Why Your Neglecting Your Hamstring Strength Is Making You Slower with Carl Reader

In this episode, we have Carl Reader, a functional movement coach with a background in exercise physiology and Pilates. We will discuss the connection between hamstring strength, mobility, and how it can improve swimming performance. Carl has extensive experience working with swimmers to improve their movement and strength training. Join us as we delve into his research and practices in today's episode.
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[@goodnatureart]

Dr. Ford: bring this guy to a pool deck and walk through a series of exercises. Next up talk about plant strong swimming. Carl Reader: bring a body chart to your next class online so we can see the parts of our body.

[@tonyshihoutang6576]

I also found out as my right arms drill lower & my legs would lift upwards and prepare for my left arm drill with shallow water near the water surface helping me to breathe easily at the same time I can keep accelerating

[@danjamieson7451]

This is great, when I swim long distance (for me this is 2k and above) that is when I start to cramp and it is my hamstrings that cramp. I assume this is a sign of weakness? If doing a bulgarian split squat is it better to have the raised ankle flexed or extended, or would alternating this position help?

[@functionalmovementcoaching9223]

Thank you for your comment. When doing the Bulgarian split squat with an upright torso there is a tendency to overwork your quads and strain the knee. Ideally, you want to lean slightly forward from your hips which will help engage more glutes and hamstrings. Hamstring cramps can be a sign of hamstring weakness which is often caused bu quad dominance in other exercises like discussed above.

[@danjamieson7451]

@@functionalmovementcoaching9223 tha k you so much this feed back helps massively. I know my hamstrings are weak. I rely heavily on my quad strength for cycling. I will work o it with all the tops you have given I the video 👌🏻

[@tonyshihoutang6576]

I cannot use fins ,once I used I would totally relay on it. Everytime I used fins, I cannot swim nicely without them

[@tonyshihoutang6576]

I bend a little my feet as I cannot fully straighten my feet
I found out as I press my thigh when I drill forwards that makes my kick easier n effective

[@Kalenjinstf]

Interesting... as triathlete with a pretty high running and bike volume, I find my hamstrings sore all the time... Now I better understand why my swimming may be so much better during those taper weeks where I reduce a lot my bike and running volume. It also explains why I am so much faster with a pull buoy, or with "floaty pants". But, now, my question is: how can I compensate the constant fatigue of my hamstrings without using floating tools? To me, the solution is absolutely not in weight training my hamstrings: they can't take more stimulus than they actualy do without negatively impacting my bike and running intensity sessions, or without too much increasing my injury risk. So, I won't do weight training for my hamstrings (they are not, by the way, weak; they are pretty strong. They are just tired from all that bike and run training). As a very average swimmer, my kick isn't good enought to hide that hamstring fatigue.

[@functionalmovementcoaching9223]

Hi Kalen. Thank you for your comment and great question. I agree, in your situation not to weight train your hamstrings. Perhaps in your situation, it would be better to look at improving muscle sequencing so the hamstrings are not overworked.

[@joeekaps5840]

Can't believe he didn't mention leg curls or stiff legged deadlifts. 2 of the greatest hamstring exercises

[@ChileanChimp]

Would of liked to hear more too, what about Glute ham raises too? Reverse hyper extensions I feel would help too

[@joeekaps5840]

@@ChileanChimp Right. Hyper- extensions 👍 Another good hamstrings/ glutes exercise is laying flat, like your swimming freestyle position, preferably on a table or padded block where your arms and legs can hang loosely. You can add ankle/ wrist weights and move your legs and arms

[@bukkfrig]

How about cycling with focus on the up-stroke?

[@JJBpilot]

Posterior chain, and he kept saying squats.... which is not a huge hamstring exercise.
Reverse hypers.....
How about a reverse plank, facing the ceiling... Bird dogs... see Dr. Stuart McGill....
Reverse Nordics...
Have you seen the Zen 8 trainer? Laying on the soft bench and kicking is probably one of the body position benefits.
By doing bird dogs on an exercise ball, and then reverse hypers and kicking enabled me to tighten up my backside, which Brenton calls taughtness I believe, and let me front float for the first time ever!
Has it carried over to my swimming yet? Ehhhh!!!

[@functionalmovementcoaching9223]

Thank you for your reply. Leg curls work your hamstrings but this is not a functional exercise and often shortens the hamstrings. Again stiff legged deadlifts I agree is a good exercise but should be done with a bit more bend in your knees as again doing deadlifts with a stiff leg is not functional.