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I was reading that lots of swimming (freestyle) might develop muscles on the front of the body at the expense of back muscles. Since all the strokes are powered by the back muscles, I would consider discontinuing reading whatever crap source you found that article.

Back in the old days we always warmed up by flexing a lot. I almost never see most swimmers do anything before jumping in at practice. At more important meets, I see more but not all doing some dry land warm ups.

How about rowing (sculling)? I was reading that lots of swimming (freestyle) might develop muscles on the front of the body at the expense of back muscles. Rowing, I would think, provides a lot of back muscle development. It might just be the perfect complement.

Since all the strokes are powered by the back muscles, I would consider discontinuing reading whatever crap source you found that article. You've been hanging around Jazz a lot, I see. :)

Since all the strokes are powered by the back muscles, I would consider discontinuing reading whatever crap source you found that article. I don't think it's crap sources, although I am here to learn. Here's a quote: As any coach knows, swimming is a great low impact workout, but if an athlete just swims, without doing counteracting physical activity, the body can become misaligned. For example, swimmers generally have overdeveloped their front bodies (backstrokers may suffer from this less) with strong pectorals. This causes the muscles on the back of the body, specifically those that hold the rhomboids or shoulder blades in place, to become relatively weak. This creates the typical hunched-back swimmers’ posture that we are all familiar with. Here's the source: www.usms.org/.../articledisplay.php Wrong? I don't know. I'm just a newbie trying to learn.

I don't think it's crap sources, although I am here to learn. Here's a quote: Here's the source: www.usms.org/.../articledisplay.php Wrong? I don't know. I'm just a newbie trying to learn. Yes, that is amazingly wrong. Great to see USMS promoting misinformation. Swimmers suffer from shortened pectoral muscles, not over developed ones, which results in the shoulders being pulled forward and the shoulder blades to "wing," not laying flat on the back. The solution to this is not to strengthen the back muscles, but to stretch the pectoral muscles and focus on proper posture. You should be skeptical of my answer because USMS does not publish articles by me, so how do you know what is the true? Watch an age group practice, and notice the muscle development and posture. Think about your own swimming and where your shoulders would be ideally throughout your stroke vs standing with good posture. Watch college level level swimmers, do they all have over developed backs? All have overdeveloped chests? Would you consider you consider working on your pecs for reasons other than to get faster? Have you ever seen a female swimmer with a muscular back? A muscular chest?

Feel free to provide support that "For example, swimmers generally have overdeveloped their front bodies (backstrokers may suffer from this less) with strong pectorals. This causes the muscles on the back of the body, specifically those that hold the rhomboids or shoulder blades in place, to become relatively weak." If you want to take my comment out of context, I agree you have a point. There is more to swimming than a single muscle group. When I went to PT for bursitis in the shoulder, I was told most swimmers, especially females, have over developed pec muscles which is why so many swimmers have a bit of a hunch in the shoulder area. I was told to sit with my chest out so work on the hunch and to work on my back muscles more.

You've been hanging around Jazz a lot, I see. :) Feel free to provide support that "For example, swimmers generally have overdeveloped their front bodies (backstrokers may suffer from this less) with strong pectorals. This causes the muscles on the back of the body, specifically those that hold the rhomboids or shoulder blades in place, to become relatively weak." If you want to take my comment out of context, I agree you have a point. There is more to swimming than a single muscle group.

Feel free to provide support that "For example, swimmers generally have overdeveloped their front bodies (backstrokers may suffer from this less) with strong pectorals. This causes the muscles on the back of the body, specifically those that hold the rhomboids or shoulder blades in place, to become relatively weak." If you want to take my comment out of context, I agree you have a point. There is more to swimming than a single muscle group. No, I wasn't talking about content at all but tone ("crap source"). And (mostly) joking.