Swimming Muscle Groups that Make It Possible

1
SwimmingMuscle Groups that Make It Possible

• Veronica Butenko
• Alice Hobbs
• Kristina Kirchgessner
• Jordan Rosen
• 4th Period

2
Muscles Used

• If the swimmer uses proper technique and form,
  nearly every muscle in his or her body will be
  used.

3
Muscle Group Abdominals

• No matter what stroke a swimmer does, the core
  muscle group must always be engaged to insure
  proper form.
• The muscles are
• Pectoralis major (origin sternum insertion
  humerus
• Rectus Abdominis (origin pubis insertion ribs)
• External and Internal Obliques (origin lower 7
  ribs and lumbar spine insertion ilium and
  pubis)
• Transverse Abdominis (origin rectus sheath
  insertion lumbar spine and lower ribs)

4
Muscle Group Head and Neck

• Proper head and neck position determine the
  efficiency of the swimmers performance if the
  head is lifted, the hips drop creating additional
  drag and thus slowing down the swimmer.
• While nearly all the muscles in the head are
  involved in swimming, the most important are the
  Trapezius (origin back of skull and vertebrae
  insertion scapula and clavicle) and the
  Sternocleidomastoid (origin sternum and
  clavical insertion skull).

5
Muscle Group Upper Extremities

• Without the use of the muscles in the arm,
  stroke swimming would not be possible.
• Most important
• Biceps (origin scapula and clavicle insertion
  radius) and Triceps (origin humerus insertion
  ulna)- pull the water past the swimmer.
• Deltoids (origin clavicle and scapula
  insertion humerus) and Brachioradialis (origin
  humerus insertion radius)- stabilize the arm
  during the stroke.

6
Muscle Group Lower Extremities

• The muscles in the legs are very important in
  competitive swimming. These muscles give the
  swimmer a great amount of momentum as he or she
  dives off the blocks and as he or she pushes off
  of the wall in a flip/ open turn.
• Key Muscles
• Gluteals (origin Ilium insertion femur)
• Hamstrings (origin pelvis insertion tibia)
• Quadriceps- multiple muscles (origin femur and
  pelvis insertion fibula and tibia)
• Gastrocnemius (origin femur insertion heel)

7
Joints, Tendons and Ligaments

• Swimming is one of the best sports to do for
  ones joints- keeps the joints flexible (i.e.
  ligaments are kept limber) and little impact is
  put on the joints and bones.
• Improper Technique, however, can lead to
  tendonitis (inflammation of the tendon),
  especially in the shoulder.