Swim With Better Control and Faster Times – Without Straining Your Body

For swimmers, proper body alignment is critical. Swimmers need to work with the water and the slightest misalignment can cause them to work against it. Much of a swimmer’s training, however, focuses on working the global muscles – or the outside musculature system. It does not work the inside ‘stabilizing’ system. This bilateral imbalance leaves a swimmer open to misalignments which make certain parts of the body work harder than they should. That can add seconds to a competitive time or – even worse – to a variety of tears, pulls or strains.

Why Pilates?

Pilates exercises focus on strengthening this inner support system which consists of the deep abdominal muscles, and the muscles closest to the spine. The exercises develop core control by integrating the trunk, pelvis and shoulder girdle. Pilates can teach swimmers how to activate their inner support system to attain maximum balance and alignment as well as correct muscle “firing” patterns. This means the muscles activate when they should, within the dynamic of a particular movement.