Exercise #1681

Swimming

2 min - Exercise
45 likes
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Description



Muscle Focus: Back extensors.

Objective: Strengthen back extensors and increase spinal extension.

Start Position: Lie flat on your stomach with arms extended straight by the ears and legs extended and together (for less advanced practitioners, keep legs hip-width apart).

Movement: Pull the abdominals to spine and float the arms and legs off the Mat. Gaze slightly in front of the body on the Mat keeping the back of the neck lengthened. Lift right arm and left leg towards the ceiling. Lower right arm and left leg as the left arm and right leg lift towards the ceiling. Switch. Increase the tempo until opposite arm and leg flutter.

Precautions: Keep the shoulders pulling away from the ears. Eliminate strain in the lower back by pulling the abdominals in towards the spine. Maintain torso and pelvis stability as the arms and legs move.
What You'll Need: Mat

About This Video

(Pace N/A)
Apr 27, 2014
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Transcript

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The next exercise is called swimming. It's strengthening to the trunk. It's one of the few and very valuable parts of the mat work where we work back extension and open the chest and use all of these back muscles very actively. So Christie, gathering into your powerhouse, you pull your stomach in towards your back, reach the arm, the legs away from you and lift them up in the air and lift your head up. So you're looking forward now, right arm up, left leg up, and then reverse it left and that's it. And inhale for a side. Exhale other side now a little faster and go and go and go and go and go and go and go and go pause and lengthen the limbs away from you and lower down to the mat. Now this is a challenging exercise, so this is few things that need to be watched out for keeping the hips and the trunk stable so it doesn't flop around is very, very key to Christy.

Could you demonstrate doing it badly where everything is flopping in the shoulder? That's it. Where the, she's wobbling all over the place. No good and relaxed down. It's exhausting to do it badly. The other thing is often the most advanced version is with the feet together. That can create a pinch in the lower back, a way to work it more simply as with the leg, slightly to the side separated, and then lift up. One more time. She's anchoring hips and shoulders, and then she goes for the swimming. Yes, without the center. Waste of waste and rib cage moving, so it's all isolating the legs and stabilizing the center and then relaxed out.

So very interesting fun exercise. It's called swimming.

Comments

1 person likes this.
This is a really tough exercise for me. I can’t do it yet like the person modeling it. I’m guessing fake it til I make it will work? Maybe just get good at extension before moving my extremities will be a baby step. 
James  Some of the challenge is also hip flexors, and open shoulders.   Extension of the spine is also a factor, yes, just practice but watch if you are uncomfortable in your lower back.  Maybe practice lifting your limbs, wiht your head down so see if you can even lift Right arm, left let, etc.   That is a good start, and ofcourse, practice.   Great question!

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