There are certain aspects of a swimmer’s body that have negative effects for athletes on land. Competitive swimming can lead to poor posture, hyperextension, inability to absorb shock, loose ankles, and over or under-developed muscle groups. Check out this article to learn more about the five most common idiosyncrasies aquatic athletes face. Strength and dryland training for swimmers can mitigate the negative effects of these issues. 

Competitive swimming is compatible with a wide variety of body types. There are, however, certain characteristics of a swimmer’s body that are common to most athletes in the sport. How different muscle groups over or under-develop in response to swimming can have a dramatic impact on how well the athlete moves on land. This article defines the five most common idiosyncrasies aquatic athletes face. To learn how to prepare for championship swimming season check out this article. 

Aquatic sports tend to be categorized as unique in both their training methods and physiological demands on the athlete. Swimming, for example, places athletes in a buoyant environment that greatly affects their body awareness. Coordination in the water and coordination on land are incredibly different skills that require different training methods to develop. How, then, can swimming training benefit the football, baseball, or soccer player? Here are four key reasons why swimming can benefit land-based athletes:

The BridgeAthletic Building Block Series is a set of 5 exercises that can be performed by water polo players of all levels on the pool deck.

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is common for all athletes and is caused after performing high-intensity unaccustomed exercises. More specifically, it is due to the high intensity eccentric (lengthening) contractions during these exercises. Eccentric contractions in unprepared muscles can cause micro traumas to the muscle that result in soreness. DOMS tend to concentrate at muscle-tendon junctions due to the high concentration of muscle pain receptors at these myotendinous junctions. An athlete's body responds to this damaged muscle tissue by swelling and causing muscles to feel tender. 

Recovery is an important process to implement in training programs for athletes at all levels in order to prevent injury, reduce fatigue, and enhance athletic performance. Immediately after a practice or competition, athletes should actively cool-down and recover using certain methods. All recovery techniques are valuable for athletes at any level, however there are some unique methods that should be emphasized at the collegiate level. Intense college training demands more specific recovery methods. As athletes shift from high school to college, heavy weight training becomes a top priority to enhance athletic performance. Athlete recovery at this stage should focus on repairing muscles.

Muscle soreness is a familiar and dreaded companion for competitive athletes in training. Ice baths, also known as cold water immersion or cold water therapy, can be an effective recovery method to flush out lactic acid, diminish muscle soreness, and leave athletes feeling fresh for their next training session. This recovery method is common amongst collegiate and professional athletes across a variety of sports.

Athletes are regularly pushing their body to the limit with intense training and competition. After practice athletes must re-fuel their body and incorporate a variety of recovery methods. Below is a list of five specific recovery tips that athletes can do in their daily routine that will help accelerate recovery and enhance athletic training. 

Recovery is an important process to implement in training programs for athletes at all levels in order to prevent injury, reduce fatigue, and enhance athletic performance. Immediately after a practice or competition, athletes should actively cool-down and recover using certain methods. All recovery techniques are valuable for athletes at any level, however there are some unique methods that should be emphasized at the youth level.