Supplementing your land-based fitness program with water-based exercises has distinct advantages, including more total-body toning, and less stress on connective tissue and joints.
One expert has devised the following 30-minute workout (two to four minutes for each exercise in chest-deep water):
- Aqua jog: clench fists loosely and pump arms close to sides while alternately lifting knees to waist level; push off and land on balls of feet as you jog vigorously in place or back and forth across pool.Spring: face side of pool and place hands shoulder-width apart on deck; bend elbows and knees slightly, then lift body upward out of water; straighten, but don’t lock, elbows; lower body to start position.
- Clothes washer: Stand with feet hip-distance apart, knees slightly bent; extend arms straight out to sides, palms facing forward; keeping hands underwater, turn torso to right as far as you can without strain, then to left.
- Rotary: Stand with right side to pool wall and right hand on deck for balance; maintaining good posture, lift left leg straight out in front to waist level and circle to the left, behind and back to start position; then circle in reverse, starting with leg extended behind; turn around to work right leg.
- Crunch: Place back against side or corner of pool; rest elbows on deck and grasp sides of pool with hands; extend legs straight out, then contract abdominal muscles to draw knees to chest and heels to buttocks.
- Cycle: From side or corner position, extend legs in front and pedal, alternately bringing heels to buttocks.
- Scissors: From side or corner position, extend legs in front and alternately cross at thigh; to extend range of motion, turn hip and try to touch foot to pool wall as you cross over.