How to Do Swimming in Pilates: Techniques, Benefits, Variations Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Pilates Beginners How to Do Swimming in Pilates: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes By Marguerite Ogle MS, RYT Marguerite Ogle MS, RYT Marguerite Ogle is a freelance writer and experienced natural wellness and life coach, who has been teaching Pilates for more than 35 years. Learn about our editorial process Updated on March 25, 2022 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Kristin McGee, CPT Reviewed by Kristin McGee, CPT Kristin McGee is a certified personal trainer and currently teaches yoga and meditation for Peloton. She is also certified in Pilates and by the National Association of Sports Medicine. Learn about our Review Board Print Photo: Ben Goldstein / Model: Melissa Castro Schmidt Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Instructions Benefits Variations Common Mistakes Safety and Precautions Try It Out Targets: Back extension, core, and butt muscles Level: Intermediate Pilates swimming is a fun mat exercise, but it is also quite challenging as it brings every part of the body into play. Luckily, it is also easy to modify. Swimming is a back extension exercise that makes a great counter stretch for the many Pilates mat exercises that require forward flexion. How to Do Swimming in Pilates Lie on your stomach with the legs straight and together. Stretch your arms straight overhead, keeping your shoulder blades settled in your back and your shoulders away from your ears,Pull your abs in so that you lift your belly button away from the floor.Extend your arms and legs so far in opposite directions that they naturally come up off the floor. At the same time, lengthen your spine so that your head moves up off the mat as an extension of the reach of your spine.Pump your right arm and left leg up and down in a small pulse, continuing to reach out from your center. Alternate right arm/left leg and left arm/right leg pulses.Breathe in for a count of 5 kicks and reaches, and out for a count of 5. This should feel like swimming in a pool. If the breathing pattern is too complicated at first, you can leave it out. Benefits of Swimming in Pilates This is an excellent exercise for your butt, lower back, and core. It uses the gluteus maximus muscle, and you'll often find this exercise in workouts geared to give more definition to your glutes. The hamstrings at the back of your thighs are used to lift your legs from the mat. Swimming also targets the back extensor muscles. Strong back extensors are needed to reduce the tension in your neck and shoulders. They are a crucial component of the long spine position typical of Pilates exercises and will help you maintain good posture in daily life. You will also be keeping your abdominals engaged throughout the movement, especially the obliques. Your abs work together with your back muscles to support your spine and neck, so you aren't trying to lift your upper body and head with your neck and shoulder muscles. What It Really Means to Engage Your Core Other Variations of Swimming in Pilates You can perform this exercise in different ways to meet your skill level and goals. Reduced ROM Swimming Those with upper back and neck issues may want to work only the lower half of the body. Decrease the range of motion and the speed of your pulses or work. Anchor your movement by keeping your belly lifted and tailbone moving down toward the mat. Keep your forehead and arms on the mat. Reach each leg out long, one at a time, far enough that it's just an inch or two off the mat. Once you are comfortable with that, try doing the alternating leg movements in quicker succession. The Pilates dart exercise is another similar back extension. Once you've mastered swimming, move on to some of the advanced Pilates mat exercises, such as rocking. Common Mistakes Always reach from your center, keeping your head and neck working as extensions of your spine. Watch out for these issues: Raised Tailbone Protect your lower back by keeping your tailbone moving down toward the mat. Crunched Neck Keep your face down toward the mat; don't crane or strain your neck by trying to look out or up. Weak Core Stop when you don't have the core support you need to continue and you begin to lose your proper form and alignment (for example, lifted tailbone or hunched shoulders). Safety and Precautions You want to feel your back working, but not straining. You should use caution or avoid this exercise if you have a back injury. If you have neck pain, try keeping your arms by your sides or use them for light support as in the half swan. You should aim for 2 or 3 cycles of 5 inhales and 5 exhales of the Pilates swimming exercise. Try It Out Incorporate this move and similar ones into one of these popular workouts: Quick Pilates Workout Sequence Must-Do Pilates Moves for a Great Butt Body Shaping Pilates Workout 1 Source Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Eliks M, Zgorzalewicz-Stachowiak M, Zeńczak-Praga K. Application of Pilates-based exercises in the treatment of chronic non-specific low back pain: state of the art. Postgrad Med J. 2019;95(1119):41-45. By Marguerite Ogle MS, RYT Marguerite Ogle is a freelance writer and experienced natural wellness and life coach, who has been teaching Pilates for more than 35 years. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? 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