Stretch Your Gym Workout

By Nicole Kwan

Postures that will boost stamina and help your body recover

Your Sport: Swimming

If you think gliding through the pool will keep you in the injury-free waters, think again. “Even though swimming is non-impact, you’re still doing quick repetitive movements that create imbalance,” says Argie Tang, founder of Yoga for Athletes in Colorado and former yoga instructor to Olympian Mark Spitz. The forward motion of most strokes can lead to a hunch in your upper back while the basic kicking motion can overwork your front, back, and outer leg without working the inner thigh. Use these yoga moves to take the flow out of the pool to give you more room to breath, open up your shoulders, and strengthen your gams.

Prep Pose: Extended Side Angle

Stand in Warrior II. Bring your right hand down to the inside of your right foot and extend your left arm forward. Rotate your left arm by pulling your shoulder onto your back as though you are tucking your shoulder blade into your back. Lift your left hand so you lift your arm while keeping your shoulder externally rotated, lengthening up and over your head. Open your chest by turning from the bottom of your waist to separate your ribs and top of your hip.

Look up at your fingertips. Make sure you don’t collapse on the right side of your waist by pulling up and away from your hips. It might be helpful to use a block under your right fingertips, directly under your shoulder. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths. By stretching to the side you’re bringing length to the obliques and separating your hips and pelvis from your ribcage. Creating space in your diaphragm will allow the lungs to have more room to function efficiently before a swim.

Post Pose: Wall Clock

Stand with your right side aligned with a wall and your feet hip width apart, parallel. Bring your right arm up so your palm touches the wall above your head. Hold your left hand lightly on your right lower ribs to remind yourself to move from your shoulders. “The tendency is to move from the lower back, which pressures kidneys,” Safadirazieli says. Now, imagine your right hand as a clock hand, bringing it from 12 o’clock to 1 o’clock, holding for 5 breaths. Repeat for 2 o’clock. When you reach 3 o’clock, press your palms firmly against the wall to connect to your shoulder blades and encourage your chest to open up from swimming’s forward motion.

This move is also good for preparing for backstroke, Safadirazieli says. For a deeper stretch turn your palm to face up, building the external rotation in your arm and opening up your pecs and chest. Bring your hand down behind you and switch sides.

Post Pose: Bridge Pose Pulse

Lie on your back with your knees bent, heels close to your butt, and feet parallel, shoulder distance apart. Place a block or pillow between your knees. Push yourself up so your back is arched and your head remains on the ground. Rock your upper body side to side slightly so you can interlace your fingers and place them on the ground beneath your lower back. Straighten your arms and squeeze your shoulders together. On your exhale, squeeze your butt and lift your pelvis up and hips as far as you can. On your inhale, release to your beginning bridge. Repeat this motion for 25 breaths. The pulsing movement will open your upper body by stretching your pectoralis major and anterior deltoids while stretching your hip flexors. It also takes the strain off your lower back due to swimming by strengthening your butt to support the repetitive kicking of your legs. By using a block and strengthening your inner thighs, you create a balance of strength through your upper legs, instead of solely relying on your hamstrings and quads, as many swimmers do, Tang says. To release, raise up to your tiptoes and slowly roll your spine down to the floor.

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