Jim. I dont know how old youare. But when you strain or pull a muscle, no matter slight, you have to step back from exceriseing for a day or two. And try again but wityh caution. by that I mean go light , with less reps. A lot will have to do with height and wright . Mostly how long you been working out. Also remmber weights, free hand excerise, and areiobics , are different from one another. But all have a helping hand for swimming. And last but not least what type of excerise do you do. I always recommend a lot of reps . with weights light er with higher reps. Dom.:cool: :rolleyes: :)
I believe in those 3 things, too, Dominick. What I'm wrestling with right now is the proportions. (of resistance & aerobic). Last week I pulled one of the muscles in my shoulder. (This week I'm fine). But when I did that (still not sure how), I suspended all upper body muscle training.
I want to swim and do strength training. But I don't want to injure anything. It can be a delicate balance.
JIM
What is considered high reps? 10-15 or more? Also what specific rotator cuff exercises do you do? I have access to a gym with some really nice machines, would these be good, or do you need free weights. Thanks, Paul
10-15 or more. I do it with a program on PBS called Body Electric. You don't really count the reps, you just do it with the music. Each song lasts 3 1/2 to 4 minutes.
There are a couple exercises for the rotator cuff. In one (holding 3 pound free weights in your hands) you start with the hands up, so that they're over the elbows. Then slowly lower your hands until your hands are under your elbows. Then lift them again until they're over your elbows. Your upper arms should be straight out, and your elbows should lined up with your shoulders. It looks like this:
www.geocities.com/.../rotator.jpg
For a visual, go to:
www.binghamton.edu/.../rota.pdf
They have better pictures to explain the exercise.
For some others, try:
familydoctor.org/265.xml
Hope these help!
JIM
Hey Thanks Jim! Great info...I have had rotator cuff problems in the past, from years of rowing, swimming actually seems to help, I'll give your exercises a try. Thanks Again, Paul
Dominick,
I just turned 50. And I did step back from the injury. (It was more than a week ago). I do use relatively lighter weights with alot of repetition.
And I do generally enjoy doing it. This year I started adding routines to strengthen the rotator cuff. I had already been working on the deltoids, but with much lighter weights. (usually 3's)
JIM
Jim, you can also do the rotator exercise side lying and it is actually easier to isolate the actual area better because you are not straining to keep the arm upright(all though that improves muscle in other areas). You lie on your side with your arm at your side bent at the elbow 90 degrees and rotate the lower half up. You should not be able to rotate all the way to an L pointing at the ceiling, but fairly close. I never do anything heavier than 5 on these because they isolate such small muscles. I have been working rotator exercise since my late 20's when I started dealing with issue because of softball. Weight training has given me good solid muscle to support everything so I don't have pain.
Paul,
I'm glad I could help! I feel it's important to do strength training for all the muscles of the body. But, yes, as swimmers, I think we have to especially do work on our shoulders in general, and our rotator cuffs specifically.
Dom,
I'm trying to make it a good age! :D I have been adding different weights, but it depends on the muscle group. For shoulders, I've had to stay mainly to 3 lbs. But for biceps, I use 10 or 12. For pecs and triceps, I use 8. Back 5. But I do try to challenge myself and try doing a heavier weight from time to time. But as I've said, I don't want to overdo it and injure myself.
Thanks all for the comments!
JIM
Jim. O.K Good Age. I wanted to tell you, that when you do light weights , with high reps, that evaluatly , you willhave to ghange the weight . What I mean is that if you are doing 3-5 sets at 10 reps , and it is easy than add on . weather it be weights ,carido or free hand excerise. I use this method , i pick certain excerises on the weight machines to help my swimming.I may use 5 different today 5 differnt excerises the next time . But the day iswim ido not excerise . I do not do both on the same day. But I always work my ABS when swimming or exceriseing.DOM.:) :cool: :rolleyes:
