Pilates Movement Monday: Swimming on All Fours with the Ring
- Michael King
- Aug 18
- 4 min read
Swimming is a beautiful way to teach coordination, control, and a long spine. Today we are taking it to all fours and adding the Pilates ring for subtle but powerful feedback. This variation borrows the organisation you see on the Reformer. The body is lifted away from the mat which immediately asks more of shoulder and pelvic control. The ring gives the upper body a quiet conversation about pressure and placement without chasing big effort.
Why teach this
Builds contralateral coordination and midline control
Trains scapula glide with humeral control
Encourages axial length through the spine with stable pelvis and ribs
Offers awareness of dominant side habits without creating strain
Simple to regress or progress for mixed level groups
Set up
Hands under shoulders and knees under hips
Long neutral spine and quiet ribs
Crown reaching forward and sitting bones reaching back
Place the ring under one palm. The heel of the hand is centred on the top pad. Fingers are relaxed. The shoulder is broad. Think soft elbows.
Note on the ring: in the original studio the ring was the small prop. Modern rings are lighter, so think awareness rather than resistance. You are not forcing the tension. You are using it to wake up the upper body map.
Phase 1: Closed chain patterning
Breath in to prepare.
Breath out and slowly slide one leg back along the floor. Toes stay in light contact.
Breath in and return.
Repeat with the opposite arm. Slide the hand along the floor without lifting. Keep gentle pressure through the ringed hand to feel the shoulder blade glide.
Alternate arm and leg slides. Notice weight shift. Keep the pelvis level and the neck long.
Teacher focus
The ring hand presses with about twenty to thirty per cent effort. Enough to feel serratus and lower trapezius engage. No gripping.
Watch the scapula of the ring side. Look for a smooth glide around the rib cage rather than winging.
Cue the non-ring side ribs to stay quiet so the thorax does not rotate too soon.
Phase 2: Contralateral lift
From your best closed chain pattern, breath out and float the sliding leg. Toes leave the floor last.
On the next cycle float the opposite arm. Keep the ring hand connected and softly pressing.
Alternate sides with a steady tempo. Think length rather than height.
Key visualisations
Imagine a tray on the back of the pelvis that you do not want to spill.
The hand that presses the ring leaves a gentle fingerprint on the pad. No collapse and no jam.
The crown reaches forward as the leg reaches back which creates space through the waist.
What the Pilates ring is telling you
Too much pressure and you will see the elbow lock and the upper trapezius jump. Soften the press until the neck relaxes.
Too little pressure and the shoulder may sink. Invite a light, continuous press to wake serratus and the lower scapular margin.
Dominant side clues show up as faster lifts or bigger ranges. Match the quieter side. Let the easy side copy the mindful side.
Breath coaching
Breath in to organise and lengthen.
Breath out to slide or float and gather the centre gently.
Keep the breath soft. If you can hear it, it is probably too much for this task. The goal is support, not effort for its own sake.
Common faults and quick fixes
Sagging through the mid-back
Cue “sternum floats away from the floor.”
Reduce lift height and return to floor slides.
Pelvis rocking or hiking
Place a folded towel under knees to bring the lumbar spine to a comfortable start.
Shorten the lever. Keep the toes in light contact while the arm lifts.
Winging scapula on the ring side
Ask for a small spiral of the elbow crease forward while the press stays soft.
Try a block under the ring to raise the floor if wrists are stiff.
Regressions
Keep both hands on the floor. Park the ring under the palm and only practise the press with micro arm slides.
Wide base with knees and hands to calm balance demands.
Forearms on the mat if wrists are sensitive. The ring can go under the forearm to cue pressure through the ulna.
Progressions
Hold the contralateral lift for three soft breaths without changing spine length.
Add a tiny arm pulse against the ring pad for isometric scapular control.
Place the ring under the opposite knee for pelvic awareness. Keep the press very light.
Slow tempo with three count slide and one count return to challenge control.
Teaching checklist
Directive cues
Hands under shoulders. Knees under hips.
Press the ring lightly and feel the shoulder blade glide.
Slide first. Lift only when you can keep the pelvis level.
Lengthen through crown and heel. Keep the ribs quiet.
Educational cues
We are training the body to share load along the sling systems that connect shoulder to opposite hip.
The ring gives proprioceptive feedback to the scapula so the arm can move with a quiet neck.
Small range promotes better recruitment of deep stabilisers like serratus anterior, multifidi and the obliques.
Spotting side differences
Invite your class to note which side feels easier on balance or which shoulder tenses sooner. Alternate the ring under each hand and match the quality of the quieter side. This is a simple way to reduce dominance without forcing symmetry.
Programming ideas
Warm up in closed chain for one to two minutes.
Main set of six to eight slow alternations each side.
Hold variation for two sets of three breaths per side.
Finish with child’s pose or a gentle thoracic extension over a towel for length.
Safety notes
Neutral wrist with weight spread across the whole hand.
Stop if there is shoulder pain rather than muscle work. Adjust the press or regress to slides.
Encourage eyes to stay on the floor line to keep the neck in balance.
This is a quiet drill with a big return. The ring reframes the upper body as a supportive partner for the movement rather than a place to grip. Keep the intention small and the attention high. The change shows up quickly in how the scapulae behave and how evenly the body shares the work.
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