Stretch Cords: Why they’re a MUST DO!
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 propulsion phase of our training. Adjustments can be made immediately as Coach Jim and Coach Megan watch the positioning of your elbows and hands throughout the pulling phase. And, the athletes themselves can watch what they are doing by utilizing a mirror (or their camera) for instant feedback.
All of this helps create specific muscular endurance and stimulative awareness so when you jump in the water you can “feel” the power phase of the stroke and can move through the water with maximum efficiency. In addition to the weekly stretch cord specific workout each swim session includes a dryland warm using the stretch cords. This wakes up the working muscles for our swim stroke and further ingrains the correct muscle patterning so you can implement the proper propulsion in the water.
Lastly, stretch cords are a key part of race day preparation. Often, at the race sites time to warm up in the water is limited. Using your stretch cords can allow for a race specific warm up and set you up for a great start to your race. All you need is your stretch cord and a pole, or tree, to attach them to.
Pro tip: don’t use any race fencing or barricades for attachment; they aren’t the sturdiest!
At Tower26 we recommend Stretchcordz with paddles, as these paddles promote proper hand, wrist position and tension.: https://nzcordz.com/product/strechcordz-with-paddles-3/
Which resistance level is right for you?
As you look at the cords you will notice there are different colors based on resistance. This begs the question—-which color/resistance should I start with?
First, let’s look at the breakdown of resistance levels by color:
Silver: 3-8 lbs.
Yellow: 5-14 lbs.
Green: 8-24 lbs.
Red: 12-31 lbs.
Blue: 14-36 lbs.
You want to be sure to have a level that allows for tension throughout the entire stroke (no slack when the arms are extended our in front before the set up). However, if this tension is too much you won’t be able to finish the stroke past the hips.
For a true beginner, we recommend starting with the silver resistance level. As you improve you can always step further back, putting a bit more tension on the cords at the front of the stroke. If you have some experience using stretch cords and consider yourself an “advanced” beginner the yellow will probably work well for your level. The green is for a more experienced swimmer with a background in competitive swimming or a long history in triathlon/open water swimming. For our purposes, red and blue are probably not recommended. If you have participated in our weekly stretch cord workouts with Coach Jim you may have noticed that he uses the yellow level cords and gets a great workout with the proper pull pattern all the way through the hips.
So, in closing, get a set of stretch cords and reap the benefits of dry land work in the water. A proper pull is a non-negotiable for fast swimming and something that swimmers of any level can improve upon. This tool for is something every triathlete needs in their equipment bag.
By Emily Cocks, Tower 26 Coach and former Professional Triathlete
