McLeod - Swimming Anatomy - 2010
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Muscles Involved
Primary:Latissimus dorsi
Secondary:Trapezius, rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, teres major, posterior deltoid, biceps brachii
Swimming Focus
This exercise builds strength in the latissimus dorsi. It can be particularly beneficial to the breaststroker who wants to increase the strength of the latter half of the pull when the hands are brought together in the midline of the body. By targeting the secondary muscles, particularly the scapular retractors, the exercise enhances the scapular retraction that takes place during the final portion of the breaststroke pulling phase as well as the scapular retraction that is vital to an efficient recovery phase during butterfly. Strengthening of the scapular stabilizers also helps to stabilize the scapula, which generates a stronger base of support for the entire shoulder girdle.
Altering the weight used during the exercise shifts the emphasis to different muscles. Lighter weights allow a greater degree of scapular retraction, thus placing more focus on the rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, and trapezius. In contrast, increasing the weight places more demand on the latissimus dorsi at the sacrifice of decreasing the amount of scapular retraction that is performed. To isolate the muscles of the shoulder girdle and arms, avoid leaning backward while performing the exercise.
Execution
1 . Holding a dumbbell in one hand, support your upper body with your free hand and knee on an exercise bench.
2.Keeping your spine straight, pull the dumbbell upward to your torso.
3.Raise your elbow as high as possible and pinch your shoulder blade back.
4.Slowly lower the weight to the starting position.
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Muscles Involved
Primary:Latissimus dorsi
Secondary:Trapezius, rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, teres major, posterior deltoid, biceps brachii, brachialis
Swimming Focus
Similar to the seated row, this exercise is valuable for the breaststroker who wants to strengthen the second half of the pull. It is also a good general strengthening exercise that any swimmer can use to develop the strength of the latissimus dorsi.
When performing the exercise with a lighter weight, more emphasis is placed on the scapular retracting muscles. Using greater weight shifts the focus to the latissimus dorsi. Head positioning during this exercise is important. As with swimming, looking upward drops the hips and arches the low back, whereas looking downward toward the feet rolls the shoulders forward. To maintain the correct positioning, focus on a spot on the floor that is in line with the hand that is bracing your upper body. To help protect your low back, set your core muscles while performing this exercise. Doing this helps prevent excessive rotation of your upper body, which is a form of cheating.
