Swimming on the back, i.e. backstroke, is intended for almost everyone, as it does not burden the spine. Backstroke has many he alth benefits, and the first effects of back swimming can be seen after just one training session in the pool! Find out what muscles work when you swim on the back, what the backstroke technique looks like, and find out why back swimming is recommended for the spine.

Contents:

  1. Advantages of back swimming
  2. Backstroke technique
  3. Muscles worked
  4. Back swimming effects
  5. How many calories does back swimming burn?

Back swimmingis one of the basic swimming styles that we often start our adventure with water with. This is the only style in which swimming is done not on the stomach but on the back, but it does not detract from its training effects. Each form of activity in the water has a he alth-promoting effect on our body.

Backstroke is especially recommended for the spine, as it strengthens the back muscles and thus prevents overload. When swimming on the back, the muscles of the chest, legs and abdomen also work, i.e. almost the entire body! So let's include such activity in your training plan.

Advantages of back swimming

Backstroke has many advantages. Besides being one of the easier swimming styles, it has many he alth benefits. These include:

  • strengthening the spine,
  • work of the muscles of the whole body,
  • correcting posture defects,
  • improvement of the body's efficiency,
  • acceleration of metabolism,
  • supporting the elimination of cellulite,
  • muscle sculpting and slimming.

Find out more: Advantages of swimming: strengthens the muscles and relieves the spine

Backstroke technique

For beginners, backstroke is often the first swimming technique they encounter. While swimming on the back, almost the entire body works, from the arms to the legs, inclusive. The movement of the arms and legs in this case is independent of each other. The upper limbs alternate backward circulation, and the legs work in a vertical scissor movement.

Therefore, back swimming technique is worth discussingbroken down into the work of arms and legs.

Hand work

In the backstroke, our arms should alternately circulate backwards. When the hand rises from the water, just before submerging it again, we should perform a gentle rotation of the torso towards the hand, which lands under the water. The upper limb should be straightened over the water, and the elbow slightly bent when submerged in the water. Remember that the fingers of the hand are clasped together and that the bent arm is strongly pushing against the water. When straightening your arm, keep it close to your body - this will give you better dynamics and reduce water resistance. When the arm emerges, lead your hand close to your ear.

Footwork

The legs should be scissor-driven, making quick alternating vertical movements. To increase the dynamics of swimming, you should not immerse your legs deep under the water. Their work is to take place just below the water surface.

The faster you perform the scissors, the more effective and less tiring back swimming will be. It is the legs that are responsible for stabilizing your figure in the water. If you don't work them enough, your hips will begin to droop and you will submerge yourself under the water. Make sure your feet are almost joined together and work close together.

When swimming on your back, also make sure not to tilt your head up, but to let it float freely in the water.

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Muscles worked

If you are wondering what muscles work while swimming on your back, the answer to this question may surprise you - this style involves the whole body! After all, there are certain parts of the muscles that do the most work in swimming. They are:

  • rectus abdominis muscle
  • oblique abdominals
  • muscles of the loins
  • hip muscle
  • back muscles
  • great gluteus muscle
  • chest muscles
  • quadriceps muscle
  • biceps muscle of the thigh
  • calf triceps muscle

Back swimming effects

Swimming in the backstroke improves circulation and wonderfully stimulates the muscles and joints of the entire body to work. Activity in the pool strengthens the fascia, which are the protective membrane of all joint and muscle structures. Another advantage of back swimming is the low risk of straining the spine and joints, andat the same time more intense stimulation of muscles to work (due to the additional resistance of water).

Thanks to swimming on the back, we will burn excess fat, sculpt muscles, slim the body and achieve muscle balance. The backstroke will also have a positive effect on the condition of our spine, eliminating back pain.

  • Exercises for pain in the lumbar spine
  • Exercise for slouching
  • Exercises to strengthen the back muscles
Worth knowing

How many calories does back swimming burn?

One of the benefits of back swimming is that it speeds up the weight loss process. An hour of backstroke swimming allows you to burn about500 kcal(for comparison - a crawl will burn 100 kcal more at the same time). The greater the effort, the greater the energy expenditure will also be.

When swimming in the pool, alternate exercise pace. Therefore, swimming in the interval system will be effective, where exercise activity is divided into two phases: fast pace and slow pace. Such swimming will significantly accelerate the metabolism, and calories will be burned long after the end of physical exertion.

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