School’s out and the pools are open. For parents, that means it’s time to take the kids to the pool! My son is a good swimmer, but at 5 years old, I still get into the pool with him often (and I just like being in the water on a hot summer day).
While you are just standing around in the shallow end watching your kids splash around, you could be working those muscles! It’s often easier to do exercises in water because of buoyancy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a good workout in. Here are my 10 favorite full-body pool exercises to do while standing around:
Pool Exercise #1: Jog in Place
Jog in place for 3-5 minutes, getting the knees as high as possible.
Pool Exercise #2: Side-to-Side Hopping
Keep your feet and knees together, squeeze your inner thighs, jump quickly from side to side 20 times.
Pool Exercise #3: Bicycle
Lean with your back against the side of pool, arms outstretched at edge. Float your body up by squeezing your butt and “pedal” legs at surface. Perform 40 reps total.
Pool Exercise #4: Flutter Kick
In that same position with your back against side of pool, float your hips up, squeeze your glutes and tighten your abdominals. Then with your legs extended, kick your legs quickly, keeping your thighs about hip width apart. Perform 40 reps total.
Pool Exercise #5: Pendulum swing
From this same position with your back against side of pool, float your hips up, squeeze your glutes and tighten your abdominals. Swing your legs up and over to the right, then left, keeping them together and toward the surface. Perform 15 reps total.
Pool Exercise #6: Crunch
From this same position with your back against the side of the pool, float your hips up, squeeze your glutes and tighten your abdominals. Keeping your feet and knees together, pull both knees into your chest. Return to the starting position. Perform 20 reps.
Pool Exercise #7: Knee twist
Standing in the pool, stand on your left foot with your right foot lifted at least 90 degrees (like marching) and cross your left elbow toward your right knee at waist. Jump and alternate sides. You will be using your obliques abdominals. Perform 20 reps total.
Pool Exercise #8: Squat Jumps
Squat down deep with arms extended at shoulder height; jump as high as possible while raising arms overhead.
Pool Exercise #9: Lateral Lunge with Outer-Thigh Lift
Standing in the pool, lunge to the side, keeping your butt back, like you’re sitting in a chair. As you return to standing, lift the lunging leg out to side. Perform 20 reps total.
Pool Exercise #10: Arm pulses
Standing in the pool, tighten your lower abdominals by bringing your belly toward your spine. Keep your arms straight and by your sides, fully extended. Face your palms backward and push them into the water in quick pulses for 3-5 mins or fatigue. Change your hands to face forward and repeat for 3-5 mins or fatigue
As with any exercise, make sure you are using good form and if you have any pain, stop the exercise and talk to your therapist about proper technique.
