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Physical Therapy

What are the best exercises for improving swimming-specific mobility?

Unlock Your Swimming Potential: Exercises for Mobility & Form

Is it great question on swimming specific mobility. And in this video, I'm going to show two different things that I use with my swimmers to help sort of maintain that full body length. The first one might feel more like a core exercise but it still is really going to help with. Like the isometric, lengthening of your body during swimming and then the second one will be more of that. Feel good sort of lat stretch opening. So on the first one, I'm going to stand about 6 inches away from the wall, bring the ball up overhead. Both hands almost into a streamlined position reach as far as you can. And then at that point of the height, you're going to notice that your but wants to kick out somewhat. So with hands into the pressure of the bowl, tuck your hips under, hold that position, For five seconds and then relax. So you're all the way overhead drawing. Your core in to make it a strong core base movement as you're pushing, that's going to work on length, throughout the whole upper body giving you that long streamline position without breaking body form. And then on the second exercise, which is the easier of the two e start on all fours, Rock backwards. Reach one arm over across the other. I'm going to do it the other way. So I'm reaching my left hand over across and then I drop back and I stretch all through here. So I'm anchoring my hands down one on top of the other and then lifting and reaching through there. So, I'm just rocking back and forth, stretching this whole line of the lats and maximizing shoulder range, of motion, which is going to be hugely important for swimming.

The first exercise is to stand about 6 inches away from the wall, bring the ball up overhead and tuck your hips under for 5 seconds. The second exercise is to start on all fours, rock backwards and reach one arm over across the other while dropping back to stretch the lats and maximize shoulder range of motion.

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When it comes to improving swimming-specific mobility, there are two exercises that I find beneficial for my swimmers. The first exercise focuses on core engagement and maintaining body length during swimming. Stand about 6 inches away from a wall and hold a ball overhead with both hands, almost in a streamlined position. Reach as far as you can while keeping your core engaged. Notice that your hips may want to kick out, so tuck them under and hold that position for five seconds before relaxing. This exercise helps develop a strong core and promotes length throughout the upper body, allowing for a streamlined position without compromising form.

The second exercise is a lat stretch that provides a feel-good sensation. Start on all fours and rock backward. Reach one arm over and across the other, anchoring your hands down one on top of the other. Then, lift and reach through, stretching the lats and maximizing shoulder range of motion. This exercise helps improve flexibility and mobility in the shoulders, which is crucial for swimming.

By incorporating these exercises into your routine, you can enhance swimming-specific mobility and improve your overall performance in the water.

What is the best way to stretch your psoas muscle?

Unlock Your Mobility: Mastering Psoas Muscle Stretching

The psoas muscle is the only muscle that runs from the spine onto the femur. So it runs from here across the pelvis down deep under the inside of the femur. It has a stabilizing role at the spine and it also has a movement or a hip flexion role at the hip joint because it crosses one versus the other. We need to stabilize the spine as we stretch the leg and because the so as muscles, the hip flexor means it brings the leg up. Where's the body? We need to stretch it by moving into hip extension, and the way they do that is you draw your core in and that stabilizes the spine, prevents movement there, tuck the hip under just slightly, so you can gauge the glute muscle on the back side, to hold that position, and then Lean Forward into that movement. I would like to rock in and out of it. So here because I'm stabilizing, I get a big stretch right across there. Now, because it also plays a role in the movement and stability of the spine we can add in variations. Right draw in pull the hip under now you like to use my opposite hand eye lift and lean. So that gets a little bit higher part of the psoas muscle. I'll reach up overhead and add variations in there, but I'm trying to hit all different parts of that muscle and because our muscles are not just a to be connections. They really they wrap around the body and they help provide three-dimensional sort of stability and control the Most important part of this is that draw in lock the hip into position and then a small lean forward, and finding different edges and ranges of where that needs to be stretched. So, that's my favorite way to stretch the. So as you can increase it and add more quad, flexion by bringing your back, knee up in the air, and that will challenge the stretch, but lock the pelvis position and gauge through the cord, make sure the spine is stable.

The psoas muscle runs from the spine to the femur and is important for stabilizing the spine and for hip flexion. To stretch it, you need to draw in your core and lock the hip into position before leaning forward. Variations can be added by using your opposite hand to lift and lean, or by bringing your back knee up in the air to increase the quad flexion.

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To stretch the psoas muscle, which runs from the spine to the femur, it's important to focus on hip extension. Start by drawing your core in to stabilize the spine. Slightly tuck the hip under to engage the glute muscles and maintain that position. Lean forward into the movement, rocking in and out of it to get a deep stretch across the psoas muscle.

To target different parts of the muscle, you can add variations. For example, draw in, pull the hip under, and use your opposite hand to lift and lean, targeting a higher portion of the psoas muscle. You can also reach overhead and explore different ranges and edges of the stretch.

Remember to maintain stability in the spine by engaging the core and locking the hip into position. You can increase the challenge by adding more quad flexion, such as bringing your back knee up in the air. However, always prioritize stability and ensure that the spine remains stable throughout the stretch.

Embrace Open-Mindedness: The Key to a Happier, More Fulfilling Life

There's an old Buddhist proverb that talks about a series of three events that happens to a farmer. And then the first event, the farmer's son, brings back a horse to his property, which in theory allows the farmer to complete a lot more work. And so the town's people say, oh, that's so wonderful that your son brought back this horse and the farmer says maybe. And in the second part of the story, The Horse kicks, the Sun and breaks his leg and so the sun can no longer work and the Oz people say oh, that's so terrible. And the farmer says, maybe and in the third part of the story, The Town militia comes by to take all the young eligible soldiers to go off to war. Many of whom inevitably. Inevitably get killed. And so the townspeople say that. So fortunate that your son is able to be spared because of his broken leg, you can't fight. And the farmer says, maybe and the principle of the purpose of that story is to not pass judgment on the events and circumstances in your life. A life. So the single best advice that I can give to someone is to not pass a judgment saying, this is good, this is bad. Don't pass judgment on the events and your own life and especially don't pass judgment, or don't put criticism on the events and expectations of others. And the reason judgment is so harmful is that when you judge a situation, you have a narrow Focus, the opposite of judgment is creativity. Its openness, it's imagination. And having three young kids, I see the possibility of everything, the imagination, the lack of judgment that they place on situations and that's a very powerful thing. So my single best advice is to be open-minded. Don't pass judgment on others. Have trade in expectation for appreciation. And I think those things can make your life a lot happier and it'll feel like it's a lot more fulfilling for you and those around you.

The best advice I can give is to be open-minded and non-judgmental. Don't pass judgment on other people or the events in your life. Instead, have an appreciation for what you have and don't have expectations of others. This will lead to a much happier and fulfilling life.

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My single best advice in life is to avoid passing judgment on events and circumstances. There's an old Buddhist proverb that illustrates this concept. It tells the story of a farmer who experiences a series of events, each met with different reactions from the townspeople. The farmer's response to each event is simply maybe, highlighting the importance of not labeling situations as good or bad.

By refraining from passing judgment, we open ourselves up to creativity, imagination, and a broader perspective. Judgment narrows our focus, while openness and imagination lead to growth and fulfillment. It's crucial to extend this principle to others as well, avoiding criticism or judgment of their expectations and experiences.

Instead, cultivate an open mind, appreciating the possibilities in every situation. Trade expectation for appreciation, and you'll find greater happiness and fulfillment in your life, benefiting both yourself and those around you.

Many injured runners are told that the key issue is weak gluteus medius strength. What is the best exercise to target and isolate this muscle?

Strengthen Your Weak Gluteus Medius for Injury-Free Running

The gluteus medius is one of the three glute muscles and it's on the side of the body here and the function of it with running in the reason that it's often told to be weak, is because it's a side stabilizer and running is very front and back motion and we can get away with. We can cheat with a lot of turning to the lower leg and using other muscles and so the glue and often doesn't have to do as much you know, for a long time until until that becomes a problem or potentially becomes a problem. One of the things that I Look for with the runners to see if it's week. Is when someone stands on one leg, can they be balanced from their hip knee? All the way down to their ankles. So does the second and third toe stay in line with the knee in line with the hip and if they if someone can't bounce that way, that's likely a sign that some of their outer stabilizers, like the glute meet our week. And so, what I like to do is have somebody use two sticks and eventually go down to one or no 6, and then we're going to mimic the motion of running, but with a lot of stability, Ability. So I'm going to go into a little bit of hip flexion, body turns forward, and then push up and through. And so, I'm stabilizing the glute position here and not letting the knee drop over. And I'm not forcing it out too much, but I'm making sure that I'm holding tension through here using the hamstring and the glute to push up and forward. Up and forward. So I'm getting power through the glute while opening through the hip.

The gluteus medius is one of the three glute muscles and it's located on the side of the body. Its main function when running is to act as a side stabilizer, and weak glutes can lead to imbalance when standing on one leg. To strengthen the glutes, one should use two sticks and mimic the motion of running while stabilizing the glute position. This can help with power and stability through the hip.

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The gluteus medius is an important muscle for runners, as it functions as a side stabilizer during the front-to-back motion of running. Weakness in this muscle can lead to issues and injuries. One way to assess its strength is by checking if someone can maintain balance from the hip, knee, down to the ankles while standing on one leg.

To target and isolate the gluteus medius, an effective exercise involves using two sticks (which can eventually be reduced to one or none). Mimicking the running motion, start with a slight hip flexion and a forward body turn. Then, push up and forward while maintaining stability in the glute position and preventing the knee from dropping inward. Focus on engaging the hamstring and glute muscles to generate power while opening through the hip.

By performing this exercise with proper form and tension, you can effectively target and strengthen the gluteus medius to support your running and prevent injuries.

What are good exercises for a newer athlete to learn scapula proprioception?

Master Scapula Strength: Key Exercises for Athletes

Great question because the scapula is very important for providing position and strength to the shoulder. So I think you should I want. I'm going to show you two different things but then I also want you to practice some other things outside of here. First hanging from a pull-up, bar is a great way, just a dead hang or a lightly active, hang from a pull-up bar is great for scapular. Activation second doing a farmers carry or just a grip carry where you pull the shoulder blade back and hold it in that retracted position. That's very good for shoulder, blade strength and I'm going to show you two things here. That will also benefit you For the first one is engaging, the serratus anterior muscle but it provides stability to the shoulder. And what you're going to do is go into all fours and eventually into a plank pull, the shoulder blades down your back and then push away. It's like you're doing a push-up with that extra little Plus at the end of it. But start on all fours. Draw down. Push up as far as you can. It's not rounding. It's pushing through the shoulder blades. I'm driving through the hands. Hold for 5 or 10 seconds and just work on that position in form and then progress to a plank. The second one is for the middle and lower trapezius, you can do it in a variety of positions but here draw the shoulder blades back, pull the band apart and feel the backside of the shoulders as it connects into the middle and lower trap. Those two exercises will be great for engaging, the shoulder blade, and working on stability.

Two great exercises for scapular activation are hanging from a pull-up bar and doing farmers carries. Additionally, engaging the serratus anterior muscle by doing push-ups in all fours and activating the middle and lower trapezius with band pulls can also help to strengthen the shoulder blade.

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Learning scapula proprioception is important for newer athletes, as the scapula provides position and strength to the shoulder. Here are some exercises to help with scapular awareness and strength:

1. Hanging from a pull-up bar: Simply hanging from a pull-up bar, either in a dead hang or with a lightly active hang, can activate the scapula and improve proprioception.

2. Farmers carry or grip carry: Hold weights or objects in your hands and focus on pulling the shoulder blades back and holding them in a retracted position. This exercise helps strengthen the shoulder blades.

In addition to these exercises, here are two more that can benefit scapular engagement:

3. Serratus anterior engagement: Start on all fours and progress to a plank position. Pull the shoulder blades down your back and then push away, as if you're doing a push-up with an extra emphasis on the shoulder blades. Hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds, focusing on form and proper engagement.

4. Middle and lower trapezius activation: Using a resistance band, draw the shoulder blades back and pull the band apart, feeling the backside of the shoulders as it connects into the middle and lower trapezius muscles. This exercise helps engage the shoulder blades and promotes stability.

By incorporating these exercises into your routine, you can improve scapula proprioception and enhance shoulder stability and strength.

Which exercises are the best for developing valuable mobility for underwater kicking?

Unlocking Underwater Kicking: Key Exercises for Valuable Mobility

What exercises are the best for developing valuable Mobility for underwater kicking? Well, first, I would say that any mobility and Mobility is strength and control through a range of motion. All Mobility is therefore valuable to me, because any time that you can control a larger range of motion as we're going to give you more opt, more movement options, and sort of more resiliency, so specific for underwater kicking. I am going to refer to this question as the dolphin kick is what I assume that we're talking about. Out. And so when I think about Mobility for the dolphin kick, that's often happening. When the body is in a streamlined position off the starter off the walls. So from a Mobility standpoint, I want to be able to get into a tall streamline position while maintain the body in a stacked up right position. So from a Mobility exercise standpoint, I like to grab a weight. This is a 20-pound weight. I reach all the way up overhead and actually shrug up a little higher. So listen, as long as I can, to the point where my Hips want to rock backwards from there draw your low core in pull the glutes under and then relax off of it. Pull all the way under and back off. It's almost like doing a hip thrust or a pelvic tuck from that lengthened position and what it does is it gets the low core working and it gets the glutes working or it sort of brings more awareness to those areas. So when you are kicking, you can lock into that core position and then get the strong whip from the glutes. The second exercise is for the ankles because we need to have a good amount of ankle plantar flexion and that's this direction here. So what I would recommend is Balance on one, leg rock over your foot. And you see how my foot like my knee is going kind of in line of the Foot and Ankle. So don't rock out like that trying to be right in line and then sit down into that movement almost as if you're going to or you might like, fill out your toes pop. But try to get a length and stretch all the way across the tissue there, and that'll help with that. Plantar flexion range of motion. It will probably help with the opposite range of motion to just because many of us gets stiff and both directions of the ankle So, that is my from core down to ankles tips for underwater picking.

For developing valuable Mobility for underwater kicking, I suggest a weight shrug exercise to engage the core and glutes and a balance exercise focusing on ankle plantar flexion range of motion.

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For developing valuable mobility for underwater kicking, any exercises that improve overall mobility are beneficial. Mobility refers to strength and control through a range of motion, and having greater mobility provides more movement options and resilience. 

Specifically for underwater kicking, often referred to as the dolphin kick, mobility is important when the body is in a streamlined position off the start or off the walls. To improve mobility for the dolphin kick, focus on exercises that help achieve a tall streamline position while maintaining a stacked upright posture.

One exercise that can help is grabbing a weight, such as a 20-pound weight, and reaching it overhead while shrugging up slightly. From this position, engage the low core and pull the glutes under, then relax. Repeat this movement, almost like a hip thrust or pelvic tuck, to activate the low core and glutes, which will enhance core stability and generate a strong whip during the kick.

Another exercise targets ankle mobility, as having good ankle plantar flexion is crucial. To improve ankle mobility, balance on one leg and rock over the foot, ensuring that the knee aligns with the foot and ankle. Sit down into this movement, feeling a lengthening stretch across the tissues. This exercise helps improve ankle plantar flexion range of motion and can also benefit the opposite range of motion, as ankle stiffness can occur in both directions.

In summary, focus on exercises that enhance core stability and glute activation, as well as those that improve ankle mobility, to develop valuable mobility for underwater kicking.

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Jim earned his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Saint Louis University. He is a certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist and trained in the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) and Functional Movement Screening (FMS) systems. His educational and clinical background have made him an expert in manual and manipulative physical therapy as well as functional movement. Jim opened Heafner Health Physical Therapy in February, 2016.  ​When Jim is not treating patients in the clinic, he focuses his attention on educating fellow physical therapists in the profession, teaching manual therapy courses in Arizona and Texas, and writing. Jim has authored 3 books, including “Making Sense of Pain” and “The Yoga Fix”. Additionally, his Student Physical Therapy based blog attracts upwards of 65,000 views per week. His areas of expertise include Orthopedics, Manual Therapy, Chronic Pain Management, Functional Movement, Patient Education.

Neither AnyQuestion nor its Experts provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment or otherwise provide professional healthcare services.

Jim Heafner