Shoulders · Bodyweight
Standing Swimmer
How to do the standing swimmer, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- VerticalPull
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hinge slightly forward at the hips with a flat back. Extend your arms out and sweep them in a swimming motion, alternating reaching one arm forward and the other back to work the shoulders and upper back.
- 1Your shoulders and upper back driving each arm sweep
- 2A tight core holding the hinged torso steady
- 3Your shoulder blades moving with each alternating reach
Common mistakes
- Rounding your back as you hinge forward
- Using momentum and swinging the arms loosely
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears
Muscles worked
The standing swimmer mainly works the rear delts, with the mid traps, lower traps, front delts, side delts, lats, lower back, upper traps, and lower abs assisting.
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- LatsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- GlutesMinor
- HamstringsMinor
- External RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the standing swimmer for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.