Restless reader

— Swimming Anatomy

Swimming Anatomy by Ian McLeod (Human Kinetics, 2010), 193 pages, $21.95.

Swimming supposedlyuses the whole body, so why write a book about the anatomy engaged by swimming?

Different strokes emphasize different muscles, and this book explains which do what. But it’s not just about the pool. The book’s focus is dry-land strengthtraining, which plays almost as large a role in performance as does time in the water.

Like other titles in Human Kinetics’ excellent “Anatomy of” series, the book provides a thorough written and visual description of 74 strength exercises, paying attention to how they would benefit swimmers.

Are there drawings or photographs? Line drawings with color applied to highlight working muscles.

For each exercise, illustrators Jennifer Gibas and Becky Oles show a semi-flayed man or woman doing the exercise with the muscles involved highlighted in brown or tan. They also provide an image of a swimmer doing a stroke that uses those same muscles.

McLeod’s text gives detailed directions for doing the exercise, tips for maintaining the best form and an explanation of how it applies in the pool.

Who wants all that information? Lap swimmers need something to think about besides the dead Band-Aid on the pool floor as they paddle back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.

I saw an anatomy book that was so detailed a protective parent would want to hide it from the children. What are you asking?

Are genitals depicted? No.

Male images are not anatomically explicit down there, even when the exercise engages groin muscles. And females aren’t seated at thigh-extension machines with every muscle around their hoo-hoos outlined, nor do they have memorable breasts.

Who is the author? McLeod is an athletic trainer with a certification in massage. He was a member of the United States’ swim team medical staff at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. He worked as an athletic trainer with the sportsprograms at the University of Virginia and Arizona State University.

McLeod lives in Tempe, Ariz., with his wife and two children. Audio clips of his advice on improving form and preventing injuries are at humankinetics.com.

ActiveStyle, Pages 28 on 12/28/2009

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