I have just started back with my trainer at the gym. I am really liking the way I am looking, but the trainer, though a total beast, is not a swimmer, and although he seems to have a general idea of what I want to accomplish, I want to be sure the results I am getting in terms of my appearance translate into better results in the pool.
I am a sprinter (mostly *** and free as well), so I want to build strength, maintain/increase flexibility, and minimize muscle fatigue (while racing, of course).
When I was growing up and swimming (in the late 60s and early 70s), we were told to avoid weight training. Now I know that has been completely debunked, but I am guessing there is a wrong way and a right way to do it vis-a-vis swimming.
Any suggestions for what I should be doing? I am guessing I would need a rotation of 3 or 4 different workouts to hit all the right spots.
Gary
Brooklyn, NY
bretcontreras.com/.../
1. Don’t be too specific:
A lot of emphasis is put on “sport-specific” movements (swim bench, cable crossovers, straight arm pulldowns, etc.). Unfortunately, the transference of these movements is uncertain and likely minimal to the sports of swimming. Every land exercise you create is far from the demands in the pool. Despite visual similarities, every swimmer uses unique yet imperceptible microadjustments in their strokes to optimize balance, force, and deceleration. It is impossible to replicate these movements on land and attempting to be too “sport specific” may lead to confused motor programming (McGuff 2009). Therefore, stay away from specificity to prevent motor program confusion and returning to these resisted patterns when fatigue occurs in the pool. Instead, building motor control and learning the big movements (squats, partial deadlifts, bench press) is ideal. Moreover, performing the similar movements outside of the pool increases the chance of overuse injuries and time away from the most specific form of training…swimming (Stiff 2000; Vermeil 2004).
bretcontreras.com/.../
1. Don’t be too specific:
A lot of emphasis is put on “sport-specific” movements (swim bench, cable crossovers, straight arm pulldowns, etc.). Unfortunately, the transference of these movements is uncertain and likely minimal to the sports of swimming. Every land exercise you create is far from the demands in the pool. Despite visual similarities, every swimmer uses unique yet imperceptible microadjustments in their strokes to optimize balance, force, and deceleration. It is impossible to replicate these movements on land and attempting to be too “sport specific” may lead to confused motor programming (McGuff 2009). Therefore, stay away from specificity to prevent motor program confusion and returning to these resisted patterns when fatigue occurs in the pool. Instead, building motor control and learning the big movements (squats, partial deadlifts, bench press) is ideal. Moreover, performing the similar movements outside of the pool increases the chance of overuse injuries and time away from the most specific form of training…swimming (Stiff 2000; Vermeil 2004).
