6 Ways to Work Out in Your Swimming Pool
Finding new ways to fit in a workout can be as simple as stepping into your swimming pool. The water will constantly keep your body feeling cool while removing much of the burden from your joints. Here are six easy ways to work out while also enjoying the comfort of your pool or spa, no matter your fitness level.
- Swimming Laps
Laps are a golden standard for a reason. Grabbing some goggles and making the steady, evenly-paced rounds of the pool is a great form of cardio that is easy on the joints, but still powerful for the muscles. To step it up, mix your strokes. Backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly all work different muscle groups in the arms and shoulders, especially.
- Ab Bicycle
Resting your elbows on the side of the pool, mime riding a bicycle underwater. Be sure to keep your arms (which keep you grounded to the side of the pool) and abs (which lift your legs and keep your back straight) taunt in order to maximize the workout.
- Leg Lifts
Keeping your legs together and held straight, and your elbows on the side of the swimming pool, slowly lift your legs toward the surface of the pool until they are perpendicular to your torso. Then, slowly let them down until your body makes a straight line. Repeat and maintain a slow, even pace for maximum work on your core.
- Flutter Kicks
With your hands holding a noodle or the side of the pool, stretch your legs out, point your toes and flutter your legs so that one is always above the other. The temptation is to splash, but a better workout controls your legs and holds them just below the surface without splashing. Just like for leg lifts, this is a better workout when done at an even pace. To keep your back straight, keep your core tight!
- Bicep Curls
Here’s the big secret: Your free weights can absolutely go into the pool with you! If you have joint or elbow issues, bicep curls can be more painful than helpful, but in the pool, much of that joint pressure is relieved. Your body can focus on building muscle instead of joint pain.
Standing in the pool with your feet firmly planted shoulder-width apart, hold a weight in each hand and curl your bicep, bringing the weight toward the front of your shoulder. You can do one hand at a time, or both simultaneously.
- Plank with a Noodle
The plank is known for its difficulty, but it is far simpler (and easier on your back, ankles and wrists) in the pool. Holding your pool noodle in front of you and under the water, straighten your arms and tighten your core and legs, bringing your body up to be parallel with the pool’s floor. The goal is to have a perfectly straight spine, so you may want to have a buddy check your form and help you make adjustments. Hold this for 30 seconds to one minute, take a break and start again.
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