Masters Saturday Brunch

Call out to all Master's Swimmers:
It's time to get together for another brunch after Saturday morning practice.  On Saturday, January 15th right after the morning swim (which is conveniently one week after the Woodland's Relay Meet), plan to have Brunch at Heather;s house in midtown Houston, 8 minutes away from the pool.  All are welcome!

*This is a potluck brunch, so do bring whatever you desire to make a great meal.

*Heather's cell: Available by request.

*ADDRESS AND PARKING:
Available by request.
Happy Holidays, and Happy Swimming!

Mardi Gras Meet @ LSU

Due to the great turn out for this meet we are officially attending the Mardi Gras meet @ LSU in Baton Rouge January 21st - 23rd. The meet invitation is attached on the event page for this meet. This meet is a 14 and Under meet split into two sessions(for Saturday and Sunday). This is a great meet for the youngsters and is really swimmer friendly. Please read the following guidelines to ensure your swimmer is signed up and entered into the meet. Due to the entry process of the BTAC host team online sign up for evens is not available. Instead you will need to commit yes or no for this event. In the comment box please include the days you will swim at the meet. (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) Be aware of the split sessions especially for Sundays events if this is going to affect your decision to swim on Sunday.The coaching staff will be there for all three days of swimming.  

• We are setting a deadline of January 6th to declare for this meet. 
• Entries will be mailed in the morning after the deadline and no late entries or on-deck entries are accepted at the meet.
• If you previously said you would attend this event you can log back in and update your days you would like to attend or choose not to attend if your plans have changed. 
• If you previously did not commit but would like to attend the meet you can now log into the site and commit for the meet.
• Entries are first come first serve for this meet so there is a small possibility that it may fill up. If this occurs the host team will notify all teams ASAP.

Job Sign Ups will be posted shortly for jobs that include travel bags for swimmers, parade items for swimmers and event planning for trip.

Hotel Information

RICE Aquatics has a block of 25 rooms set up at the Hyatt Place 6080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70809. (225)769-4400. The room rate of $94.00 is set up under RICE AQUATICS. Reservations can be taken beginning December 30th and will go through January 16th. Each swim family is responsible for setting up their own hotel accommodations and it is not required that you stay at the team hotel. The Hyatt Place is located across from the Mall of Lousiana and near the new perkins row shopping center.

Age Group Practice this Week.

Just a friendly reminder that practice is at the West University Recreation Center located at 4210 Bellaire Blvd., Houston, TX 77025, right across from Moeller’s Bakery, before the train tracks.Reminder that the Holiday schedule is only for those swimmers continuing for the Spring 2011 session.   Monday Dec 27th  Seniors and Group 4 - 12:30 - 2:30 pm   Groups 1 - 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm   Tuesday Dec 28th Seniors and Group 4 - 12:30 - 2:30 pm Groups 2  - 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm Wednesday Dec 29th Seniors and Group 4 - 12:30 - 2:30 pm Groups 3 - 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm Thursday Dec 30th Seniors and Group 4 - 12:30 - 2:30 pm Groups 3 - 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm Just a reminder that we are a guest at this facility. West University has been kind enough to allow us to use some of their lanes for practice. We will have a Spring 2011 roster at the front desk for your swimmer to gain entrance into the pool area. Swimmers should also have their green ID badge on them to easily identify themselves as RICE Aquatics swimmers. The Recreation center does not allow food or drinks anywhere in the building with the exception of a water bottle. Parents are also not allowed on deck at the pool. There is a downstairs viewing area or a lobby upstairs available. An email with the facility rules will go out shortly. Please read over them to make yourselves aware of any other rules the recreation center may have.

Age Group and Senior Swim Practice Week of Dec 27th

Age Groupers and Senior Swimmers- We will be using the following schedule for practices the week of December 27th. The RICE Recreation center will be closed so work outs will be at the West University Pool located of Holcombe and W Point.

Monday Dec 27th
Seniors and Group 4 - 12:30 - 2:30 pm
Groups 1 - 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Tuesday Dec 28th

Seniors and Group 4 - 12:30 - 2:30 pm

Groups 2  - 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm

Wednesday Dec 29th

Seniors and Group 4 - 12:30 - 2:30 pm

Groups 3 - 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm

Thursday Dec 30th

Seniors and Group 4 - 12:30 - 2:30 pm

Groups 3 - 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm

Just a reminder that we are a guest at this facility. West University has been kind enough to allow us to use some of their lanes for practice. We will have a Spring 2011 roster at the front desk for your swimmer to gain entrance into the pool area. No food or drinks are allowed anywhere in the building with the exception of a water bottle. Parents are also not allowed on deck at the pool. There is a downstairs viewing area or a lobby upstairs available. An email with the facility rules will go out shortly.

If you are in town over the break we would love to have you at practice!

Age Group and Seniors Practice Schedule - Week of December 20th

Seniors and Age Group Swimmers:

The following practice schedule will be used for the week of December 20th. These practices are for swimmers who are committed to the spring session of 2011.

December 20th
Seniors and Group 4: 6:00 - 8:30 am.            
Group 3: 7:00 -9:00 am.
Group 2: 7:45 - 9:00 am.
Group 1 White: 7:45 - 9:00 am.

December 21st

Seniors and Group 4: 6:00 - 8:30 am.              

Group 3: 7:00 -9:00 am.

Group 2: 7:45 - 9:00 am.

Group 1 Navy: 7:45 - 9:00 am. 

December 22nd

Seniors and Group 4: 6:00 - 8:30 am.

Group 3: 7:00 -9:00 am.

Group 2: 7:45 - 9:00 am.

Group 1 Combined : 7:45 - 9:00 am. 

December 23rd

Seniors and Group 4: 6:00 - 8:30 am.

Group 3: 7:00 -9:00 am.

Seniors and Group 4 will have PM practices this week. These are TBA. We will have the week of December 27th posted shortly.

Holiday Schedule Dec. 27th - 30th

Master Swimmers - The Recreation Center at RICE will be closed the week of December 27th. Due to the closure we will be offering the following practices for masters swimmers at UT Med Center.

AM Practices: Monday December 27th and Wednesday December 29th: 7:00 - 8:00 am

PM Practices: Tuesday December 28th, Wednesday December 29th and Thursday December 30th: 5:00 - 6:00 pm

All swimmers must email Coach Seth by December 17th to be included on the roster for these practices. Those not on the roster will have to pay a $5.00 guest pass to the UT Med Center pool to gain access to the practices.


View Larger Map

Spring Re-Registration Reminder

Parents - Just a reminder that the spring re-registration event will be closing December the 10th. All swimmers who will be continuing into the spring will need to click the event and choose "attend this event" prior to the deadline. It is important to keep our billing schedule straight and bring in new swimmers off of the waiting lists and on-going evaluations that all swimmers select to commit or not commit from the event page. If you are having any difficulty doing so from your computer catch me at the pool and I can help you on my laptop in the office.

Please note that if you choose not to continue for the spring session any outstanding balances must be payed through auto-pay on Jan 1st. or by check prior to December 17th.


Thanks for all you guys do and see you at the pool,
Coach Jason

Practice Reminder

Just a reminder that practice for Groups 2 - Senior is canceled for Friday due to multiple meets tonight and this weekend.

Friday Practice

Due to coaches in attendance at A&M and HCAP for meets Friday - Sunday, the following groups will not have practice this Friday. Groups 2,3,4 and Seniors. Group 1 will run as normal.
Coach Jason

Mardi Gras Meet

Parents - We have had a great response to the Mardi Gras meet at the end of January. As a result we are making this an official meet for RICE. I am getting all of the details together in a PDF including the hotel room block and will have it out on Wednesday Dec. 1st. At this time I will clear everyone who has signed up for this inquiry of the meet and make a new event for the actual event sign up. We will complete entries from the new event sign up. This will be posted on Wednesday with the PDF attached to the event. I am going to need some parents to help with goodie bags for swimmers attending the meet. We will have a travel shirt and would love to have some mardi gras themed trinkets or decorations for the kids during the parade around the pool.

See you at the pool,
Coach Jason

RICE Aquatics Team Gear Order

Parents and Swimmers - RICE Aquatics is putting together a gear order just in time for the holidays. Many swimmers have requested merchandise with the RICE Aquatics logo over the past few months. Listed below are the items for purchase.

Hooded Sweatshirt- $29.00: We will have an athletic grey sweatshirt with the RICE Aquatics brand logo on the front. The sweatshirt is heavy cotton and hooded. It is a great item to throw on at a swim meet between races or to bring to practice. The logo will be in RICE navy with RICE Aquatics printed for all age groupers and RICE Aquatics Masters printed for the masters team.

NIKED Collared Shirt - $39.00: This is a rice navy NIKE dry fit collared polo shirt. The RICE Aquatics logo will be printed in white on the chest of the shirt. These are available in Female and Male Adult sizes.

RICE Aquatics Towel - $20.00: 35"x62" White cotton towel with the RICE Aquatics Logo printed in RICE navy.

To put in for the order please click "Yes" to the event labeled RICE Aquatics Gear Order. In the comment box please list the items you would like to purchase, quantity and the size. The order will close on November 30th and no late orders will be taken.

Ex:

3 Sweatshirts, 1(S) and 2(L).

2 Towels

4 Collared Shirts 3(M) Female and 1(L) Male 

Email any questions to teamgear@riceaquatics.com

Group 1 Navy December Session

Parents - I just wanted to clarify the extended session for Group 1. We are assuming all swimmers will continue into the extended session unless you email otherwise. There is no need to sign up if you are continuing into December. There will be a SPRING session sign up coming up shortly.

Please email me if you have any questions,

Jason Wedlick

Rice Aquatics

Head Coach

coachjason@riceaquatics.com

www.riceaquatics.com

http://rice-aquatics.blogspot.com

RICE Aquatics - Private Swim Lessons

Parents - I have had many people inquire over the last few weeks about Private Lessons with one of the coaches from RICE Aquatics. RICE coaches do offer private lessons to swimmers on the team at a rate of $40 per half hour. If you are wanting to schedule a lesson please email 1on1swimlessons@riceaquatics.com . Please include your swimmers name, group name, practice time, preference of lesson coach, and any time restraints you have in regards to scheduling. Any questions can be sent to my email address if needed. The coaching staff uses the private lessons to reinforce skills being taught in practice or go more in depth on a one on one basis. 


See you at the pool,

Jason Wedlick

Rice Aquatics

Head Coach

www.riceaquatics.com

http://rice-aquatics.blogspot.com

Saturday Practice

There will not be AM practice for Group 3, 4 Navy or 4 White. Senior 2 will swim with masters 8:00 - 9:30 am. RICE will have coaches at the Elite meet as well as a college invite at UH. Reminder to check the blog and website for next weeks schedule.


Coach Jason

Thanksgiving Practice Schedule

The Age Group and Senior practice schedule for the week of Thanksgiving.

All Age Group 1's (combined) 
4:45-5:30 pm Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. No practice the remainder of the week.
Group 2 

4:45-5:45 pm Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. No practice the remainder of the week.

Group 3 

4:45-6:00 pm Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. No practice the remainder of the week.

Group 4 (Combined)

5:45 - 7:30 pm Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Group 4 White - Saturday 8:00 - 9:30 am

Seniors (Combined)

5:45 - 7:30 pm Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Senior 2 - Saturday 8:00 - 9:30 am

Masters - Normal Practice: Monday - Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday

No Practice on Thursday and Friday.

Pool Temps

Parents/Swimmers - We found out this morning the Heater was accidentally shut off over the weekend.  This morning the temps were a little chilly and even though the heater has been turned back on it is taking time for the temps to get back up to normal. As a result Groups 2 and below will be cancelled tonight. Group 1's will be able to make up their practice on one of their non-swim days at the same scheduled practice time.

Group 3 and above will swim as normal. I would suggest as the temps in general drop bringing hot cider or tea in a thermos for them to sip on during practice.

Mardi Gras Meet @ LSU Jan. 21-23

RICE Aquatics would like to plan its first ever travel meet for the team. The coaching staff is look at the Mardi Gras meet @ LSU (Baton Rouge) January 21st - 23rd. This meet is a great meet and only meet that the entire team could attend together the entire year. The meet is ran on the campus of LSU in their 50m indoor pool with diving well. The meet runs fairly quickly like two meets at once. The 8 and Unders swim their events 25's, 50's and 100's in the diving well and older kids split the 50m pool for their meet. There is a Mardi Gras parade around the pool prior to the meet which makes for a good excuse to get dressed up with a bunch of party gear for the kids. On Saturday night we would like to find a place for a team dinner for those attending.

The meet is on a weekend and the coaching staff would drive up during the day Friday for anyone wanting to swim Friday night events. A block will be placed for hotels for parents to book so we can all stay in one hotel for the trip. While this is a team travel trip we will be traveling in separate cars with each individual family responsible for transportation to and from the meet. This meet is on top of a Junior meet in Houston and RICE will not be attending if we decide to make this an official trip.

We are looking for at least 10 families to verbally commit to the meet in order to set it on the calendar and make the necessary plans to attend. The meet file is not available yet so we have made this a yes or no commitment on the website. If we can get 10 families to commit to the meet prior to Nov. 28th. we will make it an official meet for RICE. Having attended this meet in the past it is always a great time and I am amazed at how many more swimmers go the following years. This is a great opportunity for some team boding amongst swimmers and parents. If you have any questions please email Coach Jason.

RICE Swim Suits Available

If you are looking for a RICE team suit I have a couple extra in the office. The suits cost $61.00 list but will get rid of these for $40.00 a piece. Email Coach Jason if you are interested.

Sizes:
28
34
34
38

Job Sign Ups for Miami vs RICE meet

Parents- There are two job sign ups up on the RICE website for the Miami vs RICE meet tomorrow at the pool. This is an easy way to earn service hours and gain experience operating the timing systems prior to a RICE meet.

Friday Practice

Reminder- That there is no Friday practice due to the RICE vs Miami meet at 4:00 pm.

Practice Reminder for Today

Parents/Swimmers - A reminder that ALL Groups will swim 4:45-5:30 pm today and will work on turns. There is an intramural meet at 5:30 pm. No practices will be held after 5:30 pm.

No Practice Friday

There will be No Practice for all group on Friday due to the RICE vs. Miami meet at 4:00 pm. and the 9-14 Junior Meet @ KATY. With this being an official college meet we will need back up timers through out the meet.

Because Group 1 has a combined practice on Friday's we will allow a group one swimmer to swim on one opposite day this week from their current schedule. Swimmers must remain in the same practice time for this practice.

Parents - Our practice for tomorrow will be combined 5:00 - 6:15 pm for Group 1. We will be doing some fun relays and holiday fun sets for the kiddos. I posted this on the blog last week and thought an email went out but have had a couple parents ask this week about the practice plan. We will be passing out some "incentive/ reward" treats during practice if you wouldn't like your swimmer to get candy please let coach May know prior to practice.

A couple changes for next week.

Wednesday November 3rd - practice will be all group 1's 4:45 - 5:30 for some turn/dive work. There will be an intramural meet at 5:30 pm so no practice will be held after 5:30 pm. All group 1's who normally swim on Wednesday will be at the earlier time. 

Friday November 5th - No practice for all groups due to the RICE vs Miami swim meet at the pool. Due to this change swimmers are allowed to attend one practice this next week on a non-traditional day but must stay in the same time period. For example: If you are T,TH,F 5:30 - 6:15 you can attend a M or W practice that week. (Please read the above Wednesday announcement when making these plans)

Just a reminder to check the blog daily as alot of info on the team and swimming in general is posted daily.

See you guys at the pool,

Jason Wedlick

Rice Aquatics

Head Coach

www.riceaquatics.com

http://rice-aquatics.blogspot.com

Link for Fran Crippen

Here is a link from an ESPN article on Fran Crippen.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/swimming/columns/story?columnist=ford_bonnie_d&page=ford_101027

Practice Reminder

Reminder Groups 4 and Senior will swim combined 6:00 - 7:30 pm on Thursday.

Practice Change

Parents/Swimmers- I apologize for the late notice but we will be short a coach tonight due to illness. Because of the change we will use the following practice schedule:

Group 2 and 3 - Combined 4:45 - 6:00 pm. (Group 2 swimmers needing to leave normal time please contact coach Jason prior to practice)

All Group 4 and Seniors -  

Stretch Cords Exercises 5:45 - 6:00 

Swim Time 6:00 - 7:30 pm.

Group 1 will swim 5:00 - 6:15 pm on Friday for a little holiday fun practice.

Pass this along to any and all.

See you at the pool,

Coach Jason

Masters Social

If you are planning to come to the dinner at the home of Cedar Baldridge, 2111 Bolsover, on Thursday, please drop her an email at cedar@baldridgelandscape.com and let her know you plan to come.  We need a fairly accurate count since we are picking up pizza from Star Pizza.  Seth has indicated he will be there, and the other Rice coaches have been invited, too.  We have about 20 responses so far, so it will be a good time!

Thanks!

Al

Group 4 and Seniors

Group 4 and Seniors will have combined practice 6:00 - 7:30 pm on Monday October 25th and Thursday October 28th.

Group 2 Practice Change

Group 2 will have NO PRACTICE this Monday October 25th. There will be normal practice the remainder of the week for group 2.

Saturday Age Group Practice

There will be no Saturday Age Group Practice. Coach Jason is under the weather. See you guys next week.

Parent Meeting PDF's

Did you miss your swimmers parent meeting? PDF's from each meeting are now posted online under the parents link of the website. Printed copies are also available at the pool in the swimmer lounge area.

Masters Social

The monthly Rice Masters swimmer dinner gathering will be hosted by Cedar Baldridge, 2111 Bolsover, on Thursday, October 28 after evening workout.  Cedar’s home is just a couple of blocks from the pool, so it will be quite convenient.   Drive out of Rice parking lot near the stadium, cross over Rice Blvd., and take a left on Bolsover.  Cedar’s house is the 3rd on the left.

WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO CELEBRATE COACH SETH’S 46TH BIRTHDAY WITH A LITTLE PIZZA AND BIRTHDAY CAKE.   CEDAR WILL ORDER UP THE STAR PIZZA AND CAKE AHEAD  OF TIME. 

If you are able to come, please drop an RSVP to allthomas3@aol.com so that the correct amount of provisions can be purchased.  Since we are all big fans of our coach Seth, we anticipate a big crowd.  It would be nice if each attendee would contribute $10 to help defray the cost of the event.

Should be a great time!

Send in your RSVP, and we will see you there.

Thanks!

Al Thomas and Cedar Baldridge

BTA Junior Meet

Speedo Tip of the Week

AVOIDING THE FLU

This week's Speedo tip of the week comes from National Team physician, Dr. Jim Miller. He offers some advice for fighting the flu in the coming season.


The Tip:You have completed the dreaded intensive training of the holiday season and have two to four more months until your championship meet. Everything has been taken into account – your event schedule, your training and the best part – taper.

Is there anything that could mess all this up?  YOU BET! One to two weeks off with five pounds of muscle loss could surely derail this train. That is exactly what could happen with a bout of influenza, more commonly known as the Flu.

Open the window…and in flew enza
The flu is a viral infection that is spread through the air. Each year, the influenza virus mutates slightly so your immunity from the prior year will not completely protect you. The virus is a respiratory infection that can result in a debilitating viral pneumonia. It is very dangerous for those who have a weakened immune system, such as the elderly or someone with a disease that affects their immune system like diabetes.
However, if you are training doubles with long hours for studying for exams, your immune system could also be at risk. Since the air from a human sneeze has been clocked at hundreds of miles per hour, one sneeze from the wrong person at the wrong time will expose you quickly. You could be in trouble.

Prevention is key
So, what can you do to prevent the flu? The best prevention is to boost your immune system against this virus by getting a flu shot. This shot is ideally given one or two months before the virus reaches your part of the country. The shot will not offer you 100% immunity, but it decreases your likelihood of getting sick. If you do end up catching the virus, the course would be greatly abbreviated if you received the shot.
Still, there is a problem here. It is January and parts of the country are already reporting cases of the flu.  Does a shot help now? That is a great question to which experts will disagree. But, if your area has not had cases yet, even a flu shot given two weeks in advance should give you some partial protection. And don’t wait so long next year!  

C your way through the Flu
In addition to the shot, there are other steps you can take to avoid getting sick. In addition to proper hydration, nutrition and sleep, some experts believe that increased Vitamin C intake may enhance your immune system against viral infections. It is suggested you take between 1,000 and 3,000 IU of extra Vitamin C per day, unless you are on a medication that interacts with Vitamin C. As always, consult your doctor before you begin taking any supplements.

Back to Basics
When it comes to the flu, there are some basic steps you can take to help prevent getting and spreading the virus. Wash your hands routinely and cover your mouth when coughing and sneezing – and of course wash your hands when you do if you did not make it to a tissue.  The antibiotic gels that do not require water work just fine.

Take iT for the team

If you feel that you are coming down with a nasty respiratory infection whether it involves your lungs or not, get to your medical practitioner quickly. There are antiviral medications that make a big difference, if you start them quickly. Your medical expert also has a rapid test, which will help to determine whether this is influenza or not while you wait. By taking care of it quickly, you get better faster and your team and coaches will be more likely to stay healthy, too.  You do not want to take out your whole relay team with you!

9-14 Junior Meet

Great job to all those swimmers who swam this past weekend at the BTA meet. There were many impressive swims by RICE swimmers. A full report will be out once the host teams gets the results posted. Parents thank you for stepping up and timing as well as providing tents for all of our families to sit under. It was great to walk out side and see everyone sitting as a team and having a great time. If anyone took pictures at the meet send them to me on CD so I can get something together for our next team party.

BTA Junior Meet ( 9-10 Open Meet)

Parents - The Warm Ups, Timeline and Job Sign Ups have been posted online for the BTA meet this weekend. A couple quick notes on this meet:

• The location was changed from the original pool. Please make sure to read the invite for the new location.
• The seating has been moved to outdoors. If your family has pop up tents available we would like to get a "little city" of tents going for our swimmers and parents to sit together. At this point I do not know if it is covered seating or not. 
• Spectators will most likely be allowed to flow through the pool to watch their swimmers swims and then encouraged to sit outside between events.
• When signing up to time a spot please try to time near your swimmers last event of the meet. This will allow parents who have swimmers only in early events to sign up for these first spots. Ultimately we are responsible for timing all slots and will have to fill them prior to the meet.
• The coaching staff will set up on the pool deck so swimmers should talk to them pre and post swims.
• Reminder to have your swimmer circle in for their events. Any scratches need to be brought to the coaches attention by the swimmer prior to doing so.
• RICE will have relays and we will get these emailed out on Friday. They are eligible to change the day of the meet. 
• All swimmer MUST attend warm up with the team.
• Reminder we are having a parent meeting on Swim Meets this Thursday 6:00 - 7:00 if you have never attended a USA swim meet or just want a refresher.

See you guys at the pool,
Coach Jason

Open Water Swim

Great job to all the RICE Aquatics Members who took the plunge at Twin Lakes this past weekend.

Everything You Wanted to Know About USA Swim Meets - Meeting

There will be a parent meeting this Thursday night 6:00 - 7:00 covering USA swim meets and what to expect. This meeting should be attended by all new parents who intend on having their children swim in a USA meet. We will have another meeting prior to our 8 and Under meet in a couple weeks.

Party !!!

I wanted to say thank you to all the families that came out for our kick off party this past Friday night. It was great to get everyone from the team out and enjoying a little "dry-time".

Coach Jason

No practice for this Friday due to the party. Please check the event for info!

Kayaks Needed

Parents/Master Swimmers - We are in need of two more Kayaks for our open water swim this weekend. If you have a kayak available please email Jason (coachjason@riceaquatics.com) or Seth (shuston@rice.edu).


See you at the pool,
RICE Aquatics Coaching Staff.

Friday Practice

Due to the party there will be no Practice for Groups 1 - 4 Navy and Senior 1. Senior 2 and Age Group 4 White will receive an email about practice opportunities.

Jobs Posted for Party

Job Sign Ups have been posted for the Kick Off Party this Friday.

Group 4 White and Group 3 - Saturday Practice Notice

Saturday Practice Schedule:

Age Group 4 - No Practice

Age Group 3 - 8:00 - 9:30 am

- We are looking to get Age Group 3 in on at least one Saturday a month depending on schedule. Age Group 4 will swim 3 Saturdays a month depending on schedule.

Next Weekend:

Age Group 4 White - 8:00 - 9:30 am

Age Group 3 - No practice

See you at the pool,

Coach Jason

From USA Swimming - www.usaswimming.org INTRODUCTION BY SCOTT RODEO, MD // CHAIR OF THE USA SWIMMING SPORTS MEDICINE/SCIENCE COMMITTEE AND TEAM PHYSICIAN FOR THE NFL’S NY GIANTS

A SERIES OF EXERCISES FOR THE UN-INJURED ATHLETE Pain in the shoulder is common in swimmers. Shoulder function is highly dependent on the coordinated function of many muscle groups. These include the muscles around the shoulder, those that control the scapula or shoulder blade, muscles in the upper and lower back, as well as abdominal and pelvic muscles. Since the shoulder is an inherently unstable joint, muscle forces are critical for maintaining stability, proper motion, and painless function. The repetitive overhead activity of the swimming stroke can result in fatigue of these muscles. This in turn can lead to distinct changes in the function of the shoulder, resulting in the pain that is commonly known as “swimmer’s shoulder.” One of the major factors causing shoulder pain is overuse and subsequent fatigue of the rotator cuff muscles, scapular muscles, and muscles of the upper and lower back. Consequently, this fatigue can lead to shoulder instability and predispose a swimmer to shoulder pain. The risk of injury and pain is especially true for swimmers who swim with poor technique. It is well-established that a comprehensive program to develop strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility of the muscles is the most important way to prevent “swimmer’s shoulder". The exercises described in this review were chosen to develop these characteristics based on a sound knowledge of the muscles that are most important for optimal shoulder function. THE EXERCISES These exercises were chosen and reviewed by a panel of physicians, therapists, biomechanists, trainers, and coaches from USA Swimming’s Sports Medicine Society. These exercises have been proven to be effective in improving shoulder function for swimmers. These exercises address the three important areas: 1) the rotator cuff, 2) the muscles that stabilize the shoulder blade, and 3) the muscles of the low back, abdominal, and pelvis that make up the “core” of the body – the abdominal and lower back muscles. It is important to note that these exercises should only be performed by the uninjured athlete. Injured athletes may need to modify the exercises in duration and/ or range of motion depending on the level of pain or impairment the athlete is experiencing. In doing these exercises, keep in mind that the shoulder does not act by itself when you swim. You use your back, trunk and even your legs to help stabilize the body and help in the pulling movement. You will use many of these same muscle groups as you perform these exercises. Also, these exercises should be performed AFTER practice or several hours before you practice.DO NOT do these exercises right before your workout since you do not want to fatigue these muscles before you swim. Practical Tips 1) While it is beneficial to complete each of the exercises presented in this review each week, it is unlikely that the athlete will complete all of them every day, due to the amount of time it would take. If time is an issue, try the “Light Version” by alternating days with the different groups of exercises. For example, complete the three Rotator Cuff exercises on Monday, the Shoulder Blade Stabilizing exercises on Tuesday, the Core Strength exercises on Wednesday and the Stretching exercises on Thursday. Then start the cycle from the beginning. 2) While it is best not to perform these exercises before practice, we realize that for some programs this may be the only time your group is together. If this is the case, it will not hurt to complete the exercises before the water workout, but realize that in doing so the athlete may experience some degree of fatigue in the targeted muscles during practice. PRIMARY ROTATOR CUFF EXERCISES The first group of exercises we want to describe is designed to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles in the shoulder. The rotator cuff is made up of four small muscles deep in your shoulder. When these muscles contract they cause the shoulder to: Rotate the arm away from the body. This movement is called external rotation. Rotate the arm towards the body. This movement is called internal rotation. Lift the arm away from the body. This movement is called shoulder abduction. Exercise #1 - External Rotation Equipment: To perform this exercise you will need a light to moderate resistance Theraband or surgical tubing. How do you determine what strength Theraband is right for you? Pull on it and if it feels like the resistance is too light – you probably have the right level of resistance. You will be performing many repetitions so a resistance that feels too easy will probably be just right as you start to fatigue. The Movement: The External Rotation exercise focuses on strengthening the muscles that externally rotate the shoulders. The muscles that perform this motion usually are weak in swimmers. You are going to strengthen both sides of your body in this exercise. Start by cutting the Theraband and tying it into a loop. The loop should be big enough so that your hands are 6-8 inches apart when your elbows are at your sides and your forearms are parallel to the floor. Stand up straight with good posture. Do not hunch your shoulders forward. Lift your sternum and your chest towards the ceiling to help set your shoulder blades in the proper position. Your elbows should be at your sides and should be bent 90 degrees so your forearms are parallel to the floor and your thumbs are pointing towards the sky. Perform the exercise by trying to rotate your hands away from your body like you are pulling taffy apart. The figures to the left show the correct start and finish positions. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together before you start this exercise. Feel this squeeze through the ENTIRE exercise. If you do not focus on squeezing the shoulder blades you will be exercising the wrong muscles. You should take about two seconds to complete each repetition – 1 second as the muscles contract and you externally rotate the shoulders. Then take 1 second as you return to the starting position. Count 1-and-2-and, 1-and-2-and as you perform the exercise to get the correct timing. You should perform 3 sets of this exercise, resting 30 seconds between each set. Each set should end after 2 minutes or when you are no longer able to maintain correct form. It is time to end the set if: the shoulders start to roll forward, you use you upper body or wrists to help the motion or, you are unable to keep your shoulder blades squeezed together. It is okay if you are only able to complete a few repetitions at first, but strive for completing 3 sets of 2 minutes. When you can do this, move up to a higher resistance Theraband. Exercise #2 – Full Can Scaption/ Full Can Straight Arm Lifts Equipment: You do not need equipment to perform this exercise, but as you get stronger, you can use some very light weights. You can make your own weights by filling two small water bottles with sand. The Movement: The Full Can Scaption Exercise gets its name because performing it is like lifting a can without spilling its contents. The exercise strengthens the part of your rotator cuff that lifts the arm. Start this exercise using no weight. As you progress and get stronger you can use very light weights with this exercise, but even the strongest athletes should not lift more than 5 extra pounds. Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart and do not allow the shoulders to slump forward. Lift your chest towards the ceiling to help set the shoulder blades in the proper position. Focus on pinching your shoulder blades together and you should feel tension in these muscles for the entire exercise. The figures to the left show the proper posture and starting position. Raise your arms so that they extend straight out to your sides. Move your hands forward about 1-2 feet so they are now slightly ahead of your shoulders to get in the proper exercise position. This will actually allow you to perform the movement in the same plane of the shoulder blade. Keep your thumbs turned up so they are facing the sky. (See figures to the right). Lower your hands to your side and then lift them up again so your hands end up level with the top of your head (See the figures showing the start and finish positions for the exercise to the left). Maintain a steady cadence – Take 1 second to lift your hands to head level and one second to lower the hands back to your sides. As you raise and lower your hands, count slowly 1-up-2-up, 1-down-2-down… Remember to keep your hands and arms ahead of your shoulders and keep your shoulder blades together. Continue this exercise for 2 minutes or until you are unable to lift your arms while keeping your shoulder blades pinched together. Perform 3 sets in this way taking 30 seconds rest between each set. Exercise #3 - Ball on the Wall Equipment: One tennis ball or light medicine ball. The Movement: The Ball on the Wall exercise is designed to strengthen the muscles that stabilize the shoulder blasé (scapula) as well as those that internally and externally rotate the shoulder. You will need a tennis ball or a light medicine ball to perform this exercise. Facing the wall, stand up straight with one arm extended in from of you so that your palm almost touches the wall. Keeping the elbow straight, “pin” the ball between your hand and the wall. Pinch your shoulder blades together and feel that contraction through the entire exercise. Roll the ball in small circles in a counter-clockwise motion for 15 seconds. Each circle should take about 1 second to complete. Without stopping, switch directions and make small circles in a clockwise direction. Control the cadence so that you make one circle each second. Continue this exercise, switching between making clockwise and counter-clockwise circles, until you become fatigued, or 2 minutes, which ever comes first. You know you are fatigued if you can not keep your shoulder blades squeezed together, if you hunch your shoulders, or if you can not hold the ball against the wall. Perform 3 sets, but do not go longer than 2 minutes for each set. Repeat this procedure for the other arm. Primary Shoulder Blade Stabilizing Exercises The second group of exercises, the Shoulder Blade Stabilizers, is designed to strengthen the muscles that control how your shoulder blades move. These muscles are found in the middle of your upper back and along your sides. When these muscles contract, they cause your shoulder blades to rotate or slide across your back. They work in coordination with the rotator cuff muscles to control the movement of the shoulder. If these muscles are weak, you can put too much stress on the rotator cuff when you swim. Exercise #4 – Theraband Rowing Equipment: One moderate resistance Theraband. The Movement: Theraband rowing strengthens the muscles that hold your shoulder blades in place. These muscles are important in helping your shoulder joint to move when you swim. First, make a loop with the Theraband and tie the ends together. The loop should be about 2 feet long. Attach the loop to a doorknob or some other stationary object that will not move when you pull on the Theraband. Sit on a bench or at the edge of a chair. Position the chair so that when your arms are extended in front of you the Theraband is just taut. Sit with an upright posture, and lift the chest to help set the shoulder blades in the proper position. Do not hunch the upper back or shoulders. Pull your hands toward your body. Keep your elbows in and pull your hands to a point between your belly button and your rib cage. Make sure you lead the pull with your elbows. Your palms should be facing upward when you pull towards your chest. See the figure below for proper start, middle and finish positions. Remember to focus on squeezing the shoulder blades together with each row and maintaining this contraction for the entire exercise. Maintain a comfortable cadence, completing 1 complete repetition every 2 seconds. Count to yourself 1-and-2-and, 1-and-2-and taking one second for the contraction and 1 second as you return to the starting position. Perform 3 sets of this exercise. Each set should end when you become fatigued or reach 2 minutes of exercise. Take 30 seconds rest between sets and strive for completing 3 sets of 2 minutes each. Like the other exercises, fatigue is indicated when your posture slumps, or you cannot keep your shoulder blades pinched together. Exercise #5 – Hitch Hiker Equipment: No equipment is needed for this exercise, but as you get stronger, you can use some very light weights. You can make your own weights by filling two small water bottles with sand. These should weigh less than 2 pounds, even for the strongest swimmers. The Movement: The Hitch Hiker exercise strengthens the muscles that control your shoulder blades as well as your rotator cuff muscles. You can exercise both sides of body at the same time, or choose to do one arm at a time. Lay on your stomach on the floor. Relax your head and keep it in line with your spine. Put your arms straight out to your sides with your thumbs pointing to the ceiling (It looks like you are hitch-hiking). While squeezing your shoulder blades together, lift your hands up off the floor and move them slightly towards your head. Use both arms at the same time. You should end up in a position that looks like a “Y” at the end of the exercise. Hold this position for 1-2 seconds and then relax to the starting position. Repeat. Try to perform this exercise for 2 minutes. If you cannot continue the exercise for 2 minutes, that’s okay. When you become fatigued and can no longer maintain your form, rest for 30 seconds. Perform your second and third sets the same way. If you reach the point where you can complete 3 sets of 2 minutes, perform the exercise while holding some small weights (less than 2 pounds) in your hands. Remember, you can make your own weights by filling small water bottles with sand, and you can also perform this exercise with one arm at a time. Exercise #6 – Push Ups with a Plus Equipment: None. The Movement: This push up exercise strengthens your chest muscles like a normal push up, but there is an added motion at the end that strengthens one of the muscles that stabilizes your shoulder blades. There is a progression to this exercise, which means you will first perform the exercise against a wall while standing. As you get more advanced you can do this exercise while on your knees and then finally in a traditional push-up position. To start this exercise, stand at arms length away from a flat wall. When you stand up straight your palms should touch the wall. The hands should be shoulder-width, or slightly wider than shoulder-width, apart. Allow your chest to move towards the wall, as you would into a normal push up position. Once you are in the “down position” push away from the wall. It is important to do this slowly so your hands never lose contact with the wall. When you reach the normal ending position for a push up you want to keep going. This is where the extra action comes in. Continue pushing so that your shoulders rotate forward a bit. It should feel like the center of your back is farther away from the wall than your shoulders, as if you are raising your back like an angry cat. This is the extra motion that strengthens the stabilizers of your shoulder blade. Hold this position for 2 seconds and repeat the action. Continue each set until you fatigue and start to lose form or until you reach 2 minutes, which ever comes first. Complete 3 sets, resting 30 seconds between each set. As you become stronger, perform the same exercise when kneeling on the floor. And eventually you will be able to perform normal push-ups with the extra motion. Primary Core Strength Development The third series of exercises focuses on developing strength in your abdominal and lower back muscles. These are some of the core muscles of your body. The muscles in the core of your body are essential for helping you maintain balance in the water when you swim. Balance is one of the most important skills you can develop. With weak abdominal and lower back muscles you will not be able to achieve a sufficient level of balance using your core. If you are like most swimmers, you will then try to achieve balance by changing your arm position or your stroke pattern. This places added stress on the shoulder and can lead to shoulder problems. There are many abdominal and lower back exercises you can do to strengthen these muscles. We will show you two of these exercises. Exercise #7 – Dead Bug Equipment: None. The Movement: The Dead Bug exercise strengthens your abdominal muscles and gets its name because if you do it correctly you will look like a bug that is flipped over on its back waving its legs in the air. Lay on the floor and put your hands under your tailbone. Tighten up your lower abdominal muscles by trying to pull your belly-button in towards your spine. This will help you avoid excessive arching in your lower back. It is important to keep your back FLAT on the floor at all times. Lift your legs off the floor and perform a light “flutter kick.” Continue this movement for 2 minutes or until you can no longer keep your lower back flat. See the figures below for proper positioning. When you master this technique, you can remove your hands from under your tailbone and perform a flutter kicking like movement with your straight arms. This form of the exercise (using the arms) is more difficult. You must make sure you do not allow the lower back to arch very much to avoid injury and work the appropriate muscles. Exercise #8 – Quadruped Equipment: None. The Movement: It’s called the Quadruped exercise because initially you resemble an animal walking on all fours. When performing this exercise you will strengthen muscles in the lower back and abdominal region and foster strength development between the two sides of your body. Start this exercise with your hands and knees on the floor. Get into a “table-top” position by flattening out your back. There should not be an arch in your back, nor should there be a dip. This will require tightening up your abdominal and lower back muscles. Think about pulling your belly-button in towards your spine. Once you’ve achieved the proper starting posture, simultaneously lift your left arm and right leg – straightening them out so they are parallel to the floor. Hold in this position for a second making sure you maintain a flat back. Slowly bring the hand and knee back to the floor. Repeat the action lifting the right arm and left leg. Alternate in this fashion for 2 minutes or until you become fatigued. You are fatigued if you cannot lift the arm or leg parallel to the floor or if you are not able to maintain your flat back posture. Perform 3 sets with 30 seconds rest between each set. As you become more experienced, try performing the exercise while closing your eyes. This will force you to use your postural muscles to a greater level while developing balance and stability. StretchingWe have talked a lot about strengthening muscles so far. However, stretching is also important to make certain you can use your newfound strength. Strengthening + Stretching = Function. By combining the strengthening and stretching exercises, you will help reduce the likelihood of shoulder injury when you swim. Exercise #9 - Hamstrings Stretch Equipment: Towel The Movement: The Hamstrings Stretch engages the group muscles in the back of your thigh. These muscles, the hamstrings, help you bend your knee and also are involved in straightening out your hip. They have a lot of control over the position of your pelvis and therefore impact your body position and balance in the water. You are much better able to control your balance in the water if your hamstrings are loose. This exercise is designed to help you stretch these muscles. Lay flat on your back on the floor. Keeping the leg that is not going to be stretched flat on the floor, loop the towel around the ball of your foot. Gently straighten your leg, and pull it towards your body. Do not lock your knee. A slight bend in the knee is necessary for safety reasons, but it should not be bent a lot. Keep your pelvis on the floor and do not rotate you body to help you get your leg closer to your torso. Pull until you feel a moderate stretch in the back of your thigh and hold that position for 30 seconds. Perform the stretch 2 times on each leg. You should not feel pain in this stretch or in any stretch. If you feel pain stop the stretch immediately. Exercise #10 – Upper Back Stretch Equipment: None. The Movement: The Upper Back Stretch targets the trapezius (tra-peez-ee-us) muscle, which connects your neck and your middle back to your shoulder blades. Good flexibility is needed in this muscle in order for the shoulder blades to move normally. This exercise is designed to stretch the upper part of the trapezius muscle since it tends to get tight in swimmers, and a tight muscle may contribute to shoulder pain. Stand up straight and push the palms of your hands together in front of your chest. Push your hands straight away from your body while continuing to squeeze your palms together. Try to keep your shoulders from moving upward towards your ears by pushing straight away from the body. Continue to push your hands away from your body until you feel a moderate stretch in your upper back and between your shoulder blades. See the front, side and back views of the stretch below. Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat after a 15-second rest. Be sure to breathe (do not hold your breath!) as you perform this exercise. Exercise #11 – Neck Stretch Equipment: None. The Movement: The Neck Stretch is another way to stretch the muscles of your upper back. This stretch targets the upper trapezius muscle. Stand up straight and do not roll or hunch the shoulders. Place one arm in the small of your back. The elbow should be bent so that the forearm is parallel to the floor. Press your arm into the small of your back to provide some stability for the movement, but you do not have to “grab on” to anything. Place the other hand on the top of your head. Gently guide your head towards your shoulder, bending it to the side until you feel a moderate stretch on the opposite side of your neck. Remember, bring your head to your shoulder and do not raise the shoulder to meet the head. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Rest 15 seconds, then repeat. You can also stretch a different part of the muscle by looking at the armpit of the pulling arm. Try both to stretch as much of the muscle as possible. Perform the same stretch on the other side of your body. Conclusion We hope that you will find time to incorporate the exercises described above into your training routine. If you have difficulty performing a specific exercise or if you have pain while doing an exercise, it is best to stop that exercise and seek advice and an evaluation from a medical professional who has expertise in this area. The USA Swimming web site lists medical practitioners in your area who have experience with shoulder problems in swimmers; this list is available under the Sports Medicine section of the web site. You may also directly contact USA Swimming for further information on referrals. Good luck!