Male model ex_SSJLIJ

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Shoulders · Body Weight

Standing Swimmer

intermediatestrength

Standing Swimmer is an intermediate compound strength exercise that works the delts (shoulders), with the core assisting. It needs no equipment beyond your own body weight. A typical prescription is 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps, and it burns about 6.1 calories per minute.

Target
Delts
Body part
Shoulders
Equipment
Body Weight
Category
Strength
Mechanic
Compound
Force
Push
Sets × reps
3-4 × 6-10
Calories / min
≈ 6.1 kcal

Primary muscles

  • Shoulders · Deltoids
  • Upper Back · Trapezius, Rhomboids

Secondary muscles

  • Core · Rectus Abdominis, Obliques

How to do Standing Swimmer

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your left arm extended up, your right arm extended down, and your palms facing forward.
  2. Simultaneously move your right arm up while moving your left arm down and lightly rotating your core, mimicking a swimming motion. Keep your arms straight throughout the movement.
  3. Continue alternating arms in a smooth, controlled motion for the desired repetitions.

Form tips

  • Keep your core tight to maintain balance and stability.
  • Focus on keeping your movements smooth and fluid, avoiding any jerky motions.
  • Breathe steadily: exhale as you move your arms back and inhale as you return to the starting position.

Standing Swimmer alternatives

More delts exercises

Standing Swimmer FAQ

What muscles does Standing Swimmer work?

Standing Swimmer mainly works the delts in the shoulders (Deltoids, Trapezius and Rhomboids). The core work as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for Standing Swimmer?

None. Standing Swimmer is a body weight exercise, so you can do it at home or anywhere with enough space.

How many sets and reps of Standing Swimmer should I do?

Start with 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps. Pick a load or variation where the last one or two reps are hard but your form stays clean.

Is Standing Swimmer good for beginners?

It's rated intermediate. Beginners can work up to it once they control simpler shoulders exercises.

How many calories does Standing Swimmer burn?

About 6.1 calories per minute for a person of around 70 kg, based on a MET value of 5. Ten minutes of work is roughly 61 calories; heavier people burn more.

What is a good alternative to Standing Swimmer?

Other exercises for the delts include Barbell Standing Military Press, Standing Arnold Press Dumbbell, Weighted Standing Shoulder Press With Plate and Arnold Press Cable Resistance Band Standing.

For developers

Use Standing Swimmer in your app

Get this exercise and 1,900+ others from the WorkoutX API: 720p MP4 animations at 30 fps without the watermark, male and female models, muscles, instructions and form tips in 7 languages.

# One request returns the exercise and its 720p media links
curl "https://api.workoutxapp.com/v2/exercises/ex_SSJLIJ" \
  -H "X-WorkoutX-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

{
  "id": "ex_SSJLIJ",
  "name": "Standing Swimmer",
  "model": "male",
  "target": "Delts",
  "equipment": "Body Weight",
  "media": {
    "mp4": "https://…/ex_SSJLIJ/mp4-720.mp4?…",
    "poster": "https://…/ex_SSJLIJ/poster.jpg?…"
  }
}