How Pilates Supports Swimming
Start swimming better by controlling your body and improving your time – without straining your body. For swimmers, proper body alignment is essential. Swimmers must work with the water and its slightest movements. However, most swimmer training focuses on working outside the muscular system, which does not develop the internal “stabilizing” system. This bilateral imbalance increases the swimmer’s susceptibility to the needs of their body. Thus, they may lose seconds during competitions or, even worse, lead to tears, strains, or tears.
Why Pilates?
Pilates focuses on strengthening that internal support system, which consists of the deep abdominal muscles and spinal stabilizing muscles. The exercises develop core control by integrating the torso, pelvis, and shoulder girdle. Pilates can teach swimmers how to activate their internal “stabilizing” system to achieve maximum balance and alignment, as well as proper muscle utilization. This means that muscles activate when they should within the dynamics of a given movement.
Swimmers will also gain stronger abdominal muscles, which are the foundation of all their movements. For a swimmer, a strong core allows them to keep their shoulder blades, arms, pelvis, and spine in a straight line aligned so they can lift their arms up and out without straining their neck muscles. This will lead to slower fatigue of strength and body and faster swimming.
Additionally, Pilates exercises are performed at a slow pace to achieve proper body and mind control. This approach translates well to the entirety of the sport, where many swimmers need to focus less on how far they have swum and more on breathing, body orientation, and balance to achieve a more balanced race.
What are the benefits of increased efficiency?
- muscles are utilized correctly, leading to smoother movement,
- the body is aligned in a straight line, leading to less strain on the neck,
- proper body and mind control leads to a more stable, faster pace,
- all of the above benefits mean faster times without overexerting oneself.
I am a graduate in Managerial Economics as well as Finance and Accounting, with a specialization in Marketing. Since 2018, I have been working as a Copywriter at Balanced Body, where I create marketing content for the fitness and Pilates industries. One of my particular strengths is translating complex topics into accessible language and accurately analyzing the needs of target audiences. Outside of work, I am passionate about fire shows and volleyball, which helps me better understand the needs of physically active people.