Vasa Trainer's video: Pilates-inspired mat warm-up for swimmers triathletes surfers

Note to athletes and coaches: This thorough warm-up was designed to be used before starting the Pilates-inspired workout for swimmers using the Vasa Trainer. You can also do this warm-up before starting any swim workout or other strength session. Warm-up Exercises: W.U. . Quadruped thoracic rotation - 3-5 reps. a. Add leg extension Hands and knees position, hands under shoulders, knees under hips. Spine long and neutral. One hand behind head. Inhale. Exhale to rotate upper body towards stabilizing arm on the floor. Inhale to rotate towards the ceiling. Add opposite leg extension: Exhale rotate to stabilizing arm, the leg is long and the foot is on floor. Inhale to extend the hip and rotate towards the ceiling. W.U. . Swimming prep in quadruped - 5-8 reps. Hands and knees position as above. On the exhale, reach one arm and opposite leg long. Inhale as you return to start. Keep spine long and neutral. Don’t extend your arm and leg so high that your spine extends. Reach your arm and leg to the opposite sides of the room and not up. W.U. . Swimmers’ 100 Lay supine on the mat. Upper body flexed off the mat, arms in a streamlined position. Low back imprinted (lengthened and pressed towards mat). Legs reaching on long diagonal as low as you can maintain spinal imprint. Flutter kick your legs as you inhale for 5-count, exhale for 5-count. Repeat for up to 10 sets. Keep low back flat and pressed towards the mat while maintaining tension in the core. You should not feel low back tightness. Lift legs at a higher diagonal if you begin to lose imprint. W.U. . Lateral flexion with added swim legs (flutter kicking) Side-lying position: hips and shoulders stacked, spine long and neutral. Begin with side bends only: on exhale, stabilize the bottom shoulder, laterally flex upper body off the mat, lifting legs. Add flutter kicking the legs while on the side: Stay in lateral flexion. Inhale: move legs forward and back as you inhale for a 5-count. Exhale for a 5-count while rotating your head towards the mat and continuing the leg movement. Do up to 5 sets. End of Warm-up