Swimmers: Want to Get Stronger, Fitter, and Faster and Avoid Injury?
Building Core Strength is Key - But Only If You Do It Effectively.
As endurance athletes, the repetitive nature of our sports puts us at risk of excessive wear and tear on the body.
๐ Low back pain. From hours sitting, to the compressive nature of endurance sports, our low backs take the brunt of so much force. Finding, and strengthening our deep core stabilizers is key for long term success in the pool, and in the most challenging endurance event: life!
๐ Shoulder "stuff". Posture and shoulder range of motion are inextricably linked. A strong core is about strengthening the muscles that support your spine, which in turn, sets your shoulders up for optimal range of motion.
๐ Plateaued fitness. Too much of a good thing is such a thing! When we only prioritize our swim, bike, or run workouts, without supporting our body with strength work, we end up eventually slowing down, or even sidelined by injury.
๐ Lack of mobility. The hours we spend flexed froward on the bike, running, and/or swimming takes a toll on our mobility because we're moving in ONE direction, on the same plane ALL THE TIME. Want to be able to reach for that Ironman trophy on the shelf, or turn your head when you're older? These "little things" eventually become inaccessible if we don't constantly work on our mobility.
Most people wait until they are in some sort of pain before they make core strength a priority.
And that's like waiting until your car breaks down to change the oil. A little bit of preventative maintenance goes a long way.
But here's the problem...
Most of us struggle to actually strengthen our core, even if we're doing all the stuff.
Why is that?
It's because our core muscles go deeper than that "six-pack" muscle, and to access these muscles we've got to create a mind-body connection. If you've ever been doing "core exercises" and found yourself A) not knowing if you were doing them correctly, B) feeling it it all the wrong places (hip flexors, low back, neck), or C) not seen the payoff, here's why:
Believe it or not, the strongest athletes have the toughest time connecting to their core: because they have bigger, bossier muscles which will gladly do the work, and they have a really good ability to disconnect from their bodies, and operate on auto-pilot when things get tough.
But the thing is, if we want to strengthen our core effectively, we can't tune out and just go.
Once we create a mind-body connection so that we know what muscles should be working, we need to activate these muscles through our breath (yes, your core muscles are also breathing muscles!).
That is, if we want to effectively strengthen our core, we've got to 1) connect our mind to our body, and 2) connect our movement to our breath. If we don't, we're just wasting time.
Learn How to Strengthen Your Core Without Wasting Time
I'll be teaching a Iive workshop just for NBA swimmers at Redwood High School so that you can confidently know how to strengthen your core - so that you can be strong enough to keep swimming for years to come.ย ย
I'll teach you:
-What your core is (nope, not just that six-pack muscle).
-How to find and activate these muscles so that you're not wasting time wondering, "am I doing this right?".
-Whyย certain cues like "brace your core" aren't effective, and what to do instead.
-Which five exercises you need to know, and how to do themย effectively (nope, not just crunches and planks).
-That building a strong core isn't about doing MORE, BETTER, FASTER...but actually learning how to slow down and do LESS, better.
WHEN:
Saturday July 22, 9:30 am
Or
Sunday July 23, 9:30 am
WHERE:
Redwood High School Wrestling Room (behind the pool)
DETAILS:
*Only 20 spots available per date*
*Bring a dry towel or mat*
*Come dry (no wet clothes or towels in the room)*
*Don't come hungry (you'll want some brain power)*
Whether you swim in lane 1 or lane 16, whether you're a Pilates enthusiast or a total newbie, there will be something for everyone to learn.
Been there, done that. So you don't have to.
In case we haven't met, I'm Alexis and here's a little backstory. At the age of 29, after running my first half-marathon, I was sidelined with a painful low back injury (the kind I thought only happened to people twice my age).
Once I eventually got better, I became an obsessed cyclist, ignoring everything else. And then I found myself back in a familiar place: back spasms, neck pain, tight hip flexors...
Looking for variety, I turned to swimming, and then came the "shoulder stuff"...
Can you see a pattern here?
I learned the hard way that I needed to be doing something other than running/cycling/swimming to support my body for the long haul.
Once I committed myself to regular core strength and mobility work, I was able to resume my beloved long rides on weekends, survive long swim sets, and take on legendary climbs from Patagonia to the Alps - pain free.
But...I didn't get stronger by doing a bunch of sit-ups and crunches. A strong core is not about having chiseled six-pack.
To strengthen your core, you've got to go deeper and find muscles that you might not even know you have!
With over a decade of experience as a Pilates instructor and trainer, and learning too many lessons the hard way, I've crafted a method of teaching in order to help endurance athletes connect to their core in a powerful and efficient way.
Hey there, I'm Alexis.
I'm passionate about a few things: cycling, swimming, core strength, wellness (and my dog!).
I'm a certified Pilates instructor and NASM certified personal trainer. I believe in the power of a mind-body connection, and taking control of one's physical well-being in order to live a robust, colorful life.
This is for you if you want...
Clarity! Stop wondering: 'Am I doing this right?' Or, 'Where should I be feeling this?'. Learn how to connect your mind to your body and your movement to your breath in so that you will actually get stronger. Imagine finishing a workout without wondering if you did it correctly, or if you are actually getting stronger.
Strength! Get stronger without wasting time. I’ll teach you my method, based on quality, not quantity so you can make the most out of your time, and get back to the sports that you love to do. As endurance athletes, we need to be specific when it comes to strength work. I will teach you how to strengthen the muscles that support the most important part of your body: your spine - so that you can feel stable, powerful, and ready to take on any challenge.
Longevity! Build strength for sports, and every aspect of your life for years to come. A newfound way of working your core will transform your life in and out of the pool by increasing your muscular endurance where it matters most: your core. When it comes to endurance sports, what's more important than the health and fitness of our bodies?