It’s a hot summer day, and let’s face it—going for a run is the last thing you want to do. You don’t have to forgo your workout, though, even if the pool is calling your name. Although many individuals enjoy swimming laps, if that’s not your style or isn’t feasible due to crowding in the pool or having friends or children with you, there are alternative ways to work out in the water.
The following is what experts suggest and what you can do the next time you feel like taking a dive.
Take your steps
There are other ways to raise your heart rate in the pool besides swimming laps, which is a fantastic low-impact cardio exercise. One method to sneak in some heart-pumping exercise is by “walking or jogging the length of the pool,” according to Fitness Expert, a certified personal trainer, who speaks with FITBULK. You’ll push your body more harder in the pool than you would just by walking around the perimeter because of the force of the water, which makes movement “a lot harder” than it looks.
Walk on the water
For greater cardiovascular exercise, go to the deep end of the pool. For a full-body workout, Zucker suggests treading water for 30 to 1 minute in deeper water.
A word of caution: practice pool safety because treading water is an exhausting exercise. For comfortable rest periods in between sets, make sure you can reach the pool’s edge (or a flotation device).
Display some resistance
Most people are surprised to hear that pool workouts include a “resistance training element, as it takes force to move your body through the water,” says Milica McDowell, vice president of operations at the foot health education platform Gait Happens and certified exercise physiologist.
“I love suggesting workouts to patients that allow them to enjoy being outside this beautiful summer while facing strength and resistance training challenges in a gentle setting,” the patient explains.
While in the pool, McDowell advises strengthening your upper body. Standing in chest-deep water with your arms submerged, there’s one simple maneuver you can perform.
“Swing your arms from front to back in the shape of an infinity sign, or a figure eight.
An accessory can enhance these arm circles, says Moment Physical Therapy & Performance’s Andy Chan-Fata, a physical therapist and coach. If you want to work out well in the water, the pool noodle is going to be your best friend, he explains. It is an unstable load that requires stabilization and increases the resistance from the water. For an excellent shoulder workout, grab a pool noodle and make large arm circles by dipping and pulling your arm out of the water.
Exercise your chest
Standing in chest- or shoulder-deep water and performing scissor motions in front of your body with straight arms is another of McDowell’s other favorite moves. Swing your arms out to the side, cross them in front of your body, and then bring them back behind you. McDowell suggests performing this for three to five sets of 30 to 60 seconds each.
She states, “This is great for toning those beautiful shoulders and your pectoral muscles in your chest area.” This low-impact type of resistance exercise “helps to sculpt that body,” according to McDowell.
Give tricep dips a shot
For an activity like tricep dips, which Chan-Fata suggests, the edge of the pool can also be a useful exercise tool. Here’s what you should do:
- Approaching the pool’s edge and turning your face away from it is the first step.
- Raise your arms in front of you and take a seat away from the pool.
- To strengthen your triceps and pectoral muscles, slowly lower yourself and repeat.
- For added bonus points, Chan-Fata says you can simply turn this exercise into a core workout by sitting in a L position while you move yourself up and down.
As a seasoned content writer specialized in the fitness and health niche, Arun Bhagat has always wanted to promote wellness. After gaining proper certification as a gym trainer with in-depth knowledge of virtually all the information related to it, he exercised his flair for writing interesting, informative content to advise readers on their healthier lifestyle. His topics range from workout routines, nutrition, and mental health to strategies on how to be more fit in general. His writing is informative but inspiring for people to achieve their wellness goals as well. Arun is committed to equipping those he reaches with the insights and knowledge gained through fitness.