3 Ways to do a Shoulder Safe Swimming Workout

Swimming Training is courtesy of FINIS, a SwimSwam partner. Featured Image: Olympic Champion Anthony Ervin.

1. Drill Early, Drill Often

Practicing proper technique is arguably the number one measure you can take to prevent or recover from an overuse injury. To avoid technique that can aggravate an injury, be sure to warm-up with 3-5 drills before every workout. Drilling at the beginning of a workout forces you to focus on proper technique throughout the entire practice, rather than at the end of a workout when you may have already caused undue damage or pain.

2. Use Equipment

Fortunately, there are a lot of tools on that market that can help promote proper shoulder alignment and in turn, prevent or reduce pain during a workout. The Alignment Kickboard is a perfect example of such a product. The Alignment Kickboard has a hydrodynamic design that improves streamline and body position. By incorporating a stabilizing hand strap, you can control the board without gripping, creating a perfect alignment and less pressure on the shoulders.

3. Listen to Your Body

Last, but certainly not least, always listen to your body. The best athletes in the world know when to push their bodies in times of discomfort, but they are also wise enough when to know when to hold back. If you have persisting shoulder pain that doesn’t go away after warm-up or stretching, play it safe and focus on other skills that give your arms a break eg. kicking or dryland exercises.

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