Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Dr. John Mullen”
Hyperoxic Recovery in Elite Swimmers Oxygen is essential for recovery and breathing more frequently is believed to improve endurance capacity. In swimming, repeated exercise bouts are typically performed in meets and practice requiring a lot of oxygen for recovery. Hyperoxia (respiration of air containing a higher partial pressure of oxygen than regular air) enhances the level of arterial hemoglobin saturation …
You look up, see your time on the clock and even before the disappointment grabs hold of you, that little voice in your head starts revving up. At first, it’s just mostly shocking related, “Are you kidding me?!!!” “I thought for sure that I had gone so much faster!” However, once the reality of yet another slow swim sets in, …
Bobbing up and down on a kickboard while pushing through a 1,000-yard kick set is common on most swim teams. Unfortunately, the kickboard provides a base of stability for the arms and core which is not present during swimming. Moreover, a board allows an athlete to use a pivot to propel themselves forward via the spiral line described by Thomas …
We’ve discussed low back instability in swimmers before, but the flaws and ecclesiastic teachings surrounding stretching and mobility are immense. First of all, let’s break down some terminology. Stretching is a mode to improve mobility. Mobility and flexibility are closer in terminology but slightly different. By definition: Flexibility is the property of being flexible; easily bent or shaped. Mobility is …
Inflammation is the first stage of any musculoskeletal injury. This process involves infiltration of many inflammatory signaling cells (cytokines). If irritation continues, then inflammation will not subside. Therefore, it is essential to improve inflammation as soon as possible. Once inflammation resolves, assessing muscle length, strength, and timing is essential. In some cases, inflammation surrounds the joint, in other cases, the …
A swim race is broken down into a start, turn, and free swimming phases. Although shorter, the start and turn are vital aspects of the race, especially races of shorter distances. Practicing the start and turn can improve ~0.1 seconds per phase, a large sum in longer races. The easiest method for measuring start and turn performance is to measure speed and …
One of the biggest upsets at the 2017 Men’s NCAA Swimming Championships was Caeleb Dressel defeating Joseph Schooling in the 100-yard butterfly. Not only was the win an upset, but his time was astonishing and his race plan is out-of-this-world. Dressel, America’s most dominant yards sprinter, did not beat the defending Olympic Gold Medalist with his blistering early speed. He …