McLeod - Swimming Anatomy - 2010

VARIATION

Hollow Hold With Feet Elevated

Incorporation of the legs will make the exercise significantly more challenging. Again, the key to performing the exercise properly is maintaining contact between the low back and the ground.

GlublLJS Reclus

med'iLJ$ femoris.

SerraW$

Mlerior

Rec1u s abdom!ni$o

Execution

1 . Facedown, support your body weight on your toes and forearms.

2.After holding the starting position for 15 seconds, rotate your body so that it is perpendicular to the floor and supported by one arm.

3.Hold this position for 15 seconds and then rotate back to the starting position.

4.Next, rotate your body so that it is again perpendicular to the floor but now facing the opposite direction. Hold for 15 seconds.

Muscles Involved

Primary:Rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, transversus abdominis

Secondary:Serratus anterior, rectus femoris, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus

Swimming Focus

This exercise is a good way to transition from the hollow hold to a more challenging exercise when the primary focus is engaging the abdominal musculature to stabilize the low back. Again, monitoring the positioning of the hips and low back is important when performing the exercise. In both the starting and the ending position, the body should be held in a straight line from the ankles all the way to the tip of the head. If the hips begin to drop, the swimmer should be cued to focus on tightening the abdominal musculature. Monitoring the position of the head is also important because its position will indirectly affect the positioning of the low back. If the head is out of alignment with the rest of the body, holding proper body positioning will be much more challenging. As you become more proficient at performing the exercise, gradually increase the amount of time that you spend in each position. The goal is to reach 30 to 45 seconds.

This is an excellent all-around exercise for learning how to engage the abdominal muscles in a manner that will carry over to better maintenance of proper hip and low back positioning during all four strokes and when streamlining off starts and turns.

Execution

1 . Lying face up in a streamlined position, stabilize your core by tightening the abdominal musculature.

2.In unison, bring your arms forward and lift your legs until your hands are able to touch your feet.

3.Slowly reverse the movement, stopping when your hands and feet are just above the ground. Then repeat.