Willow Wellness Studio instructor Allison Walacavage demonstrates the four-point swimming preparation exercise.

Heather Glidden | Contributor

Today’s exercise is helpful for improving hip and shoulder stability: the four-point swimming preparation.

Starting position: On your hands and knees with hands positioned directly under your shoulders and knees positioned directly under your hips. Your arms are straight. Make sure your spine is straight and parallel to the floor and your head is lifted into line with your spine. Your shoulders should be down away from your ears with width across the front and back of your chest so that the shoulders aren’t collapsed. You can help to achieve this by feeling as though you are slightly pushing the floor away.

Exercise: Slowly reach one arm out in front of you while you also reach the opposite leg to the back. Make sure your shoulders and hips both stay parallel to the floor (don’t allow your arm to lift your shoulder or your leg to lift your hip). Try not to wobble. Inhale to return to the four-point position. Alternate sides for a total of eight repetitions.

Note: If you find that you can’t keep your balance in this exercise then begin by just reaching one limb at a time (one arm forward or one leg back — not both together) until you are able to accomplish this without moving any other part of your body.

Tomorrow’s exercise will be another abdominal toner!

Heather Glidden owns Willow Wellness Studio in downtown Ann Arbor where she teaches Gyrotonic and Pilates and practices massage. She is passionate about helping people to learn more about their bodies. Got a body question? Email her at info@WillowWellnessStudio.com and she will do her best to answer it or find someone who can!