Swimmers have shoulder injuries and shoulder pain because they swim the wrong way.
UNDERWATER ERRORS
• If you use your arms for propulsion, that is an error. Use your hips for propulsion.
• If you internally rotate your shoulders, that is an error. Keep your shoulders in a natural position.
• If your hands and forearms are far from your long-axis, that is an error. Keep your hands and forearms close to your long-axis.
• If your leading hand is palm down, that is an error. Keep your leading hand vertical, little finger down. Do not "platform" on your palm.
• If you look forward while you swim, that is an error. Look straight down while you swim. The space between your scapulae becomes crowded if you lift your head.
OVERWATER ERRORS
• If your elbow is on or behind your scapular plane during the recovery, that is an error. Keep your elbow well in front of your scapular plane.
• If you have a high anything recovery, that is an error. Recover low and straight forward.
• If your recovery is far from your long-axis, that is an error. The recovery should be close to your long-axis. Reset your hips vertical and send your energy straight forward.
• If your hand enters the water thumb first, that is an error. Little finger enters the water first.
• If there is tension in your recovering arm, that is an error. Release, shake off, any tension in your recovering arm.
• If your hand crosses over your centerline during the recovery, that is an error. Recover low and straight forward.
SIGNPOST
"If someone swims through college, there is better than a 50-50 chance of shoulder injury." Dr. Rod Havriluk
Why is this injury rate so incredibly high? Because swimmers don't know they have a choice, but they do.
Choose carefully
Arm-driven swimming causes shoulder injuries
Core-driven swimming prevents shoulder injuries
Swimmers should have some knowledge of shoulder anatomy and an appreciation of its complexity. This is not the part of your body where you want to put a lot of work.
Put all the work in the middle of your body, the part of your body made for propulsion.
Arm-driven swimmers are injuries waiting to happen. It is only a matter of time and repetition.
