Ben Pakulski: Learn HOW TO Build Your CHEST MUSCLES Completely

For those masters level athletes that are already in the gym, here is a very simple explanation on how to safely build your chest muscles with the dumb bell bench press exercise.  Typically, we see a lot of older athletes doing the same routine, lifting the same weight all the time without progress, and limiting the variety of pressing angles or altering the position of the ribcage to the pelvis (arching the back).

Here's some simple thoughts on using coach Ben's suggestions;

• Start with a light weight, this allows you focus on stabilization of the trunk and correct line of press.
• Pack the shoulder blades back, down and around to connect to the abdominals
• Keep bottom of the sternum down, expire your air out completely, and lightly brace your abdominals
• Keep the tongue pressing into the roof of the mouth and breathe through your nose (helps with abdominal wall activation)
• Rest 30 seconds between sets 
• Integrate this routine into your training twice a week

Summary:  In the aging athlete, sarcopenia or age-related muscle loss is a real problem, and poses an impact both on injury and athletic performance.  I am not suggesting here that we abandon functional training and go back to a body building model, but we do need to preserve or develop muscles in key areas of the body that are necessary to maintain healthy movement at the shoulders, core and hips (four corners).    Source: http://youtu.be/3-LYb2Qz9VY

Brett J. Lemire, DC CSCS, founder of Universal Chiropractic Spine & Sport in Elk Grove.  Dr. Brett is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, has been trained in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) according to Kolar.  He has taken numerous post-graduate courses with some of the world’s leading authorities in Manual Medicine, Spine and Sports Rehabilitation techniques.  You can contract Dr. Lemire at 916-683-3900.

Descending Pyramid Sprint Workout - No. 1

By Lee Parkhurst, LCRC Masters Swim Coach

Before hitting the water, prepare for the swim training set by limbering, stretching, foam rolling and activating your core muscles.  

Perform the following sequence 5-10 minutes before entering the water for your workout.

• Pre-swim limbering & core routine;
• Cat-camel, rotatory cat hi & lo, Childs pose
• Foam roller - shoulders, mid-thoracic spine, hips, IT bands, triceps, lats
• Foam roller - long axis YTWA's with neck rotation
• Stretching - Bretzel, 6-in-1 Dynamic warm-up
• Core - 90/90, side-roll to low oblique, high oblique 

dcsportsdoc.blogspot.com/2013/10/5-simple-pre-swim-warm-up-movements

Coach Lee's workout:

Warm up: 400 swim easy and limber, 50 breast - connect to your pull and kick, 50 back - connect to posture, line and balance

Drill, swim & kick:  3 X 300  (50 drill, 50 swim, 100 Kick, 50 drill, 50 swim)

• Drill - 6 kick switch with high elbow recovery; focus on posture, line and balance 
• Kick - dolphin kick on your back odd laps, flutter kick even laps; focus solid streamline and keep kick behind the hips (in the bucket); work upbeat equally with the down beat; kick from the hips
• Swim - maintain body rotation in freestyle up to 30-40 degrees, stack the shoulders with a high elbow recovery; arm entry on position 11; control posture, line and balance during the swim

Main set:

1. 1st Part (Build each 50 for time) Swim a 300,200,100 on 30 seconds rest between 300 & 200 / 20 seconds rest between 200 & 100; then 1 minute rest between the 2nd part of the set.
2. 2nd Part (FAST for time) - Swim a 200, 100, 50 with 45 seconds rest between; each swim is for time.     

Cool down: 300 pull focus on maximum distance per stroke, 200 swim maximum distance per stroke

Total yardage – 2,850

Conclusion:  This is a good workout for building a little middle distance endurance-speed in your swims, but not too much yardage in the processs.  Enjoy!

___________________________________________________________________

Brett J. Lemire, DC CSCS, founder of Universal Chiropractic Spine & Sport in Elk Grove.  Dr. Brett is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, has been trained in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) according to Kolar.  He has taken numerous post-graduate courses with some of the world’s leading authorities in Manual Medicine, Spine and Sports Rehabilitation techniques.  You can contract Dr. Lemire at 916-683-3900.

10 X 100 (2X50) Plus Complex Training (TNT)

10 X 100 (2X50) Plus Complex Training (TNT)

This workout focuses on anaerobic threshold training coupled with complex training between swim-sets for that extra-fitness boost.

Before hitting the water,  prepare for the demanding swim set by limbering, stretching, foam rolling and activating core muscles.

Pre-swim limbering & core routine;

1. Cat-camel, rotatory cat hi & lo, Childs pose
2. Foam roller - shoulders, mid-thoracic spine, hips, IT bands, triceps, lats
3. Foam roller - long axis YTWA's with neck rotation
4. Stretching - Bretzel, 6-in-1 Dynamic warm-up
5. Core - 90/90, side-roll to low oblique, high oblique 

Workout:

500 swim freestyle - limbering, connecting to stroke, warm-up

Complex training - resistance tubes (1 min. double arm rows, 1 min. chest press, 30 sec. Pallof press each side)

500 kick-fins/swim - 25 kick on back flutter with shoulder scrubs, 25 free swim

Complex training - resistance tubes (1 min. alternating single arm rows, 1 min. single arm presses, 30 sec. of Russian twists each side)

Main Set: (10X200)

10X100 pull with paddles followed by 2x50's on -2 base time (example: 1:10.0 base time for 100 yards divide by 2 - 2 = target 50 repeat time)

• 1st-3rd round of 2X50's on a minute
• 4th-6th round of 2X50's on 50 seconds
• 7th-10th round of 2X50's on 45 seconds

Complex training - resistance tubes (1 min. alternating archer rows, 1 min. single arm presses, 1 min. alternating curl-press, 1min. YTWA's, 1 min. overhead presses)

500 swim freestyle - lengthening stroke, warm-down

Conclusion:  The combination of limbering the correct regions of the body and then activation of the core (prior to swimming) can have a tremendous impact on the outcome of a training session.   

Brett J. Lemire, DC CSCS, founder of Universal Chiropractic Spine & Sport in Elk Grove.  Dr. Brett is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, has been trained in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) according to Kolar.  He has taken numerous post-graduate courses with some of the world’s leading authorities in Manual Medicine, Spine and Sports Rehabilitation techniques.  You can contract Dr. Lemire at 916-683-3900.

Easy Day (a.m.) Aerobic Swim (3300 yard swim)

Pre-swim limbering & core routine;

• Foam roller YTWA's
• Cat-camel, rotatory-cat hi & lo, low quad position lunge on elbows
• Mid-thoracic spine limbering on gym-ball
• Bretzel stretch
• 90/90 Frozen turkey, low oblique sit and transfer to creeping pattern

Goal - Perform each swim as described within each round with 15 seconds rest between each swim and each round.  Focus on a high elbow position and keeping the upper arm in-line with shoulder on the recovery phase (narrow column).    On rounds 1 & 2, increase the stroke rate while maintaining maximum distance per stroke.

Recovery - High elbow position in the narrow column

Catch & anchor w/ High elbow position &
counter-rotation of opposite hip

Round 1 (use as warm-up)
300 swim - breathe bilaterally, narrow column recovery, counter-rotation of hips w high elbow anchor
300 pull buoy only - reduce drag with higher hip position
300 pull buoy & paddles - stretch lead, high elbow anchor (hinge)
100 IM - EZ pace

Round 2 (build 2nd 150 on each swim)
2X150 swim
2X150 pull buoy only
2X150 pull buoy & paddles
100 IM - Moderate pace

Round 3 (build each 100 within +1 to -2 seconds of freestyle base time)
3X100 swim
3X100 pull buoy only
3X100 pull buoy & paddels
100 IM  - Spint

300 warm-down

Brett J. Lemire, DC CSCS, founder of Universal Chiropractic Spine & Sport in Elk Grove.  Dr. Brett is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, has been trained in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) according to Kolar.  He has taken numerous post-graduate courses with some of the world’s leading authorities in Manual Medicine, Spine and Sports Rehabilitation techniques.  You can contract Dr. Lemire at 916-683-3900.

4X1000 - Freestyle Development, Aerobic Base, & Circuit Training

This workout is 4000 yards in distance (4X1000) and focuses on aerobic base training and freestyle technique with added sets of resisted circuit training at the end of each round.

As always, I recommend that you warm-up adequately by limbering, foam rolling, stretching and activating core muscles.

Pre-swim limbering & core routine;

•  Cat-camel, rotatory cat hi & lo, Childs pose (see previous blog for photos)

• Stretching – 90/90 w/ torso turns to side, arms in T-pose & internal & external shoulder pose, Bretzel, 90/90 with shoulder scrubs in YTWA positions (neck rolls side to side)

• Core - 90/90, side-roll to low oblique, high oblique & to Bear Pose then transfer to dynamic Bear crawl for 10 feet forward and 10 feet back (focus on stability, timing and coordination of crawling pattern).

T Pose 90

T Pose w/ Lower Trunk Turn

90/90 w/ Sh. IR/ER 

90/90 w/ Sh. IR/ER & Trunk Turn

90/90 Frozen Turkey

Side Turning low  - Transfer

Side Turning High - Transfer

Bear Position - Transfer

Main Swim Set – 4X1000

Round 1

Warm-up 400 swim free (30 seconds rest)

2X200 swims free on 3:00

4X50 kick-swim, swim kick  (kick 25, swim 25 followed by 20 seconds rest;  then 25 swim, 25 20 seconds rest X 2)

TNT – 45 seconds of double arm rows / 45 seconds of chest press / 40 seconds of lateral pulls; 20 seconds R. & L. / 30 seconds overhead presses

Round 2

400 freestyle swim with paddles & fins  - (emphasis on steady and symmetrical 6 beat kick,  focus on lengthening 1^st phase of lead arm stretch during entry, connect focus to 2^nd phase of lead on arm stretch through trunk rotation; bottom shoulder & chest coupled to the catch and anchor phase of stroke to activated core)

2X200 freestyle swim with fins only – same emphasis as the 400 without paddles

4X50 drill/swim with fins (25 kick on the back dolphin alternating dolphin & free followed by 25 free swim)

TNT – 45 seconds of alternating single arm rows / 45 seconds of alternating single arm press / 40 seconds of bicep cur curls & triceps presses / 30 seconds overhead presses

Round 3

8X50 stroke/free (2X50 ½ lap fly, ½ lap free/ 2X50 ½ lap back, ½ lap free / 2X50 ½ lap breast, ½ lap free, 2X50 freestyle swim – the goal is to keep your speed up on the first ½ lap of each 50 for the whole set)

4X100 IM – ½ lap of each stroke, 2^nd ½ free; goal is to keep speed up on 1^st ½ lap and remaining lap of free)

4X50 drill/swim with fins (25 kick on the back dolphin alternating dolphin & free followed by 25 free swim)

TNT – 45 seconds of alternating step back archer rows / 45 seconds of alternating single arm press, ½ with R. leg in lunge position & pressing w/ R. arm, then switch legs & arm; keep feet, knees & pelvis stable; engage the core throughout the set / 40 seconds of Russian twist switch side at 20 seconds

Round 4

400 freestyle swim with paddles and buoy at light to moderate pace.  Goal – focus on distance per stroke, pack the chin-in and lengthen back of the neck, lean of the Sternum or “T” to raise lower ribcage up in-line with shoulder blades and back of the head.

8X50 freestyle swim on 1” – goal descend by 2 seconds each two 50’s to -2 seconds below base time.

4X50 drill/swim with fins (25 kick on the back dolphin alternating dolphin & free followed by 25 free swim)

TNT – 45 seconds of alternating curl & press / 40 seconds of Russian twists switching at 20 seconds / 30 seconds overhead presses – light tension on tubes during all sets, use a warm down.

Conclusion:  The combination of limbering the correct regions of the body and then activation of the core (prior to swimming) can have a tremendous impact on the outcome of a training session.   

Brett J. Lemire, DC CSCS, founder of Universal Chiropractic Spine & Sport in Elk Grove.  Dr. Brett is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, has been trained in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) according to Kolar.  He has taken numerous post-graduate courses with some of the world’s leading authorities in Manual Medicine, Spine and Sports Rehabilitation techniques.  You can contract Dr. Lemire at 916-683-3900.

5 Simple Pre-Swim Warm-Up Movements

5 Simple Pre-Swim Warm-Up Movements

Swimmers of all ages can develop stiffness and restrictions in regions of the body that affect key swimming movements at the hips, trunk, shoulder and arms.     The following limbering exercises help prepare these regions for a swim workout.   Perform each exercise in a slow and controlled fashion, for 1-2 minute duration with equal repetitions on each side when indicated. 

Note:  Limbering exercises should be incorporated into a daily pre-swim workout routine to improve performance and reduce risk of injury.

1. Cat-camel Thoracic

2a. Childs Pose

2b. Lat Stretch

3.. Rotatory-Cat Stretch

4a. Arm Clocks & 4b. Bretzel Stretch

5. YTA Exercise  

Brett J. Lemire, DC CSCS, founder of Universal Chiropractic Spine & Sport in Elk Grove.  Dr. Brett is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, has been trained in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) according to Kolar.  He has taken numerous post-graduate courses with some of the world’s leading authorities in Manual Medicine, Spine and Sports Rehabilitation techniques.  

You can contract Dr. Lemire at 916-683-3900.