Initial phase

Lie on your stomach with the trunk engaged and the spine held in a long, stable line. Extend the arms overhead with the elbows straight and the palms facing each other, keeping the hands lifted off the floor. Stretch the legs fully and maintain the feet slightly above the ground to create an active, balanced hold through the entire posterior chain.

Movement

Activate the shoulders by drawing them into retraction and gently lifting the upper part of the torso away from the floor. As the chest rises, move the arms laterally from the overhead position into full abduction until they align parallel with the trunk. Throughout this arc, allow the arms to rotate so that the palms again face each other once the hands reach the level of the hips. Keep the legs extended and the feet elevated, maintaining continuous tension and alignment while the upper body completes the controlled sweeping motion. Return to the starting position with the same controlled tempo.

Final position

From the starting position, draw the shoulders into retraction and lift the upper torso away from the floor. Pull the arms toward the body by bending the elbows and bringing the hands toward the shoulders while keeping the elbows close to the trunk. Reach the final contracted position, then return slowly to the starting position and repeat the sequence of movements.

Progression

P1: To make this prone lift‑and‑arm‑sweep exercise harder, you increase the demand on shoulder control, posterior‑chain strength and the ability to maintain a stable trunk while the limbs move through a long range. The most effective progression is to add external load to the arms. Holding a light weight between the hands while the arms travel from the overhead position into abduction forces the shoulders to stabilize the load throughout the lift, making the retraction phase more demanding and increasing the effort required to keep the palms aligned as they rotate.

Body positiion

Lying

4

Sets

8

Reps