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Strengthen your abs and shoulder stabilisers

by Nicki Jennison | Exercise, injury prevention, Personal Training, Pilates

Strengthen your abs and shoulder stabilisers with the Swimming Prep

The Swimming Prep is a great Pilates exercise, which helps to strengthen the core and shoulder stabilisers and if you squeeze your bum enough on the lift, it will give you a good butt work out as well.

This is also a great exercise post pregnancy if you have separation of your linea alba.

There are a few variations, all of which have the same starting position. Start with your knees directly underneath your hips and your hands directly underneath your shoulders. Bend the elbows a little so that your back is in a parallel line with the floor. Start in neutral position, which means you will have a natural s shape bend in your back and the back of your neck nice and long (don’t look up, stay looking down). I like to imagine a tray of drinks resting on my lower back and butt. Before you start, pull up your pelvic floor (imagine a lift drawing up from your tailbone half way up to your belly button) and then draw your belly button up towards your spine, without arching your back, the only thing that should move is your stomach lifting.

Easiest option, is to just raise one leg off the floor. Making sure you don’t change anything in your torso, don’t arch your lower back or lean over to one side, imagine that tray of drinks having to stay perfectly still and not tip over.

Swimming Prep, single leg

For a little more shoulder stabilisation try the next option, which is simply to lift one arm off the floor, however, make sure that your shoulders don’t shrug up towards your ears, keep them drawing down your back.