How about hopping in the pool and
doing your workout the luxurious way? The pool just might be
the only place where you can do cardiovascular work, toning
and stretching without even feeling like you've broken a sweat!
CARDIOVASCULAR: THE WARM-UP
Swimming laps is one of the best things you can do to strengthen
your heart and lungs. If you're a decent swimmer and enjoy lap
swims, spend a few minutes a day at it to warm up for toning
and stretching.
Otherwise, walking or running in the pool is just as effective.
It may sound easy, but just try it! If you go in up to your
shoulders and run, you'll get your heart rate up with no problem.
It may be very difficult to sustain at first, but try to build
up your time to at least twenty minutes. One very important
thing to remember is to keep your feet as fully planted as possible
while you do your pool exercises, especially when walking and
running. If you tiptoe (which people tend to do without realizing
it), your calves will be killing you the next day. Keep those
heels down!
TONING: EIGHT GREAT MOVES YOU CAN DO IN THE POOL
The wonderful thing about water is that it gives you natural
resistance with absolutely no impact to the joints. For those
with severe arthritis or other joint problems, it offers the
perfect alternative to lifting weights. You really can tone
up in the pool. Just like weight training, your muscles are
contracting against resistance, becoming stronger with each
session.
There are exercises you can do for every muscle group, and
your risk of injury is extremely low. Think about exercises
you do with free weights. The beauty of resistance training
is that it is very easily modified. Anything that you do with
dumbbells can be translated into a water exercise. If you already
have a routine with free weights, you have a license to create
your own water move that does the same thing.
Be creative, but also be mindful at all times of your body
position (which can be thrown off in the water). Keep your weight
distributed evenly and check your posture often. Keep your abdominals
tucked in to support your back throughout every exercise. Don't
bend, stretch or reach any further than you do on land. It takes
time to grow accustomed to the gravitational difference in water,
but as your experience grows, your body will become more in-tune
with the water. Here are a few examples of modified free weight
exercises:
For the quadriceps (front of the thighs), hamstrings
and glutes: Stand with your feet hip-width apart in
shallow water with your arms bent at your sides, hands out flat
with fingers together and palms up. Slowly bend your knees into
a squat position, sticking your derriere out behind you (don't
worry about looking silly - you're under water!). Do not allow
your knees to extend beyond your toes, but try to simulate a
sitting-in-a-chair position. Cupping your hands, keeping your
back neutral (not arched) and abs tucked in, exhale and stand
up straight. Turn your hands to return to the starting position.
Be very careful to maintain perfect form throughout this exercise.
For hips and glutes: Facing the edge of the
pool, hold on with both hands and slowly bring one leg out to
your side, keeping your back straight. Exhale while you bring
it up as high as you comfortably can without turning at the
ankle (this probably won't be as high as you could if you did
turn your ankle). Bring it back down and repeat, doing a full
set for each leg.
For glutes: KICK! You can breeze around on
a kickboard or hold onto the side of the pool, but the scissoring
motion is great for the buttocks and hamstrings, and it indirectly
tones the abdominals. What could be more fun than this?
For the back, shoulders and arms: Do pull-ups.
Grasp the side of the pool and lower your body as far as your
arms will allow. Keeping your knees bent, exhale and pull yourself
up as high as you can (the range of motion for this will vary
greatly from one person to another). For the chest: Standing
in water up to your neck, reach your hands out to each side,
with your elbows unbent and your palms forward. Slowly bring
them together, clapping your hands, and then turn your hands
to return to the starting position.
For triceps: Stand straight, with your open
hands palms-down on the surface of the water. Keeping your elbows
locked at your sides (pretend they're glued to your ribcage),
exhale and push down until your hands are beside your hips.
Turn your hands and bring them back to the starting position.
For biceps: Bring your open hands to the
side of each hip, palms forward, with your fingers close together.
Exhale as you slowly bend at the elbow to bring your hands toward
your shoulders.
For abs, you can simulate crunches, or here's a toughie:
stand with your back to the side of the pool, holding onto the
rim with your elbows. Keeping your knees unbent, slowly bring
both legs up to a sitting position and hold it for ten seconds.
Do not hold your breath, though. Breath slowly throughout this
exercise. Then bend at the knee to bring them down, repeating
this as many times as you'd like to. Be careful to keep your
back straight throughout this exercise. There are lots of gadgets
available for toning; you can get these at most department stores
or athletic supply stores. 
They make the work a little more challenging and possibly give
you speedier results, but it's better to begin water exercise
without them. Once you feel like you need to push yourself a
little harder, go ahead and use them. They'll add a new flavor
to your old workout, keeping you motivated and interested.
STRETCHING: THE DESSERT
Just about any of the stretches you do on land can also be done
in the water. When you're finished with your toning, hold the
side of the pool with one hand, stand on one foot, bend the
other knee and grasp your ankle with your free hand to stretch
your quadriceps and hip flexors. Hold the side of the pool with
one hand and turn your body by pointing your toes away from
the wall to stretch your biceps and pectorals. There are many,
many stretches that you can do. Just make sure that you're properly
warmed up (this takes a little longer in the pool) and keep
your feet flat on the floor at all times.
Finito! You're done. Remember that your perceived exertion
is a little off in the pool - you may feel like you didn't work
that hard, but you did. You also may be a little sore the next
day, so don't push yourself too hard until you know how much
you can handle.
IMPORTANT NOTE: YOU ARE NOT A FISH! You don't
have gills to keep your body hydrated, and it is possible to
become dehydrated in the pool, so make sure you drink water
before and after your workout. Once working out in the pool
becomes a part of your summer lifestyle, you may begin to think
you're a fish, but that's only because pool exercise is so fun,
it has you hooked! |
