SwimSwam contributor Chris O’Linger is an assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word.
Chris O’ Linger, assistant coach, Incarnate Word swimming & diving. (Image courtesy of UIW)
Many swim coaches have problems getting their swimmers to perform well in the mornings. The truth is if a swimmer does not perform well in preliminaries, they may not have an opportunity to compete at night.
As coaches, we can schedule several morning practices, make a majority of them anaerobic, and even lengthen our warm-up sequences to try and achieve better results, but no matter how warmed up our muscles become, our nerves need to be able to communicate fast and slow twitch movements at a rapid pace. There are several activities that can be done in the water, but at the University of the Incarnate Word, our coaching staff have found more success activating our nerves outside of the water prior to morning swim practices or preliminary meet sessions.
This article will demonstrate a few of the most important nerves to activate pertaining to swimmers’ catch and core stability:
1) ulnar nerve, 2) radial nerve, 3) medial nerve, and 4) sciatic nerve.
Complete each movement 8-10 times.
Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds.
BELOW: 34 Step-By-Step Photos + Two Video Demonstrations
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
Activating Nerves for Faster Morning Swims (Courtesy of Chris O’Linger, assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word)
https://vimeo.com/76910782
https://vimeo.com/76910953
O’Linger is an assistant coach for the Incarnate Word swimming and diving program. He swam collegiately at both the University of Florida and University of Tampa. He earned a degree in social psychology from Tampa. He is studying kinesiology.
I’m really interested in seeing the articles that you used and getting some more information on your article here.
Thanks for clarification, it makes more sense. Like I said waking up the nervous system makes a lot of sense, the longer it takes the brain to wakeup the longer it will take the muscles to fire efficiently. I think nervous system training is going to be the way of the future, but we are just scratching the surface. I have my MS degree in Kinesiology as well and I am almost always critical of research so I will check it out. Thanks for stimulating some conversation and thought. Still would like to know what it is compared against…
PS… I will also have a segment entirely devoted to proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) up shortly pulled from the same research that this periodical is a derivative of.
SOME GUY,
I always appreciate cynicism, as it is one of the sole reason I choose to conduct research. Because your post is hypercritical, I will clarify a few points to maybe ease your mind. Yes, this is a dynamic warmup complex, and it does focus on nervous system stimulation. Any dynamic reactions we get from a musculoskeletal perspective is certainly a by-product And yes, it Although the directions above are unclear, I meant it to read that the stretches are conducted 8-10 times WITHIN those 20-30 seconds. This program is never prescribed prior to raising an athlete’s heart rate, nor is it prescribed alone or in its entirety every administration. There are several studies proving static stretching’s prohibitions… Read more »
I am all for looking for anything that helps performance, and being prepared to swim FAST in the morning is vital to swimming success, but lets not mix terminology here. This is just a dynamic warm-up with static and pnf stretching. Current research warns about holding stretches, especially pnf stretches for longer than 6 seconds as it can add stress to muscles. Current research also shows that stretching before exercise can reduce strength and power output. I am going to need more conclusive evidence than one coaching staff saying this is working the best. Working better than what? What else have they done in the past? Because they may not have been doing anything…with that said waking up the nervous… Read more »
Or drink coffee.
Thanks! Good stuff!
This girl is gorgeous! Get her in here more!
i second that