Several years ago a picture was published which changed my swimming life. In it was world record holder Jeff Rouse standing in the newest streamlined position. Here was a broad shouldered swimmer in a streamline different than what we were taught over the last 30 years.
With his arms behind his head, instead of next to his ears, his widest body part of the shoulders were barely wider than his waist. Look carefully at this photograph, memorize it in your mind. The first time I practiced this streamline, I went 12 yards under water in my breaststroke pullout.
I normally went yards, this was one additional yard due to the new streamline! But it was very hard to maintain this form.
I am very broad shouldered, with a Unlike other swimmers, I cannot touch my hands behind my back, or ever get them close. My deltoid muscles are too thick, it hurt to even try this new streamline. How was I to use this new streamline? I always stretched before EVERY workout, but conventional stretches couldn't begin to stretch my thick back muscles. Fortunately another breaststroker had already studied this problem and had come up with a unique solution. Marty Hull had invented the ROM, range of motion stretching strap.
Hull is an accomplished swimmer who had previously invented the Zoomers swim fins, and the Rack. Along with the ROM strap, he has designed a series of stretches that when used with the ROM strap, will stretch every swimmer better than they ever imagine.
