single leg swing

Leg Swing Arm Cross

The Single Leg Front and Back Swing is a shallow-water, low-impact exercise almost anyone can do. It keeps your muscles active all throughout the movement. This exercise is very easy to do, yet it provides amazing benefits for your body. In addition. It's a great way to start an exercise routine, as it allows a lot of different variations and combinations to be added to it. 

How to Perform

Starting Position:
Stand on one leg in a waist to chest deep water. Slightly bend your supporting leg if water level is lower than that, to allow your body to go deep enough. Don't let your knee go past your toes. Put your other leg back and put your hands in front of your chest. Your elbows should also be slightly bent, to keep your arm in a comfortable position. Look ahead and lean your torso slightly in front. 

Action:
Lean back as you swing your free leg forward and spread your arms out at the same time. Do not let your arms go behind your shoulders. (click here for info on the safe shoulder ROM). Then lean forward and push your arms back in as you swing the same leg back. Your other foot should be firm on the floor. Keep slow movement and focus on pushing the water with your leg and hands in both directions (in-out for arms and back-front for legs). Gradually increase the range of motion, but keep it within comfortable limits. 

Repeat the same exercise with the other leg. Perform at least 3 minutes on both sides before moving to another exercise/variation. You can also alternate the legs. Swing your right leg in front, bring your legs together, swing your left leg back, legs together again, then switch legs. You can also hold your waist for a more focused lower body workout. 

Breathing:
Inhale as you spread your arms out and exhale as you close them in. 

benefits

This is a very powerful exercise. There are five main benefits that you can get by doing this exercise:

1. Muscles: this exercise your lower and upper body muscles, mainly the glutes, core, chest and back. The front kick activates your quads as well. Some other muscles work with lesser intensity like shoulders and hamstrings.
2. Balance: Standing on one leg and performing a big range of motion swing against water improves balance
3. Coordination: Moving your arms and legs in conflicting motion helps getting you out of your comfort zone and forcing you to stretch your brain and body in new and different ways. 
4. Range of Motion: Swinging your legs back and forth in this exercise helps increase the range of motion in your hip joint.
5. Posture: Spreading your arms out as you reach your torso back helps to correct hunched back and shoulders, and strengthens muscles responsible for stabilizing the shoulder joint.

Be mindful of

• This exercise requires the use of more space than average, so make sure you have that space when exercising in public pools. 
• The Leg Swing is low intensity exercise so you should not be doing it in cool water. 
• Do some stretching before you start, especially your core and glutes. 
• Don't kick your leg too far back, and keep the movement within a comfortable range of motion. 

All Aqua Pilates Exercises