From time to time, we swimmers begin to develop tight shoulders and lose flexibility. The keys to lifelong swimming are to maintain your strength, endurance, proper technique, and flexibility. Of these four, flexibility is the most overlooked, particularly in the chest and shoulders.
While swimming generally promotes flexibility in the legs and ankles, and likely the hips and arms, everything in the torso (pelvis to shoulders) does not get much attention. And as we know, it is the shoulders that do most of the work in freestyle, backstroke, butterfly—although not quite as much in breaststroke. (However, strong and healthy shoulders contribute to a powerful breaststroke pull.)
Swimming tends to tighten your chest muscles and round your shoulders, which may have an effect on your joints and arm pull. An easy way to check this to:Â
- Stand with your back and gluts flat against the wall
- Raise your arms high in a streamline position
- Lower your arms trying to keep your elbows flat against the wall
- (This movement is an example of a useful chest stretch called the Wall Angel Stretch.)
If you feel tightness across your chest when you do the above, it’s time to work on chest and shoulder flexibility!
The Doorway Stretch is simple and easy to practice. All you need is a doorway, or at least a corner in a room to stretch one side at a time.
- Stand in an open doorway with a staggered stance (one foot forward).
- Place your forearms or palms on the doorframe, with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle, roughly shoulder height.
- Slowly step forward with your front foot and gently lean your chest forward until you feel a comfortable stretch in your chest and shoulders.
- Keep your head neutral (looking straight ahead) and hold for 15-30 seconds, breathing deeply.
- Step back to release the stretch.
If you can’t get to a doorway, stretch one arm at a time on a corner of a wall.
Repeat the stretch 2-3 times.
I try to practice this once a day, or at least several times a week. This solution came to me years ago as part of my routine to rehab shoulder pain. The ideal solution to prevent or alleviate shoulder pain. Rotate your torso in freestyle and backstroke, allowing your large back and chest muscles to do the work, and reduce strain on your shoulder joints such as the rotator cuff.
Wishing you miles of pain-free swimming and greater flexibility.
Coach Carl