General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Which muscles ache after swimming? Rss Feed  
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2014-11-13 5:15 AM

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Hereford, England
Subject: Which muscles ache after swimming?
I'm just wondering which muscles should be aching (the most) after a swimming session?

For me, it's my triceps. Other muslce groups are fatigued, but it's the triceps which then ache. I don't think they are weak, not as strong as they used to be (bench 100kg), but I wouldn't say weak.

After a 17 year break from competitive swimming as a kid, I've been back swimming once a week for 11 monhts now and it's always the triceps aching.

Is it's the repetition of strokes? Now I'm heavier than I was as a kid, is it just the power to weight ratio of the triceps? Or is it technique?

Thanks.


2014-11-13 6:57 AM
in reply to: Eucid

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Champion
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Montague Gold Mines, Nova Scotia
Subject: RE: Which muscles ache after swimming?
Assuming front crawl, you should notice fatigue in your lats the most. Generally feeling fatigue in your arms indicates a technique issue (pulling with your arms and not your lats).

Shane
2014-11-13 9:08 AM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Champion
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Sarasota, FL
Subject: RE: Which muscles ache after swimming?

Originally posted by gsmacleod Assuming front crawl, you should notice fatigue in your lats the most. Generally feeling fatigue in your arms indicates a technique issue (pulling with your arms and not your lats). Shane

When my shoulders bother me I know l'm probably doing something wrong.   Suzanne Atkinson at TI helped me over the summer with initiating my pull from the hips.  My shoulder issues went away and I started to feel it in my abs and to a lessor degree in my lats, which I considered positive feedback on my stroke changes.

Mark

2014-11-13 10:10 AM
in reply to: Eucid

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Champion
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Knoxville area
Subject: RE: Which muscles ache after swimming?
hands/forearms and lats
2014-11-13 10:15 AM
in reply to: Leegoocrap

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Subject: RE: Which muscles ache after swimming?
I wonder if I am rotating too much, because if I take a couple weeks off, my obliques always hurt when I come back to it.
2014-11-13 10:28 AM
in reply to: happyscientist

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Boise, ID
Subject: RE: Which muscles ache after swimming?

Originally posted by happyscientist I wonder if I am rotating too much, because if I take a couple weeks off, my obliques always hurt when I come back to it.

I was also instructed that if I felt it in my arms and shoulders the most that I was doing something wrong. I make a conscious effort to use my lats as much as possible, when I do that the shoulders and arms don't bother me. 



2014-11-13 11:31 AM
in reply to: Eucid

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Greenville, SC
Subject: RE: Which muscles ache after swimming?

lats for me.  i did masters yesterday with a shoulder that was in a lot of pain so i really focused on isolating my lats during my stroke in order to not stress it any.  im very sore today, but my coach said my stroke looked a lot better yesterday. 

2014-11-13 12:55 PM
in reply to: Eucid

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Subject: RE: Which muscles ache after swimming?

Nothing so much when I swim front crawl, but if I do a workout that concentrates on fly, especially a lot of fly kick, my abs hurt. Mostly immediately afterward though. And if I do a breaststroke workout, I feel it in my legs where my pelvis meets my legs. Hah, I don't know the names of body parts! If I haven't done a lot of breaststroke lately I feel it for a couple of days.

2014-11-13 7:31 PM
in reply to: Eucid

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Brooklyn, New York
Subject: RE: Which muscles ache after swimming?
Triceps feeling work like that mean you're probably doing some excessive elbow extension somewhere in there. Be cognizant of it. If you do any sort of weight training, do dumbbell pullovers across a bench, you'll properly keep your elbows locked in at about 160/170 degrees at the elbow and get used to stronger lat (serratus pulling)
2014-11-16 7:37 AM
in reply to: Clempson

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Subject: RE: Which muscles ache after swimming?
Originally posted by Clempson

lats for me.  i did masters yesterday with a shoulder that was in a lot of pain so i really focused on isolating my lats during my stroke in order to not stress it any.  im very sore today, but my coach said my stroke looked a lot better yesterday. 




How did you do it technically? My right shoulder starts o hurt, but I'm not sure how to correct my technique,
2014-11-16 7:44 AM
in reply to: jeng

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Eugene, Oregon
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Subject: RE: Which muscles ache after swimming?
Same here. I rarely get sore from training, just tired, even if I go pretty hard and long, I guess because I've been swimming and running a long time so the muscles are used to it. But if I suddenly throw in a lot of fly or breaststroke (more than my normal use of them as a few IM's in a long bunch of freestyle sets), I'd feel it there! I remember last winter when I was training for our masters' group's 800m IM Challenge, I was always getting sore abs and weird cramps near the pelvis area from those strokes.


2014-11-16 10:17 AM
in reply to: Hot Runner


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Subject: RE: Which muscles ache after swimming?

Originally posted by Hot Runner Same here. I rarely get sore from training, just tired, even if I go pretty hard and long, I guess because I've been swimming and running a long time so the muscles are used to it. But if I suddenly throw in a lot of fly or breaststroke (more than my normal use of them as a few IM's in a long bunch of freestyle sets), I'd feel it there! I remember last winter when I was training for our masters' group's 800m IM Challenge, I was always getting sore abs and weird cramps near the pelvis area from those strokes.

 

I got to this point, but then realized I just wasn't doing enough volume. Crank it up to 2+ hour long swims of 8000+yds and 30k+ per week with a fair amount of all-out 100s 200s sprints in there, and I suspect you'll feel the beatdown all over your back and arms.  

 

I don't think there's a right or wrong about which muscles feel the most sore for you - it totally depends on your background and natural strengths. When I'm out of swim shape and feeling awful in the pool, everything burns and aches. When I'm in shape, I def rely on lats and triceps combined the most, but it's often the weird muscles that get more sore, like forearms and even muscles in my foot from pointing them. If your freestyle-power muscles are well conditioned, they often won't get as sore, due to their conditioning.

2014-11-16 5:40 PM
in reply to: yazmaster

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Subject: RE: Which muscles ache after swimming?
Haha--will happily do that if you teach my classes and do my online courses for me!
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