What are the benefits of pool exercises?
Because water offers heavier resistance than air, working out in the pool can make the same exercises that you’d do on land more challenging in water.
The heavier resistance can engage your muscles more fully and also help you burn more calories in a shorter amount of time. Aquatic exercise allows you to get a great cardio workout, while also increasing your:
- strength
- endurance
- flexibility
The buoyancy of water also provides extra support for your muscles and joints. This allows you to work out harder while putting less impact on your body than you would on land.
1. Walk in water
Walking in water is a good exercise to start off with as it helps you get a feeling for how you can create resistance. Walking in water can target your arms, core, and lower body. You can increase the intensity by using hand or ankle weights.
- Start off walking in shallow water, around waist height.
- Lengthen your spine and walk by putting pressure on your heel first and then your toes, instead of walking on your tiptoes.
- Keep your arms at your side, in the water, and move them as you walk.
- Engage your core and stand tall as you walk.
- Continue walking for 5-10 minutes.
2. Water arm lifts
This exercise will help strengthen the muscles in your arms. Using foam dumbbells will help add more resistance.
- Stand in water up to your shoulders.
- Hold the dumbbells at your side, with your palms facing up.
- Draw your elbows in close to your torso as you lift your forearms to the height of the water.
- Rotate your wrists to turn your palms facedown.
- Lower your arms back to the starting position.
- Do 1-3 sets of 10-15 reps for each exercise.
3. Lateral arm lifts
This exercise, which targets your upper body, is also best done with foam dumbbells.
- Stand in water up to your shoulders.
- Hold the dumbbells at your side.
- Raise your arms to the side until they’re level with the water and your shoulders.
- Lower your arms back down to your sides.
- Do 1-3 sets of 8-14 repetitions.
4. Back wall glide
This exercise helps to activate the muscles in your core and lower body.
- Hold onto the pool ledge, tuck your knees into your chest, and press your feet into the wall.
- Push off from the wall and float on your back as far as you can.
- Draw your knees into your chest, press your feet down to the bottom of the pool, and run back to the wall.
- Continue this exercise for 5-10 minutes.
