Ask any swimming pool owner and he or she will tell you that exercising in a swimming pool doesn’t feel at all like exercise! That makes exercising even more doable, doesn’t it? If you can get in shape without feeling like you’re getting in shape, who wouldn’t want to do that? How to get in shape in your swimming pool is a question the swimming pool contractors from Bella Blue Pools in Maumee, Ohio get asked all the time.
Water walking is an exercise that anyone, in any shape can do as a way to get started on a workout. Water walking uses the resistance of the water to work against your muscles and gives you a better workout. Water walking also increases your endurance, increases your lung capacity and amps up your cardio rate.
Walking in water is more effective – and less jarring to your joints than walking on land.
How to get in shape in your swimming pool
A one mile walk in the water is the equivalent of a two-mile walk on land. Walking the pool also means you won’t be sweating and that may be a motivating factor to keep you working out!
Here are a few water walking exercises to try:
- Walking. Just walk. Drag your arms behind you, palms down to increase your drag and amp up your work out.
- Running. Just run. Lift your knees high, let your arms drag and “feel the burn.”
- Sidestepping: Walk sideways through the water. Take large steps, using your arms for balance.
- March: Take long strides – back and forth – swing your arms at your sides, under water. To increase resistance, use your palms rather than slicing through the water with hands.
- Underwater run: Submerge yourself up to your shoulders and run with small steps. Your arms should be loose in front of you.
- Lunge: Bend at your knees, and drop your body into the water and take giant steps, using your arms for balance. Keep your spine straight.
- Jumping jacks: Just as you would on land.
Perform each of these for at least two minutes at a time. Do the same exercise for your workout time or do different exercises to shake things up for your workout. You may want to check with your doctor before you start a workout routine, just to make sure you’re healthy enough.
One of the best things about swimming pools and exercise is that it doesn’t feel like exercise and that’s a great way to get your kids involved and active — when it feels like play, not work!