SwimmingBall

Last Updated on Monday, 23 May 2011 14:45 Written by Administrator Friday, 25 February 2011 10:07

Swiss Ball Exercises for Swimming
 

• Safely done with physiotherapeutic feedback
• The aim is to maintain and increase trunk stability, therefore the bridging position may need to be held as long as the particular swimming discipline takes
• Engage lateral breathing of the lower chest wall, as this will allow the diaphragm to reach it's full potential and enable the transverse abdominis to work synchronously as a low back stabiliser.  Recently, it has been proposed that lateral breathing can increase soft tissue compliance as well as improve blood flow to areas being stretched and exercised.  Therefore, an aim of the Swiss Ball exercises may be to increase thoracic spine mobility.
• Importantly, therapeutic exercise may need to be performed prior to a Swiss Ball regime, as the global mobilising muscles should not take on the role of tonic stabilisers.  The role of tonic stabilisation should be confined to the deep hip and back muscles.  Hence, an aim of the Swiss Ball regime may be to increase the efficiency of the global muscles by teaching them how to switch on and off. Ideally, recruitment of the global muscles for endurance training should be below 70%MVC.  If the subject recruits too much then the relaxation time will increase, which will then alter the timing of contraction between all the muscles.

Good form is critical to performance.  The deep stabilisers (eg transverse abdominis, iliacus, medial psoas major, piriformis, obturators) are low threshold endurance muscles that are recruited at 10-20%MVC.  Control in a more stable configuration needs to be achieved before there is progression to the Swiss Ball.

to other Swiss Ball and Hydrotherapy exercises

Last update : 22 July 2006