Pool exercises can be a great alternative to keep your body healthy. The buoyancy of the water brings a lot of benefits. It helps support some parts of your body that will make it easier for some people to complete an exercise routine. It is a great alternative for those who are not physically able to exercise on dry land. The conditions surrounding your body while in a pool enables you to improve flexibility and move parts of your body that may have been harder when not done in the pool.

 

The resistance that the water brings will also make it easier for you to strengthen your muscles. All in all, you can improve balance and agility while giving your heart a good exercise. Going through pool exercises can help you deal with arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia, and other health conditions. The water in the pool will effectively lower the risk of falling as you complete the exercises.

Different pool exercises

Here are the different exercises that you can do in your swimming pool.

Walking or jogging

Stay in chest or waist deep water. Take 10 to 20 steps forwards and then go backward. You can increase the speed to make it more challenging. Once you have gotten the hang of it, you can start jogging in place for 30 seconds. You can alternate the two.

Sidestepping

Go to the pool wall and face it. Walk sideways – around 10 to 20 steps in one direction. After that, you can go back taking the same amount of steps in the next direction.

Forward and side lunges

Stay near the pool wall so you can support yourself as you do the lunges. Stand with the wall on your side and start doing forward lunges – making sure your knees will not go beyond your toes as you bend it. When doing side lunges, face the wall and take a step to the side while keeping your toes forward. Do 10 lunges for each and alternate.

One leg balance

Stay in waist deep water and stand on 1 leg. Raise your other knee up to the level of your hip. You can use a pool noodle to keep your foot raised. Hold this position for up to 30 seconds before switching legs.

Pool planks

You will need a pool noodle for this. You have to lean forward into a plank position – letting the noodle submerge under the water. Keep your elbows straight as you go downwards. Hold this position for as long as your core can handle it – around 15 to 60 seconds.

Water bicycle

This is another one of the pool exercises that need pool noodles. Use two pool noodles and loop them around your back. Rest your arms on top of the noodle to support yourself. Move your legs as if you are riding a bicycle. This is best done in the deeper part of the swimming pool.

Push-ups

Stand by the pool side and place your arms on the edge of the pool. Keep them apart – as wide as your shoulders. Do push ups while holding this position. When you press your weight down, hold it for 3 seconds before pushing yourself back up.

Arm Raises

Use arm paddles or webbed gloves for this. It will give added resistance as you hold your arms to your sides. You will then bend your elbows at a 90 degrees angle. Raise and lower your elbows and arms towards the surface of the water and repeat 10 times.

Hip kickers

Stand beside the pool wall and use it as your support. Move one leg forward – like you are kicking. Keep your knee straight. Put the leg back to the start position and then kick to the side – keeping the leg straight. Go back to the start position and then kick the leg backward. Repeat the whole set. Turn the other way and do the same for the other leg.

Knee Lift

Stay by the pool wall and keep both feet on the floor. Lift one of your knees up and then straighten it. Bend and then straighten it repeatedly. After 10 repetitions, do it to the other leg. If you want to make it challenging, do it away from the pool wall.

 

When you are doing all these pool exercises, it is important to wear the right pair of water shoes to keep yourself from slipping. If you want to strengthen your muscles, move slower – that will make the resistance stronger. In case your body is feeling any pain, stop immediately. Take it slow. Your body will gain its strength without pushing yourself to the limit.