Swimming Core Training: Improve Your Ability To Stay Streamlined! (Video)

Anti-rotation walkout swimming core training exercise
Photo Courtesy: G. John Mullen

By Dr. G. John Mullen

As I’ve written about recently, swimming core training improves performance, as indicated by the recent Hibbs (2015) article and by swimming coaches for decades. Nonetheless, improvements on swimming core training can still occur, which I outlined in 3 core training mistakes that swimmers make. One of the newer exercises I’ve discovered is the anti-rotation walkout, a great routine for developing the core muscles used to streamline during the start and pushoffs.

Purpose: 

The anti-rotation walkout with band integrates the core with the upper body and lower body, forcing the swimmer to stay streamlined while external forces act upon it. This exercise also incorporates shoulder injury prevention, as it teaches the swimmer to retract their shoulder blades and improve shoulder proprioception, as their partner mildly shakes the band. This shaking, known as pertupations, help recruit rotator cuff muscle activation, stabilizing the head of the humerus within the glenoid cavity [see previous articles: Shoulder Pain? Protect Your Rotator Cuff MusclesProtect Your Shoulders With This Rotator Cuff Activation].

Directions: 

Securely set-up a band at waist height. Next, straighten your elbows, grasping the band, brace your abdominals, and walk out slowly as far as you can while keeping the hands in a vertical line with the belly button, but the arms elevated to chest height. Slowly return to the starting position without letting the band pull you rapidly back. For an extra challenge on the rotator cuff muscles, have a partner mildly shake the band, without letting the partner move their arms.

Looking for the most comprehensive swimming core training guide? If so, get your copy of Swimming Core Training today for a complete text on the core and a massive video database for maximizing your swimming and core strength today!

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Daniel Duller
8 years ago

Armin Tschebular

Dyan Braden
8 years ago

Jenny Rice for Lucas. Zoe’s squats were so much better today! She says she already sees a difference in her swimming. Her coach was a little hesitant about her squats. She was complaining about her back hurting at practice last night.
She’s got some records to break before she turns 11 in June so I know he’s cautious about injury.
Would live for Lucas to come to a swim practice sone night.

Jenny Rice
8 years ago

Lucas Sandry

Michelle Snelson
8 years ago

Taylor Snelson

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