The Pilates SWIMMER with options/variations is a great way to strengthen your core. Start gently and work you way to your ideal level.
1. Lower back raise keeping legs on the ground.
- Engage your powerhouse muscles and your pelvic floor. (Draw your belly button up towards your spine; engage your glutes and tighten your tummy).
- Draw your shoulders back and down and extend your legs long.
- Keep your nose down (to keep your neck in alignment with your spine).
- Your energy should be extending right down and out from your toes.
- As you exhale, lift your chest up and slowly lower back down.
- Repeat 5-10 times (slowly and with control).
2. Opposite arm to leg
- Engage your powerhouse muscles and your pelvic floor. (Draw your belly button up towards your spine; engage your glutes and tighten your tummy).
- Draw your shoulders back and down and extend your legs long.
- Keep your nose down (to keep your neck in alignment with your spine).
- Your energy should be extending right down and out from your toes.
- As you exhale, reach forward with one arm and back with the opposite leg. Lift the leg and arm off the floor slightly.
- Hold briefly while extending the arm forward and the leg back behind you.
- Repeat 5-10 times (slowly and with control).
3. Swimmer 1
- Engage your powerhouse muscles and your pelvic floor. (Draw your belly button up towards your spine; engage your glutes and tighten your tummy).
- Draw your shoulders back and down and extend your legs long.
- Keep your nose down (to keep your neck in alignment with your spine).
- Your energy should be extending right down and out from your toes.
- As you exhale, reach forward with both arms as you lift your chest slightly and reach back with the opposite leg.
- Flutter kick your legs while lifting and lowering your opposite arms.
- Flutter kick 10 x each leg but don’t go push past the point where your muscles relase and you put strain on your back.
- Repeat 5 times (if you can)
4. Swimmer 2
- Engage your powerhouse muscles and your pelvic floor. (Draw your belly button up towards your spine; engage your glutes and tighten your tummy).
- Draw your shoulders back and down and extend your legs long.
- Keep your nose down (to keep your neck in alignment with your spine).
- Your energy should be extending right down and out from your toes.
- As you exhale, reach forward with both arms as you lift your chest slightly.
- Sweep your arms around beside you until they are extended behind you, elbows straight and shoulders drawing down and away from your ears.
- Flutter kick your legs while maintaining that lift through the chest.
- Flutter kick 10 x each leg but don’t go push past the point where your muscles relase and you put strain on your back.
- Slowly release bring your arms back to the front, in and down and lower your chest gently.
- Repeat 5 times (if you can)
