By Dr. G. John Mullen, DPT, CSCS
I’m often asked about screening tools for swimmers. When I discuss screens, I often respond with a generic…”it depends on the person” response. However, one screen (and exercise) I often give swimmers is the 3-point Y.
Strength coach and speed golf pro (I know pretty random) Allan Phillips and myself met for the first time three years ago and put together the Swimming Troubleshooting System. In this book, we have hundreds of screens, helping coaches and swimmers troubleshoot swimming stroke dysfunction on land and most importantly, in the water.
In this book, we describe troubleshooting as follows:
Understanding cause and effect lies at the heart of effective movement correction, both in and out of the water. The more efficiently we master the body’s movement fundamentals, the easier we can interpret stroke “flaws” and correlate them with a swimmer’s physical attributes and limitations. The quotations around “flaws” is intentional, as the flaw that catches our attention on deck may be the body’s default way of compensating for an underlying physical limitation. To achieve lasting results, it is critical to examine the body’s fundamental movements.”
Photo Courtesy: Dr. John Mullen
At first glance, the 3-point Y looks like a dinky exercise, but give it a try. Have a swimmer with poor thoracic motion? Do they have problems undulating? Are they unable to push through the entry of their butterfly? Have them try this exercise and let us know what you found! I bet you’ll see a correlation between swimmers on your team who can’t perform this movement and have butterfly difficulties. I’ve seen many elite swimmers struggle, especially if they are poor at butterfly, specifically with undulation. The Y is a goofy set-up, as it places the athlete in thoracic kyphosis. This unorthodox position forces the swimmer to isolate shoulder mobility and strength.
Now, many functional movement and even physical therapists will poo-poo this exercise due to the set-up. Yes, I agree the set-up is not in the best postural position. However, it does truly test midback and shoulder mobility, as well as scapular strength.
Directions:
Have the swimmer kneel, then sit their butt onto their feet. Next, have the swimmer place their head on the ground. Keeping your arms as straight as possible (at 11:00 and 1:00), bring both arms in front of your body with the thumbs facing upwards. Raise the arms as high as you can, remembering to raise them only as far as you can to maintain your starting back position. Lower the arms slowly and repeat.
Keep in mind these fine points:
- Starting Position: Face down, heels on the butt. Tighten your core, preventing low back compensation. Tuck your chin.
- In all of the following exercises, as you bring your arms up you will have a tendency to arch your back. In order to target the correct muscles and not cheat through the thoracic and lumbar spine, only perform the exercises with the back flattened.
Try the 3-point Y with your swimmers and see how many can’t get their arms off the ground and let us know if these are the swimmers with problems in butterfly!
3-point Y
If the 3-point Y is too hard, try starting with the following:
3-point Robber
3-point Windmill
Can you get your hands off the ground? Do you have proper press through your butterfly? Let us know in the comments!
Marie Van Hoof hier
Brittany Archer
Andy Landy
Step 1 be a flyer
Step 2 be Chad Le Clos.
No be phelps
Jack Ford
Isaac Byrne
Now we just need to find something to help with your breast stroke
Hassan Habba
Derrick Odom
Too late lol
Never too late!!
Sophie Colson
see Steve
this is why I don’t move
because I cannot do this
that’s what physio said too
Interesting. Riley can not do the Y
Zoe McIlmurray
Juan Martin Limburg
Mathieu Boers
Hernan Campos Zapata
Sage Rogers
Too late, I long retired from that stroke….
Alexis Mattson
Caroline Els
Bach Nguyen you need this you scrub
Ahahahaha get a load of this guy! ?? Ethan Albert John
Brandon
Kenyon Kellett !!!
Ken’s 3 Points, 1. train more than 4 times in 3 years, 2. Dont drink and eat to much red wine, beer and cheese, 3. remember try 100m before the competition.
Niels Post …
Nicholas Rollo
Paulo Renato Tavares Campos
Naomi Ruele Skye Carey
Lacey Lorraine Radloff Bobby Radloff very interesting.
J.c. Drygasuk
Daisy CapetilloMoises RiveraJose RamirezQuelvin RamirezRodolfo Higuera
no prob with any of these…
Why does everyone comment someone else’s name?
That is when someone tags someone else in Facebook