Overcoming Swimmer's Shoulder: My Journey to Overcome Shoulder Discomfort and Get Back to Sprint Swimming

Overcoming Swimmer's Shoulder:  My Journey to Overcome Shoulder Discomfort and Get Back to Sprint Swimming

Dive into the personal journey of a 42-year-old competitive swimmer and strength coach battling persistent left shoulder discomfort. This post details the onset of the shoulder issue that hindered sprint freestyle performance and the various treatment strategies attempted. Discover insights from an enlightening session with Dr. Alex Ewart, a physical therapist and swimming specialist, leading to a tailored treatment plan. Explore the specific exercises and therapeutic approaches aimed at addressing shoulder pain, including targeted strength training, mobility work, and soft tissue therapy. Follow this swimmer's quest to regain peak performance and manage chronic discomfort, offering valuable lessons for athletes facing similar challenges.

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3 Essential Shoulder Exercises for Swimmers

3 Essential Shoulder Exercises for Swimmers

The demands of competitive swimming require robust shoulder mobility, endurance, and power. The repetitive motions of the competitive strokes can stress the shoulder complex, emphasizing the need for well-rounded strength training outside the pool. Here, we discuss three crucial shoulder exercises that every swimmer should incorporate into their regimen.

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How often should swimmers lift weights?

How often should swimmers lift weights?

Incorporating resistance training into a swimmer’s program can significantly enhance performance and reduce injury risk. Most swimmers benefit from 2-3 weightlifting sessions weekly, lasting 30-60 minutes, especially in the off and pre-season. These sessions should focus on compound movements like deadlifts, squats, and swim-specific exercises to build strength and power.

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Swim Technique Video Analysis: Capture, Analyze, and Improve Your Performance

Swim Technique Video Analysis: Capture, Analyze, and Improve Your Performance

Dive into the world of swim technique enhancement. Learn how to capture underwater footage, analyze it frame by frame, and receive expert feedback. Discover the right equipment and techniques to improve your swimming skills. Book your swim analysis session for personalized guidance to help you reach your swimming goals.

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Stable Endurance Training

Stable Endurance Training

The Bunkie test is a functional endurance test to help identify functional stability, endurance, and control through some of the common fascial lines. It’s a series of 5 exercises, performed bilaterally (both sides). Its a simple test for identifying weak links in your ability to efficiency coordinate multiple muscles linked in a kinetic chain associated with particular movement patterns, and can help you identify weak links and patterns to program more specifically for your needs.

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Mobile Endurance Training

Mobile Endurance Training

Mobility first! Before you can stabilize, load, and perform you must have the freedom to move. Learn the keys to assessing what needs to be addressed, how to improve, and enhance your trining. “The Big Three”, ankles, hips, and shoulders, are the most mobile joints in the body. Identify any deficits, and move on from areas that meet a functional standard. Remember, mobility and stretching do not make you fit, but can inhibit your ability to get fit and perform if they do not have their functional range of motion. Test, intervene, rest. Once you move well, go train!

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Lower Back Care

Lower Back Care

Does your lower back fatigue or hurt after sitting or training? Extension faults and poor posture may be the culprits. Many people unknowingly use short-term stability strategies that lead to poor joint positioning and back pain. By focusing on core stability and proper movement patterns, you can alleviate discomfort and improve performance. Drawing from Dr. Stuart McGill's research, we share a series of core exercises designed to strengthen your lower back, reduce injury risk, and build an athletic foundation. Read on for tips to eliminate back pain and sign up for a free coaching call for personalized support!

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The Gym in Your Hand

The Gym in Your Hand

The kettlebell has long been regarded as the gym in your hand. The cast-iron device packs a big punch in a small heavy footprint, suitable for dozen of exercises from mobility to power. In fact, they’re so practical, they’re sold out everywhere these days. See why the majority of my own and client strength and conditioning is done with a kettlebell

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