Hear this, swimmers: Discover the top 5 exercises that amplify strength, flexibility, and mobility even when you're out of the aquatic environment
Claire Mills, a physiotherapist, Pilates expert, and founder of Core LDN, has recommended Pilates for swimmers as a way to improve body awareness, core control, and optimize movement patterns in swimming workouts.
To start, find a yoga mat and lie on your back with your core engaged. Bring both arms up and over your head towards the back of the room. At the same time, extend one leg out, lowering it until it's a couple of millimetres away from the floor. Repeat the movement, then lower down slowly until your chest is a couple of millimetres away from the floor, pause, then raise yourself back up.
Another exercise is the kneeling press-up, which is great for shoulder and core strength. Kneel down on your mat on all fours, engage your core, and perform a press-up while kneeling.
For arm/leg reaches, lie on your stomach, engage your core, and perform butterfly kicks without letting the tops of your feet touch the mat. For arm/leg reaches with ab curl, come down onto your hands and knees on your yoga mat, engage your core, extend one arm out in front of you and one leg out behind you at the same time, and as you bring them back in, pull both towards your core.
In the prone position (on your stomach), Pilates movements challenge the strength and endurance of the muscles in the lower and upper back, hips, and core, supporting you in the pool. To do the prone position exercise, lie on your front with a yoga mat for comfort, engage your core, lift your upper body and legs, and perform butterfly kicks without letting the tops of your feet touch the mat.
If the shoulder bridge exercise is difficult, try a dead bug exercise first to help build up strength and coordination. The shoulder bridge exercise involves lying flat on your back, engaging your core, bringing your legs towards your buttocks to about 90 degrees, pushing up using your glutes until your lower body is in a tabletop position, and extending one arm and one leg away from you.
When it comes to sequencing, if you focus on building strength and flexibility, do your Pilates for swimming workout first. If swimming is your focus, you might want to swim first and do Pilates second. Performing Pilates for swimmers can help build symmetrical strength, move through the water smoothly, and help you swim faster.
Performing a Pilates workout at home or a regular Pilates abs workout may be familiar with some movements, but in the pool, they have a unique effect. Each of the following three exercises should be done for one minute each, doing 30 seconds on each side for the single arm and leg exercises: arm/leg reaches, extender arm/leg lift + lowers, and arm/leg reaches with ab curl.
Leaning forward, place both hands on the ground, keeping your body straight from head to toe. Engage your core and upper back. In the prone position, this position will help you maintain a streamlined body position in the water.
In conclusion, incorporating Pilates for swimmers into your routine can have numerous benefits, including improved body awareness, core control, and optimized movement patterns in swimming workouts.
