How many reps of prone swimmers should a beginner do?

Eight to ten slow, continuous reps for one or two sets serves well as activation before pulling work or a posture reset. A slightly higher chest lift or a slower tempo is the right next step, not more reps done quickly.

How do I make prone swimmers easier or harder?

Easier: keep the chest barely off the floor and let the hands stay closer to the body throughout the circle. Harder: lift the chest a little higher, widen the sweep, and pause for two seconds with the hands overhead before sweeping back.

What are prone swimmers good for, and when should you skip them?

They groove the full shoulder arc while switching on the mid and lower traps, good activation before pulling work or a break from sitting. They are a poor choice if lying face down with the neck extended already bothers you, since the position itself is what causes trouble there.

Beginner

Prone Swimmers

This ground-based drill grooves shoulder range while switching on the often-lazy mid and lower traps. Sweeping the hands from the low back all the way overhead trains the exact arc that keeps shoulders healthy under a bar. It is excellent activation before pulling work or as a posture reset between desk sessions.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Back, Shoulder
Type: Functional, Stretching
Browse by muscle: Deltoid Posterior, Trapezius Middle, Trapezius Lower
Browse by movement: Shoulder Raise

How to do it

1
Lie face down with the arms by your sides and the palms resting on the low back.
2
Lift the chest slightly and pin the shoulder blades down and back.
3
Sweep both hands out wide and forward until they meet overhead just off the floor.
4
Reverse the path, drawing the arms back out to the sides and down to the low back.
5
Keep the hands hovering just above the ground throughout the whole circle.
6
Move slowly and complete smooth continuous reps.

Tips

Keep the neck long and the gaze down so you do not crank the head back.
Squeeze the shoulder blades together as the arms pass the sides of the body.
Do not rest the hands on the floor; keeping them hovering keeps the traps working.

Variations

Common mistakes

The chest lifts too high off the floor, arching the low back into hyperextension instead of staying only barely off the ground.
Speeding through the circle to fit in more reps blurs the sweep into a flap instead of one smooth, continuous path from the low back to overhead.
The arms stop short of true overhead at the top of the sweep, cutting the range down before the shoulder blades finish their travel.
Holding the breath through the sweep instead of breathing steadily adds tension right where the drill is trying to build smooth control.

Frequently asked

How many reps of prone swimmers should a beginner do?: Eight to ten slow, continuous reps for one or two sets serves well as activation before pulling work or a posture reset. A slightly higher chest lift or a slower tempo is the right next step, not more reps done quickly.
How do I make prone swimmers easier or harder?: Easier: keep the chest barely off the floor and let the hands stay closer to the body throughout the circle. Harder: lift the chest a little higher, widen the sweep, and pause for two seconds with the hands overhead before sweeping back.
What are prone swimmers good for, and when should you skip them?: They groove the full shoulder arc while switching on the mid and lower traps, good activation before pulling work or a break from sitting. They are a poor choice if lying face down with the neck extended already bothers you, since the position itself is what causes trouble there.

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