Swimmer
Lying face down, lift the opposite arm and leg with the head up and a slight arch.
Demonstration
Official photo sequences from the Army's drill manual, read left to right, top to bottom.
Photos: U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training, ATP 7-22.02. Approved for public release.
How to perform it
Conditioning Drill 2, exercise 4 of 5
Starting position
Prone with arms extended overhead, palms down on the ground, toes pointed to the rear.
Prone: Lowered to the ground from the Front Leaning Rest, feet together or up to a boot's width apart, hands under the shoulders. ATP 7-22.02, para. 2-7, p. 2-3 (opens the official PDF)
Counts
- 1Count 1. Raise the left arm and right leg while lifting the head and arching the back slightly, eyes looking down-range.
- 2Count 2. Reverse the movement to the starting position.
- 3Count 3. Repeat count 1 with the opposite arm and leg.
- 4Count 4. Return to the starting position.
ATP 7-22.02, para. 5-22, p. 5-12, Figure 5-14 (opens the official PDF)
What it develops
Strengthens the back of the shoulder, neck, spine, hips, and legs (the posterior chain) used in low crawling, prone firing, and swimming.
Focus: Posterior chain, Shoulders, Spine, Hips
Form
Drawn from the cited instructions.
Cues
- Lift opposite arm and leg together.
- Keep the gaze down-range, parallel to the ground.