Difficulty: Medium
Impact Level: Low
Target Body Parts: abs, upper back, lower back, shoulders, glutes, hamstrings
How to do Swimmer
Back to ExercisesInstructions
Start off on the floor lying face down with your arms stretched out overhead. Lift your upper body into a back arch by lifting your chest away from the floor and contracting your glutes and back muscles. Keep your chin tucked so that you are looking towards the floor.
From here, lift your right arm up away from the floor and at the same time lift your left leg away from the floor. Aim to lift both limbs approximately one foot off the floor.
Then as you lower your right arm, lift your left arm. Similarly for the legs, as you lower the left leg, lift your right in a controlled swimming-like motion. Make sure you keep your glutes engaged during this exercise and don’t overlift your legs as this can cause you to overarch your lower back.
How to make Swimmer easier
Build up your back and core strength first with our T Raise, Laying Back Extension and Quadraplex exercises.
How to make Swimmer more challenging
Progress from this exercise on to our Two-Point Plank when you are ready.
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