During a kick, plantar flexibility assists swimmers with kicking out a stronger and quicker motion. Limited plantar flexibility is something that develops over the life of an elite or seasoned swimmer, and it can be achieved with youth swimmers, too. Swimmers with limited plantar flexibility can add exercises to their training regimen to get the desired movement and flexibility that masters swimmers have achieved. Rolling a baseball under the foot works on the baby feet musculature which becomes tight and often cramps in the pool.
This area is also highly dense with vascular structures arteries, veins, nerves which may limit ankle range of motion if restricted.
Continuing the soft tissue work on the ankle, performing SMR on the everters specifically the peroneal muscles can help ankle pointing.
Although these muscles primary job is to turn the feet away from the centerline, they also help raise the toes. Therefore, if they are overworked and tight like they are in many swimmers, especially you breaststrokers , then performing some SMR will magically improve your ability to point your toes!
Everyone is familiar with static stretching, but not many perform dynamic stretching of the ankle muscles. Dynamic stretching is a helpful tool for increasing range of motion and is great as it can also warm up the muscle. This combination makes it a great dynamic warm-up addition! In overused joints, the capsule the structures surrounding the joint can become tense. In these scenarios, a distraction improves the mobility and range of motion.
Soft tissue work — Think of soft tissue work as greasing the wheels for subsequent exercise interventions to take hold. Combine soft tissue work with exercise for the greatest improvements.
Special considerations regarding soft tissue work: The lower leg houses many key nerves but offers less superficial protection than fleshier areas of the body. The common peroneal nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve, which originates in the lower back and runs down the back of the leg before branching off at the fibular head.
How we train the core and posterior chain can directly affect the ankles. Static stretches — Static stretching is perhaps the most familiar dryland tool to improve ankle mobility.
In my experience, static stretches are effective to gain a few extra degrees in a swimmer who already has good mobility. If a swimmer has a range of motion deficit, you probably need more than static stretching because the lack of mobility could be a sign of global issues, as we discussed in the first installment.
Additionally, there are delicate structures in and around the ankle that inherently limit the plantar flexion of certain individuals. Many swimmers cringe at the sight of The Rack. When used correctly on athletes who already possess an acceptable range of motion, The Rack can add a few degrees of plantar flexion.
However, spending a significant time with The Rack is generally a waste of time for a triathlete or masters swimmer whose tight ankles are a product of global mobility restrictions. While these pictures below display use of a theraband, you can also use a rope or your own hand for different types of resistance or assistance. Resisted: Make sure with this exercise that the athlete does not cheat by curling the toes around the band.
Ankle eversion is critical for breaststroke. Those with limited plantar flexion often struggle with eversion as well. Could improving your ankle mobility be the solution to all of your problems? Probably not, but it will help you become a better swimmer May 03rd, News , Training , Yoga for Swimming. Probably not, but it will help you develop a stronger kick and a better body position in the water.
Or why it is so difficult for you to keep your legs at the surface even when the rest of your body is in the right position? By optimizing the range of motion in your ankles you will improve your kicking speed, have the ability to produce more power off your starts and turns and improve your overall body position. Joint mobility and muscle flexibility at the ankle play a vital role in the mechanics needed for a proper swim kick.
A lack of plantarflexion, or the ability to point foot and toes downward, makes ankles act as anchors. Your ankle may be lacking in plantarflexion for a few reasons: One could be due to poor mobility through the ankle joint. Another could be lack of tissue length and flexibility of the gastrocnemius and soleus—collectively known as the calf muscles. Compared to other muscles, the gastrocnemius has a larger than normal amount of Type II fast-twitch muscle fibers, meaning the muscle is most efficient for short, anaerobic efforts.
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