How to Swim Faster with Less Effort: Strenghten Your Core and Abs with Balance Ball Exercises

While the plank in its most simple form, shown above and adapted from yoga, is an excellent core strength exercise for faster swimming times, allowing you to draw power from your abs and obliques, inevitably the time comes when the triathlete will want to try variations on that fundamental core muscle group exercise.

Variations on core strengthening drills are helpful for several reasons.

For one, after several months of any exercise your muscles adapt and an core strength exercise plank will become easier: your muscle fibers grow accustomed to the drill and your begin to experience diminishing returns.

Second, it's good to add variations to keep yourself engaged mentally.

The core strength plank drill variation described here incorporates a balance ball for its instability, and is somewhat more challenging than it looks. The balance demands it places upon your core is considerable, as are its stabilization and strength demands.

Boston area personal trainer Mike Harb demonstrates.

Both balance ball variations on the plank, you'll note, are adaptations of the basic plank position shown in the photo.

The first variation is the easiest. Note how Mike doesn't hunch his shoulders and how he creates a relatively straight line between his feet, hips, and the back of his head. Also he keeps his head level, to avoid neck strain.

Hold this plank position for as long as you can, say ten seconds, take a short break, then try again, rest again, a repeat.

By placing the tops of your feet flat upon the balance ball, you reduce somewhat the drill's balance demands.

Take note of the raised arch in the lats behind Mike's shoulders, proof that his lats are working.

The drill forces your abs to support your lower back and likewise requires that your hip flexors support your lower torso. Both are key muscle groups used to speed and stamina advantages for triathlon swimmers, sea kayaking racers and on fast surf skis.

About the writer: fishing guide Adam Bolonsky writes about kayak fishing and ocean kayaking (sea kayaking) at Sea Kayaking Dot Net and NorthAmerican Kayak Fishing.