Last Updated on April 11, 2024 by admin
In this article, we’ll provide advice, exercises, hacks and tips as an introduction to the benefits of dynamic stretching for swimmers and its contribution to an effective warm-up.
The benefits of an effective warm-up
An effective warm-up can provide a swimmer with many benefits. These include,
- Increasing the swimmer’s muscle temperature can help reduce the chances of muscle or tendon injuries.
- It can help increase the flexibility of the muscles, helping them become more efficient and powerful.
- It can help prepare the swimmer’s nervous system, making them more efficient and quicker to react.
- An effective warm-up can help to ensure that the swimmer’s cardiovascular system is prepared for the body’s increased demands for blood and oxygen.
Dynamic stretching for swimmers: How to perform an effective warm-up?
There are two stages to an effective land/dryland warm-up routine before entering the water.
Blood flowing exercises
The first stage of the warm-up process is for the swimmer to gradually raise their body temperature.
- This can be achieved by performing exercises like skipping or jogging on the spot for approximately five minutes. For example,
Jogging with high knees and butt kicks
How to perform this exercise: The swimmer starts this exercise by jogging on the spot/running in place.
- After approximately thirty seconds, the swimmer should gradually raise the height of their knees, until they are up to their torso.
- They may find that ‘pumping’ their arms may help them to raise their knees.
- The swimmer should then gradually return to normal jogging on the spot.
- They should continue to jog, then gradually raise the height of their heels until they touch their butt, for a further thirty seconds.
- Once again, the swimmer should then gradually return to normal jogging on the spot.
- The swimmer should perform this exercise twice without rest.
Related article on skipping rope exercises for swimmers
We have produced a related article on skipping rope exercises for swimmers. You can view it by clicking this link: skipping rope exercises for swimmers
Dynamic stretching for swimmers (mobilisation) versus static stretching
After raising their body temperature, swimmers should then perform a series of stretching exercises to gently stretch the muscles and prepare them for the rigours of swimming.
- Many swimmers tend to get confused about what type of stretches a swimmer should perform as a part of their warm-up.
Swimmers should perform dynamic stretching (mobilisation) exercises as a part of their warm-up.
- These can improve a swimmer’s competitive performance.
- These are rotational and swinging-type exercises, for example, arm circles and leg swings.
Dynamic stretching can improve a swimmer’s performance by,
- Increasing muscle strength and power
- Enhancing reactions
- Improving flexibility and range of movement
- Preparing the nervous system
Swimmers should not perform static stretching exercises as a part of their warm-up.
- These are detrimental to competitive swimming performance.
- These are stretching exercises in which the swimmer stretches and holds the stretched position for up to 45 seconds.
Static stretching can impact a swimmer’s performance by,
- Decreasing muscle strength and power
- Slowing reactions
- Impacting on a swimmer’s balance
Dynamic stretching for swimmers: A dryland/land warm-up
- A swimmer’s dryland/land warm-up should take between ten to fifteen minutes to complete
- There is a variety of blood flow and dynamic stretching exercises that a swimmer can incorporate into their dryland/land warm-up routine.
- Swimmers should choose warm-up exercises that can benefit their particular events.
Dynamic stretching for swimmers: exercises
When performing dynamic stretching exercises, the swimmer should,
- Start slowly at a low intensity.
- Gradually increase the speed, the range of movement and the intensity.
- Not allow the momentum of the exercise to control the movement.
- Perform each exercise with a controlled range of movement.
- Not to perform too many exercises that they become fatigued.
- Never feel pain during an exercise.
Listed below is a small selection of the many dynamic stretching exercises suitable for swimmers.
Rotator cuff
How to perform this exercise
- The swimmer should stand with their feet shoulder-width apart.
- They should place their arms down by the sides of their body
- The swimmer should bend at their elbows to form a ninety-degree angle with their forearm.
- Whilst keeping their elbows bent and close to their body, they should slowly move both of their forearms back until they are horizontal to their shoulders.
- They then slowly return to the starting position.
- Swimmers should repeat this exercise ten times.
Shoulder rotators
How to perform this exercise
- The swimmer should stand with their feet shoulder-width apart.
- They should raise their arms straight out in front of them.
- Then they should raise their arms until they are horizontal with their shoulders.
- The swimmer should bend at their elbows to form a ninety-degree angle with their forearm.
- Whilst keeping their elbows bent and close to their body, they should slowly move both of their forearms back past the line of their shoulders.
- They should feel a slight stretch across their chest and upper arms.
- They then slowly return until their arms are horizontal with their shoulders.
- Swimmers should repeat this exercise ten times.
Standing streamline reach-ups
How to perform this exercise
- The swimmer should stand with their feet shoulder-width apart.
- They should place their arms down by the sides of their body
- Then slowly reach up raising their arms into a streamlined position above their head.
- Throughout the stretch, the swimmer’s elbows should be kept in line with their body.
- They then slowly return to the starting position.
- Swimmers should repeat this exercise ten times.
Arm circles
How to perform this exercise
- The swimmer should stand with their feet shoulder-width apart.
- They should hold their arms out to their sides, horizontally level with their shoulders.
- The swimmer should start to perform small slow circles with their arms.
- They gradually make the arm circles larger.
- They should perform twenty arm circles in a forward direction and twenty arm circles in reverse.
Leg swings
How to perform this exercise
- The swimmer should stand on one leg, holding on to a wall for support if required.
- They should gently swing their other leg back and forth in a straight line.
- The swimmer should keep their leg straight when swinging back and bend the knee when swinging forward.
- They should gradually reduce the knee bend and swing their legs in a straight line.
- They should swing each leg back and forth ten times and repeat for the other leg.
- The swimmer should now repeat this exercise but now swinging their legs from side to side
- Swimmers should perform 2 x 10 leg swings for each leg.
Standard Lunge
How to perform this exercise
- Swimmers should start this exercise standing with their feet together.
- The swimmer should engage their core while performing this exercise.*
- Swimmers should take a large step forward with the right foot while keeping the left foot in place.
- They should transfer their weight forward so their right heel hits the floor first.
- The swimmer should then lower their body, while still keeping it vertical.
- They should bend their right knee and drop their left knee to the floor, creating a 90-degree angle with both knees.
- The swimmer should ensure that their right knee is behind their right toes.
- Once the swimmer’s knees are at 90 degrees, they should slowly return to the starting position
- The swimmer should repeat this exercise leading with their left foot.
- They should perform twenty lunges in total, ten for each leg.
*How To Engage Your Swimming Core
Engaging your swimming core muscles ensures they are correctly aligned, to help support and perform certain swimming drills and skills effectively.
- To engage their core, swimmers should continue to breathe normally.
- They should then tighten/contract their stomach muscles while drawing their navel towards their spine.
Lunge with a twist
How to perform this exercise
- Swimmers should perform this exercise as for the standard lunge above.
- As they take a large step forward with their right foot.
- They should fully extend and reach overhead with their left arm and twist their torso to their right side.
- They should repeat this exercise five times on each leg.
Related article on an effective competitive swimming warm-up
We have produced a related article on an effective competitive swimming warm-up. You can view it by clicking this link: on an effective competitive swimming warm-up.
Dynamic Stretching for Swimmers: Takeaways
In this article, we’ll provide advice, exercises, hacks and tips as an introduction to the benefits of dynamic stretching for swimmers and its contribution to an effective warm-up.
An effective warm-up can help the swimmer’s body deliver oxygen to the main swimming muscle groups.
- A warm-up can help increase the swimmer’s body temperature, which can reduce the chances of muscle or tendon injuries.
- It can enable an increase in the flexibility of the muscles, which can help to increase their efficiency and power.
- A warm-up can help to ensure that the cardiovascular system is prepared for the body’s increased demands for blood and oxygen.
Although many swimmers understand the importance of a proper warm-up routine before entering the water.
- Many swimmers get a little confused about how to go about conducting an effective warm-up.
The first stage of the warm-up process is for the swimmer to gradually raise their body temperature, by performing exercises like skipping or jogging on the spot for approximately five minutes.
After raising their body temperature, swimmers should then perform a series of stretching exercises to gently stretch the muscles and prepare them for the rigours of swimming.
Swimmers should perform dynamic stretching (mobilisation) exercises as they can improve a swimmer’s competitive performance.
Swimmers should not perform static stretching exercises which are detrimental to competitive swimming performance.
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