The Pike Exercise

After 12 years in the sport of swimming I have never encountered a dry land exercise as hard as the pike. I find myself almost in tears after each set I do and dreading the next set I will have to do. This exercise includes your own balance and a stabilizing ball. This might sound easy but once you try it you will understand the difficulty of this exercise.

Step 1: Grab a large size stabilizing ball, make sure it is filled up enough, and roll out on it so that you ankles are at the end of the ball and your hands are out in a push up position.

Step 2: Curl your abs in to bring the stabilizing ball up to your chest. You should now be in a pike position, just like the divers.

Step 3: Now, with your abs, roll back out into the plank position that you started in.

You should do two sets of 30 for this exercise with no breaks in each set. Its more difficult then you would think people.

This exercise not only works your abs but manages to work your lower back and arms all in one. In swimming these are vital parts. For breaststrokers and flyers you need a strong lower back to lift your upper body. Strong abs will help every swimmer with their turns, rolling in and out of them. While strong and stable arms are also a must.