Swimmer Kick Over Sandbag

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Lie face down on the floor with your legs straight and arms extended fully overhead.
2. Place a sandbag horizontally on the floor directly in front of your hands to serve as a hurdle.
3. Engage your core and tuck your chin slightly to maintain a neutral neck and spine.
4. Position your feet hip-width apart with toes pointed away from your body.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you simultaneously lift your right arm and left leg a few inches off the floor.
2. In a controlled arc, lift your right hand up and over the sandbag to the opposite side, then return it back to the start.
3. Inhale as you lower both limbs back to the floor with a slow, controlled tempo.
4. Repeat the movement using your left arm and right leg, alternating sides for each repetition.

Form checklist

• Keep your gaze fixed on the floor to prevent neck hyperextension.
• Squeeze your glutes to initiate the leg lift rather than arching your lower back.
• Maintain straight elbows and knees throughout the entire range of motion.
• Keep your hips grounded and level; do not rotate your torso to clear the sandbag.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'reaching' toward the walls to maximize length, which increases tension in the lats and traps.
• Pause for one second at the peak of the movement to emphasize the mind-muscle connection in the posterior deltoids.

Make it harder

• Increase the height of the obstacle by stacking two sandbags to require greater shoulder and hip flexion.
• Hold the peak contraction for 3 seconds on every rep to increase time under tension for the core and glutes.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the swimmer kick over sandbag work?

The swimmer kick over sandbag primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, lats, and trapezius, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the swimmer kick over sandbag?

The swimmer kick over sandbag uses weighted bag.

Is the swimmer kick over sandbag good for beginners?

The swimmer kick over sandbag is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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