The heat can motivate or decimate you. Luckily, the cool, blue, refreshing waters around the world are there to aid your journey through the sun’s glare.
Let’s be honest, it is much easier to find a local pool, nearby lake, or the beach when sweat is rolling down your back. During the wintertime? Not so much.
Many people think of swimming as soon as they hear the words “pool” or “beach”. But is that all there is to do in the water? Of course not! Water aerobics has always been popular across many age groups. And recently, more activities have been popping up to offer an even wider variety of activities to promote exercise and wellness.
Why are water-based activities getting even more popular? Well, compared to exercising on land, working out in the water offers a wider spectrum of benefits.
Here are some reasons why you should be more active in the pool:
- lower injury risk
- less sweating
- works your entire body
- challenges your body in a very different way than it is accustomed to
- refreshing way to workout
- water provides natural resistance so no equipment is needed
- can increase/decrease intensity (difficulty) simply by alternating between shallow and deep areas
- good low-impact exercise choice for pregnant women
- easier on the joints
- excellent rehabilitation exercise for people recovering from an injury
- less stress on bones and muscles
- great option for people with arthritis
If you love the water but don’t like to swim, here are a few exercises (out of many!) that can keep you fit, focused, and cool.
Bicycles
This heart pumping, fat burning, leg strengthening workout is incredibly effective. To execute it properly, you simply rest your shoulders on the edge of the pool—or the stairs leading into it—kick up your legs, and pedal away! Make sure to keep your legs underneath the water to reduce splash and maintain resistance.
Want to take it a step further? Perform this exercise while balancing on a noodle.
Pool Walking/ Running
This is a cool way to reenact that slow run scene from Baywatch. It’s also an effective method used by physical therapists to treat injured runners and other patients. It’s simple, too. To start off, go into the pool until it reaches your waist or chest, and walk forward and backwards.
Need something more intense? Increase your speed and/or go into deeper water. Not enough? Try jogging in place. The higher you lift your knees, the better.
High Knees
We touched on you core and legs, but we can’t forget about the arms! In chest-high water, bring your right knee up and your left foot forward. As you bring your right knee down, swing your arm back, lift your left knee, and bring your right arm up. You can do this exercise in one spot, or moving laterally, from one side of the pool to the next.
You can find more exercises to do in the pool and underwater here. Which one is your favorite? Tell us why in the comments!
