Foundations: Maintain Alignment

Quick Intro: Swimming Prep

What’s it good for? ⁠

🌟 “Swimming” strengthens your back muscles (extensor spinae), bum (glutes) and back of your legs (hamstrings).
🌟 It also helps us to learn stabile alignment: keep the movement going though keeping your shoulders and pelvis quiet.
🌟 Finally, it prepares us for the much more challenging exercise “Swimming” and “Swan Dive”.

A quick “how to”…

Swimming

🌟 Lie face down on your mat with your arms stretched overhead and legs reaching out behind you, feet pointed.
🌟 To begin with, keep your arms and legs on the floor.
🌟 Engage your abdominals to support your lower back.
🌟 Begin by reaching one arm off the floor, keeping your shoulder quiet.  Repeat with the other arm.
🌟 After several repetitions, do the same with your legs.
🌟 When you’re comfortable with this, try opposite arm and leg simultaneously.
🌟 The greatest challenge is to perform the exercise with all your limbs off the floor as your starting position!

Hints & Tips:

🌟 As one limb lifts, avoid rocking from side to side.
🌟 Breathe in for four beats and out for four beats.
🌟 Aim for even rhythm in each limb and each beat.
🌟 Swim as quickly as you can, but keeping your shoulders and pelvis quiet.
🌟 Keep each side, left and right even.

Any Questions?

Ask away – I love to help!  Click here for the Contact Page 🙂 – or leave a comment at the bottom of the post – see you there…