What muscles do you use in front crawl?
Swimming front crawl is a great low-impact workout for the whole body. Here are the key muscles it particularly targets and tones
Front crawl is a good all-over body workout, but particularly works the muscles of the upper body. In the upper body, when swimming front crawl, you’ll use the deltoids, latissimus dorsi (down the side of your back), trapezius, triceps and biceps muscles. The muscles of the shoulders and around shoulder blade (including the deltoids) will help ‘hold’ the ‘paddle’ [your arm] in place as your body moves past it.
Because the shoulder muscles, also known as the rotator cuff, work so hard in front crawl, they can become damaged leading to one of the most common injuries swimmers can get is swimmer’s shoulder aka subacromial impingement.
- How can I strengthen my shoulders for swimming front crawl?
- Rotator cuff: What it is, how it works and what happens if it becomes damaged
Your core muscles, including your trapezius and latissimus dorsi, help you hold a streamlined torso in front crawl
In the lower body, front crawl works the hip flexors, quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves. Your abdominal muscles will also tone up from stabilising you in the water.
- Is there a difference between front crawl and freestyle?
- Strength training for swimming: 6 key gym exercises
(Licensed under Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Skeletal_muscles_homo_sapiens. JPG)
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220 Triathlon Team
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