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Make a splash with your workouts
Pool exercise can be fun, challenging and refreshing
Sep. 15, 2021 3:33 pm, Updated: Nov. 23, 2021 4:17 pm
It’s summer. It’s Iowa. It’s hot.
Big surprise, right?
While we’ve had a few mild days — for Iowa, this summer — it’s still nice to find a workout that is challenging and refreshing.
Jump in a pool.
According to healthline, if you’re looking for something different “... exercising in water can provide a great full-body workout without some of the drawbacks of land-based exercises.”
And, the article notes, these don’t have to be “hot weather” workouts only. If you can find a heated pool, these are great during the winter months, too.
And, according to Plunge San Diego, water aerobics are “excellent for losing weight. It provides a good cardio routine, and, as we all know, cardio is very important for weight loss, while the resistance water provides only further enhances all your weight-loss efforts.”
The healthline article also notes water workouts can increase strength, endurance and 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 ... it’s especially helpful for people who have joint conditions, such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.”
Most experts recommend water shoes for traction on the pool floor and staying in water that is waist or chest high.
So how do your start?
The healthline article suggest purchasing several items in you’re going to try this on your own, like wrist or ankle weights, foam dumbbells, hand paddles or resistance gloves, a kickboard and a buoyancy belt.
“This can keep your head above water so you can do arm exercises without treading water,” the article notes of the belt.
Everyday Health lists several workouts that “burn fat,” including running in the water.
“One of the easiest and most effective pool workouts is water jogging. At a high intensity, you’ll burn 17 calories per minute — more than on land. It also makes you stronger.”
Here are some others:
- Spiderman — Climb the pool wall like Spiderman climbs buildings. Stand in water at the side of the pool. Stabilize your upper body by sweeping your hands back and forth as you run your legs up the side of the pool and back down to the pool floor.
- Pool plank — Planks are a proven core-strengthener on land. But if you don’t have a strong upper body it’s hard to hold it long enough to give abdominal muscles a good workout. All that changes in a pool. Stand on the pool floor while holding a ‘noodle’ vertically in both hands. Press it straight down into the water and lean forward until your body is on an even incline.
- Chaos cardio — This exercise takes jogging to a new level. By creating several currents in the pool and then running through them, you’ll strengthen all your core stabilizing muscles. Run in a zigzag pattern from one end of the pool to the other, then run straight through all the currents you’ve just created.
- Cardio/resistance combo — Strengthen your upper chest, back, arms and core with this challenging drill. It also raises your heart rate and burns more calories. Straddle a noodle as if you were sitting on a horse. Pedal around the pool as fast as you can while doing the arm portion of fly-backs, opening and closing your arms. Sit up tall with your spine vertical — no leaning. This will force your core muscles to keep you stable.
- Cardio core ball running — This exercise combines cardio with core-strengthening. The ball adds extra resistance and pulls you off-center so your core muscles have to engage to keep you moving forward. Changing the position of the ball works your core even harder. Hold the ball with both hands directly in front of your navel. Run across the pool as fast as you can for one minute.
ChoosePT has other suggestions:
- Forward and side lunges — Standing near a pool wall for support, if necessary, take an oversized lunge step in a forward direction. Do not let the forward knee advance past the toes. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. For a side lunge, face the pool wall and take an oversized step to the side. Keep toes facing forward. Repeat on the other side. Try 3 sets of 10 lunge steps. For variation, lunge walk in a forward or sideways direction instead of staying in place.
- Hip kickers at pool wall — Stand with the pool wall to one side of your body for support. Move 1 leg in a forward direction with the knee straight, like you are kicking. Return to start. Then move the same leg to the side, and return to the start position. Lastly, move that same leg behind you. Repeat 3 sets of 10 and switch the kicking leg.
“Water workouts are an effective way to boost your cardio fitness while also strengthening the major muscle groups in your body,” the healthline article notes. “Pool exercises are especially helpful for anyone with joint issues or injuries, as well as those who are pregnant or have balance trouble.”
Comments: (319) 398-8416; jr.ogden@thegazette.com
