I’ve been working on my in-water posture for more than a year. For in-water posture, I practice what I call Neutral position: long neck, tummy tight, low back flat, arms over head with shoulders back and down – I try to spend some amount of time in this position every time I’m in the water. I believe this work has helped tremendously with eliminating low back pain on long swims. If this is something that you have faced, check your core engagement!
But that’s not enough.
Better posture in the water, starts out of the water. This is part one of a four part series covering the basics of efficient swimming.
In my Fitness Focus post, I mentioned some of the things that I’m working on in 2020. I mentioned it third, but I would suggest that, first and foremost, I’m working on my posture… thus the POSTURE PROJECT (read with booming, echo-y voice) has commenced.
This is the first tenant of efficient swimming: Posture.
In part, we want good posture to stay on top of the water and not drag our body through the water as we’re trying to progress forward. Notice the difference in posture in the top picture versus the bottom picture.
This difference in posture comes from engaging the core (tighten tummy), tilting your pelvis back (flatten low back), and bringing your shoulders back and down.
But we also want to quickly snap from one side to the other. Think about it: if you’re a noodle in the water, the transition from one side to the other isn’t nearly as effective as if you’re a board, from your head to your tail bone.
In working on my out of water posture, for starters, I try to catch myself slumping and immediately: tighten tummy, flatten low back, shoulders back and down. I think about it when I’m:
…doing dishes
…driving
…walking the dog
…folding the laundry
…sitting at a table/desk – this I a big one for me!
…playing with my boys
Inevitably, I tighten my tummy and realize my low back is arched, and my shoulders are sneaking up to my ears!
Tighten tummy, flatten low back, shoulders back and down.
Another activity that I’m engaging in to bring awareness to my posture is yoga. This week I’m attending a yoga retreat in Playa Chacala, Mexico. I couldn’t be more thrilled with how much focus has been on correct posture and proper technique—just like in swimming! So far I have been able to bridge this into impromptu swimming classes where we focus on floating (posture), and feeling the water.
It’s a fantastic marriage: yoga and swimming. After yoga, meditation, and a delicious, local, organic breakfast we digest for a bit then swim down the bay and back. A short, but adequate swim amid the relaxing that is called for in a place like this.
I expect more to come from this marriage of yoga and swimming, stay tuned!