Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Allan Phillips”
Take home points1) Races and time trials are valid measurements of fitness, comparable to physiological testing protocols2) A combination of different swim tests is desirable as swimmers have different strengths and weaknesses3) Testing conditions should always be repeatable to ensure reliability Many swim tests are commonly used to assess fitness, whether to set a baseline, measure progress, or establish training …
1) Swimmers posture can heighten injury risk2) Stroke mechanics may be implicated by swimmers posture3) Swimmers posture can affect both land and water strength We all know what swimmers posture looks like but how can we actually describe it? Characteristics include forward head, rounded upper spine (kyphosis), elevated and protracted scapulae, anteriorly positioned humeral head, highly developed upper trapezius, and …
Take Home Points on Burnout In Swim Coaches Burnout among coaches is a “brain drain” on the sport. Athletes may suffer if coaches are burned out. Understanding causes of burnout are critical for long-term development and retention of coaches. Burnout is a common but unfortunate topic in the swimming community. (Why do Young Swimmers Burnout? and How to Prevent Swimming Burnout) Many …
Swimming thrives on a “survivalist” culture. Those who survive to senior age group, college, or professional swimming have emerged via survival-of-the-fittest. But many swimmers voluntarily drop out years before they’re cut from a higher level. I don’t have any statistics comparing swim dropout rates to other sports, but there’s no doubt that early dropouts can be problematic for all levels. …
Background on Knee Pain in Swimming Knee pain for during breaststroke is one of the most common occupational hazards in the sport, both for breaststroke specialists and non-specialists, with 3 out of every 4 swimmers reporting breaststroke knee pain. The volume demands tax all swimmers, as even the non-breaststroke specialists will take thousands of breaststroke kick cycles per year. The …
Take Home Points on Hypermobility and Swimming Clinical hypermobility is different than “being very flexible” Extreme flexibility and movement instability often coexist. Never allow self-proclaimed hypermobility to serve as an excuse for poor body control. Hypermobility is a term often thrown around the pool deck and other training venues. Many will self-proclaim themselves as hypermobile, either to show off circus tricks …
Background on Ankle Swimming Flexibility Improving ankle mobility in freestyle, backstroke, and the butterfly is often vexing for both swimmers and coaches. Some swimmers appear naturally blessed with mobile ankles. Others work madly to force plantar flexion (toes pointed down) but make little progress. Although plantar flexion and dorsiflexion (toes pointed up) are both needed for dynamic ankle mobility in …
Ankle mobility and flexibility is one of the holy grails of swimming body contortions. For some, it comes easy, while for others, it is more work. Fortunately, we’re here to offer a systematic approach as most tend to address it in a scattershot manner. To start, we’ll steal from other disciplines such as dance, whose culture is seen to be …
The swim streamline is a simple, yet often overlooked part of swimming at all levels. With the youngest swimmers, a good streamline is a foundation for teaching more advanced skills in body position and proprioception in the water. As the swimmer advances, the streamline becomes a critical fundamental factor competitively. Many swimmers and coaches skip the first and most important …
Take home points The urge to breathe when subsurface is often driven by hypercapnia (buildup of CO2) along with hypoxia (insufficient O2) Breath control strategies are not equivalent Any benefits should be weighed against safety and potential decrease in swimming velocity. Breath control sets are a longtime staple in many swimming programs, with many swimmers fostering a love-hate (or just …