Swimmer
The swimmer is a face-down drill where opposite arm and leg lift and lower in a steady flutter, like freestyle swimming on land. Maddy uses it to build endurance in the spinal erectors, glutes, and rear shoulders — the muscles that hold posture when everything else fatigues. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.
Muscles worked
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 × 20 s with slow, deliberate switches | 60 s |
| Muscle | 3 × 30-40 s steady flutter | 45-60 s |
| Endurance | 2-3 × 60 s continuous | 30-45 s |
Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.
Level — Intermediate
Intermediate; keeping the pelvis still while the limbs alternate is what separates it from a beginner drill.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Lie face down, arms extended ahead, toes long behind you.
- Lift the opposite arm and leg a few centimetres, then switch in rhythm.
- Keep both hip bones pressed into the floor the entire time.
- Reach through the moving fingertips and toes rather than lifting them higher.
- Hold the head still, eyes down, neck in line with the spine.
Breathing: Steady rhythmic breathing — never hold it; a common pattern is exhaling over four switches, inhaling over four.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
How to program swimmer
| Goal | Phase | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | RPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| strength | weeks 1–4 · build | 3 | 15 s, slow deliberate switches | 2 s per switch | 60 s | 7 |
| strength | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 3 | 20 s, slow deliberate switches | 2 s per switch | 60 s | 8 |
| strength | weeks 9–12 · peak | 3 | 20 s, slow switches with higher lift | 2 s per switch | 60 s | 8–9 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 1–4 · build | 3 | 30 s steady flutter | 1 s per switch | 45–60 s | 7 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 3 | 35 s steady flutter | 1 s per switch | 45–60 s | 7–8 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 9–12 · peak | 3 | 40 s steady flutter | 1 s per switch | 45–60 s | 8 |
| endurance | weeks 1–4 · build | 2 | 60 s continuous | smooth, even flutter | 30–45 s | 6 |
| endurance | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 3 | 60 s continuous | smooth, even flutter | 30–45 s | 7 |
| endurance | weeks 9–12 · peak | 3 | 60 s continuous, minimal pauses | smooth, even flutter | 30–45 s | 7–8 |
| beginner | weeks 1–4 · learn | 2 | 10 s, arms only | slow switches | 60 s | 4–5 |
| beginner | weeks 5–8 · groove | 2 | 15 s, opposite arm and leg | slow switches | 60 s | 5 |
| beginner | weeks 9–12 · load | 3 | 20 s, opposite arm and leg | steady switches | 45–60 s | 5–6 |
Tempo = time-based intervals — tempo describes switch speed.
Common questions
Swimmer vs superman — what's the difference?
The superman lifts all four limbs at once and holds; the swimmer alternates opposite limbs continuously. The superman builds a stronger single contraction, while the swimmer builds endurance and anti-roll control because the trunk must stay level as the limbs trade places. They pair well in the same session — superman for the squeeze, swimmer for the staying power.
Why do I feel swimmers in my lower back and not my glutes?
Almost always because the legs are lifting too high, which tips the work up the chain into the spinal erectors. Lower each leg lift to a few centimetres, squeeze the glute before the leg rises, and press the hip bones down. If the sensation is effort, that is the erectors doing their job; if it is pain, shrink the range further or shorten the interval.
How long should a swimmer interval last?
Start at 20 seconds of strict, level-hipped fluttering, and only add ten seconds when the entire interval stays clean. Sixty seconds continuous is a solid benchmark for most clients; beyond that, progress by slowing the switches and reaching longer rather than piling on more time. Sloppy minutes teach sloppy posture — the opposite of the point.
Is the swimmer exercise good for posture if I sit at a desk all day?
It is one of the better floor drills for desk-bound posture because it trains the entire back line — spinal erectors, glutes, rear shoulders — in a continuous, low-load rhythm rather than single heavy efforts. That endurance quality matches what upright posture actually demands over hours. Two or three 30-second intervals, a few times a week, complement pulling exercises like rows. Combine them with regular breaks from the chair; no single exercise offsets ten uninterrupted hours of sitting on its own.
Should I hold my breath during swimmers, or breathe normally?
Breathe steadily the whole time. The flutter is continuous, so there is no natural pause to sneak a breath the way a single rep allows, and holding air tends to spike tension in the neck and lower back. A simple pattern is to exhale over two or three arm-leg switches and inhale over the next two or three. If you notice yourself breath-holding, slow the tempo until breathing feels automatic again — a slower, breathing swimmer beats a fast, rigid one.
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