Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Recovery Snow Day!


Not as much of a snow, as an Ice day: A good 3 inches of ice and snow. I finally got to swim with my arms today! The past two weeks I've been primarily kicking and using complete underwater pulls to minimize my shoulder strain. After a while of being in the water, I've discovered I've been using my back muscles too much (hyper extension of the abs). What I've realized is I need to engage my abs more consciously from now on. My quads are usually overused. Why? When the abs are engaged you swim, bike, and run more efficiently by using the correct muscle groups. (While Running with engaged abs, you use more of your hams and gluts, instead of primarily using your quads for support and calves for propulsion.) The same is true with swimming, with your abs engaged you work with your stability muscles (kicking) and propulsion muscles (lats) to glide more efficiently through the water. Works out well, doesn't it?

Today's Workout

Morning
1 Hour Recovery Bike - 120 BPM

Evening
1 Hour Swim
Lots of Front and Back Kicking
10 x 20yd @ 30
2 x 100 yd @ 1:20
All Body Stretch
3 x 25 Pushups

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