 Exercises for water workout
You don’t have to take an aqua aerobics class to get a good workout in the water. Here are some simple exercises to get you going. The only equipment you'll need is at least two pool noodles and a pair of water shoes.
Keep in mind that just walking in the water is excellent exercise. Your whole body has constant resistance as you walk. Simply walk back and forth as briskly as is comfortable while also moving your arms. Walk forward with a breaststroke motion. Walk backward with a backstroke motion. Then switch: forward with backstroke and backward with breaststroke.
Move in a “jogging” motion sideways and move your arms up and down in a jumping-jack stroke, keeping your arms just below the water surface. Have fun with it. Jog in circles – go one way, then the other so that you have to fight your own wake. If you have a buddy, you can race one another.
Pool noodles are incredibly versatile. You can hop on them like a bicycle and pedal around the pool using your arms and legs. You can put them in front of you and paddle your legs around or lie on them and do a floating breaststroke. Again, you can play and have races with a friend or your kids.
Noodles can also be used for strength training in the water. Here are some great exercises to try:
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Legs: Stand comfortably tall with your right side next to the wall and your right arm resting on the deck. Place the noodle under your left foot so that you are stepping on the middle and it forms a “U” shape. Allow your left leg to float toward the surface, to about an “8 o'clock” position. Then pull the noodle back down toward the bottom of the pool. Do 15 repetitions and switch sides for one set. Work up to 3 sets.
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Arms: Stand with both feet flat on the pool bottom. Take one noodle in each hand, again forming a “U” shape. Now do a jumping jack in the pool lifting your arms toward the surface and then pulling them back down. Do 15 repetitions for a set. Work up to 3 sets.
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Abdominals: Place the noodle behind you and lie back so that you are floating on it with the ends in front of you. Place your hands near the ends of the noodle. Focus on your abdominal muscles and shorten them to pull your upper torso up in a crunching motion. Try to do 25 repetitions for a set and work up to 4 sets.
These are just a few examples – get some toys, use your imagination and enjoy the summer.
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