Dynamic warmup exercises help prepare the body for physical exertion and sports performance.  They can increase range of movement, blood and oxygen flow to soft tissues prior to exertion.  Be careful to not exceed your body’s range of motion, but allow the movements to increase functional mobility and maximize available flexibility in preparation for your swim workout. Coach Emily demonstrates the why and how of dynamic stretching with this VIDEO and a suggested routine before you jump in for your next swim: Forward arm swings - single Backwards arm swings - single Double arm b ..read more

TOWER 26 Head Triathlon Coach and Professional Triathlete, Jim Lubinski, showcases TOWER 26’s weekly Stretch Cords and Core Workouts, available to all TOWER 26 members. As part of the program, you can join LIVE 6am Monday sessions or follow along via YouTube on-demand anytime you like. Learn More Join TOWER 26 today ..read more

Whether it is a short set before getting in the water to ingrain proper muscle memory for our pull, warm up at a race or because pool time is limited during Covid-19, the stretch cord is a must have piece of equipment for your swim and transition bag.   Tower 26 swimming program utilizes stretch cords on a regular basis.   Recently, Tower 26 Head Triathlon Coach Jim has been leading our athletes through a stretch cord and core stability workout live on Zoom every Monday afternoon. These sessions allow our athletes to work on the proper mechanics of the set up and pull in the propulsi ..read more

Phase Two: Post-Workout This routine should take 5-10 minutes and should be performed immediately following exercise and before showering or sitting down to breakfast…or a conference call. Bridging (1:00) While lying on your back, bring both of your knees toward you by sliding your feet towards your butt until your knees are bent at about a 45 degree angle. Then tighten your lower abdominals, squeeze your buttocks and then raise your buttocks off the floor. There’s no perfect destination here, just go until your feel your limit, squeezing your butt, feeling it in your hips and opening space in ..read more

Find a quiet space and allow 10-15 minutes for this portion. Nothing we do here should be strenuous or challenging. Every move should be slow and controlled; just think of it as a nice long warm up to your day and that each movement should be performed only to the edge of slight discomfort, no further. Start off seated on the floor.  Cervical side bend (:45) Tilt your head towards the side, then return back to looking straight ahead.  (Be sure to keep your eyes and nose pointed straight ahead the entire time). Slow & controlled. Repeat 10 times to each side.  Cervical rotat ..read more

An Overview : The Importance of a Daily Routine The benefits of stretching are well-established. Stretching increases your flexibility, allowing you to move more freely without pain; opens up channels for blood flow and nerve function; allows us to maintain our performance in our sports; improves the quality of sleep, and can slow down the aging process, in both our look and feel. There aren’t any downsides to safe, controlled stretching and yet so many of us find excuses to skip the stretch, especially triathletes. We are all too willing to cram an extra 5 minutes into our workouts before we ..read more