Building a Strong Body

There is a lot more to being good at any given sport than just having a strong body.  But of course, those other topics are for other articles.  In this one, we are going to talk about how you can go from wherever you happen to be right now (and it is all right if you are a little less than mighty, or even an absolute wimp) to where you want to be.  Even Hercules had to train himself, to become the strongest man in the world.  And if the sons of Greek gods have to do it, you do, too.  You can train for strength using weights, yoga and pilates, standard calisthenics, and through cardio.  They all have their place, if you want to build a well rounded, powerfully muscles athletic machine.

First off, not everybody who is very strong lifts weights.  You can develop a lot of power and stamina through calisthenics and other bodyweight centered exercises.  While you can train yourself in a lot of unusual angles if you add weights into the mixture, they are not critical.  But you are going to need to push (and pull) yourself through a lot of movements, if you are going to develop your muscles and joints into what they are going to need to be for a solid athletic performance.

Naturally, yoga and pilates are great ways to condition your muscles into solid, flexible powerhouses (yes, that is a pilates joke).  But when you do more traditional calisthenics like pushups, pullups and squats, you can condition yourself for greater stamina and power.  Just remember that to keep your cardiovascular endurance up to where it has to be, you need to cross train, too.  Swimming, biking and running are all great ways to do that, as well as skipping rope.  Basically, anything that forces you to push yourself out of your comfort zone is going to cause you get stronger.  Just keep pushing the envelope.

Filed Under: Excercises, Fitness Tagged With: ,

Intervals versus distance swimming

A common question from aspiring swimmers seems to be “Which is better, distance swimming or intervals?” For those who don’t know, intervals involve what essentially amounts to sprinting in the water, alternating with slower rest periods.

And like a lot of questions the answer is, “That depends.”

That depends on whether the swimmer in questions is working on endurance, speed or just trying to perfect their technique. Taking these out of order it’s important to emphasize how critical technique really is. Not having a specific stroke down just right can not only hamper swimming performance, it can lead to more serious shoulder injuries.

So a good first step is having someone who knows what they are talking about watch you swim. Once a swimmer feels confident they are making the motions correctly, it’s safe to jump off a little and work on endurance and speed.

The remaining answer between those two goals is pretty straight forward and mirrors what a runner might do on land. Marathon runners who are training for a 26-mile race will probably run long distances at a steady, maintainable pace. The same is true for swimmers. Endurance swimming will be great for trimming off unwanted fat and improving cardiovascular stamina.

On the other hand sprinters on land will train by running shorter distances at full speed. This type of explosive action will develop muscle in a different manner than distance running. The same is true for swimming. Training by swimming intervals, or essentially sprinting shorter distances in the water will build more muscle mass and make for an overall faster swimmer.

In the end a combination of the two types of training are ideal for most swimmers. Whether someone is training to swim competitively or just trying to get in better shape, using these two training methods together will undoubtedly yield results.

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Stretching and swimming

Like all athletic past times and exercises proper stretching of all the muscle groups is a must. Aside from playing a major factor in preventing injuries like strains and pulled muscles, proper stretching can also improve muscle growth.

For swimming there are a few key stretches to consider. It’s important to properly warm up shoulders and arms, as those are the two areas where swimmers are most likely to experience some sort of injury.

The key to good stretching is flexibility. One basic stretch for warming up before entering the pool is to reach upward with each arm alternately, pressing the ear flat and reaching as high as possible. A good thing to keep in mind here is a nice, straight line. It might be tempting to pull or lean forward, but it’s key to maintain a nice, 180 degree line from your heels to your finger tips.

Another good stretch for improving flexibility is the bridge. By bridging your back upward off the ground, you can bring your shoulders in line with your head. If you can’t straighten your legs at first, that’s normal. Try elevating your feet by placing them on the couch or a stack of gym mats.

There are also a number of yoga poses which will help with flexibility and with stretching over all, so it’s worth the time to learn a few basics. A beginner’s yoga reference guide will have some good places to start.

In the end a lot of the traditional arm stretches are going to be good for warming up. Pulling your arm across your chest and stretching the deltoids; pulling your elbow behind your back; locking your arms behind your back and pulling up toward your head.

Just remember, the key is to feel a warm, stretching sensation. If you are feeling acute pain then you are doing it wrong, or need to warm up more slowly.

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Fancy a Dip?

Collage of varius Gray's muscle pictures by Mi...
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Step aside, yoga, there’s another way to increase physical fitness and boost your mental health: Swimming.
For years, swimming has been touted as an excellent form of exercise, and for a multitude of reasons. It’s low impact, so it’s easy on the muscle, bones and joints, which makes it an activity that people of all ages can take part in. And because you’re in water, the risk of an exercise-related injury is far lower than the injury risks associated with other activities such as running, walking and biking.
But the benefits don’t stop there. Since the water provides natural resistance—it’s actually 12 times more resistant than air—those who swim can enjoy some serious calorie burning benefits, and depending on your weight and the intensity of your swimming, you can blast more calories in one hour of swimming than what you would normally burn in an hour at the gym.  And while you’re burning calories, you can also enjoy improvements in your endurance, flexibility, cardiovascular health and strength (lean muscle mass).
Body and Mind
That’s not to mention the mental benefits of taking a few laps around the pool. Studies have shown that swimming forces you to focus on regulating your breathing, which ultimately leads to relaxation and a meditative state. The sensation of weightlessness and floating adds to the overall relaxed feeling, and most swimmers agree that a dip in the water usually leaves them feeling relaxed and refreshed.
With all of these benefits, it’s no wonder that researchers began to study the effects of swimming on aging, and in their research, there have been some significant findings that suggest that regular swimming can slow the aging process and actually prolong life. Now there’s a great reason to hop into the pool.
One study conducted in 2009 by researchers at the University of Indiana found that the physiological markers associated with aging were slowed dramatically (up to 20%) among study participants who swam regularly. Additional findings revealed a positive correlation between swimming and increased respiration, muscle mass, bone density, cardiovascular activity and neurological function, further supporting findings that swimming significantly benefits your overall health.
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