girdle are pre-requisites for safe and effective force application. Core strength and power abilities can be considered the foundation on which an athlete builds technique, while specific core fitness has to be developed (through the core-strength continuum) before it is possible to develop speed. In this type of work, athletes learn total body control.

Core Strength

Whilst most texts advocate tranversus abdominus activation first, many athletes are simply unable to activate this muscle, as they are unaware of its position. So, to progress quicker we first focus on activation of the rectus abdominus, before decreasing this activation when focusing on the deeper abdominal layer - tranversus abdominus. The four point kneeling exercise is a great starting point.

Four Point Kneeling Isometric Abdominal Hold

Whilst contraction of the deep transverse abdominus muscle is a priority, one must first learn how to contract (80 to 100 percent) and hold the outer rectus abdominus muscle (drawing navel to spine) whilst breathing normally for sets of 10 breaths. The development of this exercise allows the athlete to disassociate this muscle when aiming to contract the deeper abdominal muscles. This exercise can be performed sitting, lying prone, kneeling, standing, lying supine – keeping neutral spine. Then progressed by adding the use of the arms of limbs.

Core isometric strength in front support position

• Hands and toes - 30 second hold in neutral position.
• Arms extended, scapula raised for full extension with navel drawn to spine. Hold navel in whilst breathing deeply through the thoracic cavity.

Variations

• Progress to one minute or above
• Front support with toes pointed; one foot raised
• On elbows; toes pointed; one foot raised
• Progression to push up exercise

Medicine Ball Drills

A medicine ball that is designed to bounce provides a large variety of core strength drills for swimmers including one's own body weight (as pictured below performing a push up on the ball) but also neuromuscular enhancement by pushing or throwing the ball through various planes of movement.

Medicine ball exercises include hamstring curls, chest pass, overhead triceps throw, to name a few.

Bodyweight Awareness Squats

A majority of swimmers when performing a squat tend place high undue pressure of the knees by raising the heels off the ground when lowering. Using a door or a poll as a guide, one is able to distribute the weight back onto the heels whilst keeping a good spinal position. The aim is to gradually decrease the use of the arms or hands until one can effectively lower keeping the knees over the line of the toes.

These exercises are performed slowly using body weight only (three to four seconds down, three to four seconds up) to improve activation of the leg muscles and effective breathing patterns.

Incorrect	Practice regularly

More advanced exercises maintaining a tight body position, whilst using the arms or limbs to increase core activation include:

OTHER KEY EXERCISES

Wide Grip Pull Ups

Starting Position	End Position

Prime mover: Synergists:

Latissimus dorsi, teres major and minor, trapezius Biceps, deltoid

Starting Position: 30 degrees

Adapt a wide overhand grip (thumbs inward), arms extended, keeping the body neutral (just as you are when you are standing) yet rigid by drawing in the navel towards the spine.

Movement:

Breathe in and then out as you pull your body up towards the bar, hold briefly then lower – keeping the body neutral at all times.

Key points:

• Breathe in as you lower the body; breathe out as you raise the body

• Activate the deep abdominal muscles by drawing in the navel to maintain a tight body position. A lack of core strength is often noticed with the inability to maintain a tight (neutral) body position, often fatiguing prior to the back and arms.

Variations:

• Narrow grip. Arms shoulder-width apart, elbows close to body to vary the emphasis on the muscle being worked

• Body angle. This exercise can be modified to focus on the upper or lower muscle portions identified by varying the height and position of the bar and the hands (see narrow grip). For instance, body flat on the ground (zero degrees) in the starting position and then gradually varying the angle (15, 30, 45 degrees) of movement.

• The Smith machine offers variable angle adjustments for a number of pull and push exercises.

Biceps Pull Ups

Start Position	End Position	To assist in the development of performing a biceps pull-up, a bench is used. With arms extended and bodyweight placed on the arms, position one foot on the bench provided. In raising the body, keeping the tension on the arms – slowly add the pressure of the foot to the bench to assist in raising and lowering. Keep the weight on the arms at all times.
Prime mover: Synergists:	Biceps Latissimus dorsi, deltoids

Starting Position:

Adapt a reverse grip (thumbs outward) on bar with hands and elbows parallel and slightly bent. Allow the body to naturally adjust (ie) bending or crossing the knees.

Movement:

Breathe in and then out as you pull up towards the bar, keeping your body upright until your chin reaches the bar, hold briefly then lower.

Key points:

• Breathe in as you lower the body; breathe out as you raise the body.

• Activate the deep abdominal muscles by drawing in the navel to maintain a tight body position. A lack of core-strength is often noticed with the inability to maintain a tight (neutral) body position whilst raising and lowering. Movement is a sign of a weak core or fatigue, which may be strengthened by regular pull-up exercises.

• As one becomes stronger at this exercise, the abdominal region becomes highly activated by keeping the body rigid when raising and lowering. Notice the position of the body when raised – banana shape from shoulders to knees as the abdominals are activated, isolating body movement or swinging.

Variations:

• The Smith machine offers variable angle adjustments for a number of pull and push exercises.

• One may advance to a one-arm grip, with the other supporting the wrist.

Wide Grip Pull Ups

Start Position	End Position	To assist in the development of performing a wide-grip pull-up, a bench is used. With arms extended and bodyweight placed on the arms, position one foot on the bench provided. In raising the body, keeping the tension on the arms – slowly add the pressure of the foot to the bench to assist in raising and lowering. Keep the weight on the arms at all times.
Prime mover: Synergists:	Latissimus dorsi, teres major and minor Biceps, trapezius

Starting Position:

Adapt a wide overhand grip (thumbs inward), arms extended.

Movement:

Breathe in and then out as you pull up towards the bar, keeping your body upright until your chin reaches the bar, hold briefly then lower.

Key points:

• Breathe in as you lower the body; breathe out as you raise the body

• Activate the deep abdominal muscles by drawing in the navel to maintain a tight body position. A lack of core strength is often noticed with the inability to maintain a tight (neutral) body position whilst raising and lowering. Movement is a sign of a weak core or fatigue, which may be strengthened by regular pull up exercises.

• Your grip should be wide enough to maintain the focus on the back muscles.

• As one becomes stronger at this exercise, the abdominal region becomes highly activated by keeping the body rigid when raising and lowering. Notice the position of the body when raised – banana shape from shoulders to knees as the abdominals are activated, which isolates any movement and is a good sign of muscle fatigue.

Variations:

• The Smith machine offers variable angle adjustments for a number of pull and push exercises.

• Often weight is added via a weight belt to increase intensity.

Essentially, there are many foundational exercises that can be performed by swimmers and adapted by coaches to improve core strength. With a high focus on maximising an athlete's recovery between sessions (am to pm and day to day), the key factor in the future is adapting core strength exercises within one's training session so as to maximise recovery. For example, try adapting exercises on the edge of the pool as part of swimming set with similar split and recovery time (i.e., 100m, 100m, exercise, 100m, 100m, exercise, etc.), which may vary due to an athlete's weakness, stroke preference or upcoming event. The benefits of adapting a strength program within a session are added variety, muscle stimulation, improved recovery and increased fun while training.

References:

1. Collins, Paul. Collinsthenics Medicine Ball Workout (1996) The ultimate full body workout.
2. Rushall, Brent. S. and Marsden, John. A SUGGESTED PROGRAM OF FOUNDATIONAL CONDITIONING EXERCISES FOR AGE-GROUP SWIMMERS. Swimming Science Bulletin, Swimming Science Journal (1997).