Swimming and Back Strength

Swimming is a great way to enhance your cardiorespiratory endurance, a.k.a. your type1 muscle fibers' ability to sustain muscular contractions (your Type 1 muscle fibers are for endurance, Type 2A are for strength, Type 2B are for Explosive Exercise).  It is also incredible for strengthening the muscles in your back.  This is due to the fact that the muscles in your back are the one that do all of the 'pulling' motions for your body.  Therefore as you swim and you are pulling your arms past you through the water, your back muscles (especially your Lats, Upper/Middle/Lower Trapezius, Erector Spinae group, Rhomboids, Teres Major/Minor) are the ones working and getting stronger as you do it.

The general population in America has rounded or 'forward' shoulders and an incredible lack of back strength.  Swimming is a natural way to strengthen the muscles of the back to help the shoulders be pulled back to a closer Anatomical Neutral Posture.  For those of you that feel some back pain during the day, it is probably due to bad posture because of weak back muscles.  Start swimming and in a matter of weeks the pain will more than likely get better.