Swimming involves all of the muscle groups in the body, especially the core muscles that help keep you afloat. The sidestroke is one of the least-intense swimming exercises, since you lie on your side, and can be useful for resting between more strenuous strokes and also for swimming long distances. With the sidestroke you work one side of your body at a time, which can give you more endurance while working your muscles. Working your muscles through swimming is convenient for all age groups and people recovering from injury and following a physical therapy program. Consult your doctor before engaging in a new form of exercise routine.
Back and Neck Muscles
During your sidestroke you will work your back muscles. As you lie on your side and begin to pull your arms toward your chest, you are working your latissimus dorsi, which is involved in arm rotation. It lies below your scapula, and toning this muscles helps with deep inspiration and forced expiration. You also work the upper back muscle erector spinae-spinalis and the back muscles that connect to the neck, splenius capitis and splenius cervicis, depending on which side of your body you are lying on.
Arm Muscles
Your entire arms are engaged when you are performing a sidestroke and you are therefore working out all of the muscles in your arms as well as your shoulders and wrists. The largest muscles in your arms include your biceps brachii, caput longum musculi tricipitis brachii, caput mediale musculi tricipitis brachii, M. brachioradialis and M. flexor capri radialis. Your shoulder muscles being worked include your M. deltoideus and M. coracobrachialis.
Chest And Core Muscles
Each time you kick your legs and bring your arms toward your torso, you are engaging your abdominal muscles, in particular your rectus abdominis. You also engage your serratus anterior muscles, which lie above your ribcage, as well as your latissimus dorsi and pectoralis major.
Leg Muscles
As you perform your scissor kicks during your sidestroke, the leg muscles you are exercising include your biceps femoris or hamstring, claf or gastrocnemius muscle, quadriceps or thigh, and tibialis anterior, the muscles on the side of your legs. Engaging your legs also gives your glutes a workout. Your ankle muscles are engaged but are not getting significant exercise with the sidestroke.
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