Not all sporting goods retail stores carry excessive amounts of aquatic exercise equipment, but that doesn't mean you have to limit your pool workout. Even if your local store doesn't carry water weights or swim belts, you can still pick up common pool equipment and use it to create resistance in the water. You will get an effective workout without having to ship specialty equipment to your location.
Water Noodle
You may think of colorful water noodles as a fun pool toy for your kids, but the buoyant foam can double as water exercise equipment. And, even better, most retail stores including Wal-Mart and Target carry noodles seasonally. Pick up three or four of them to create resistance when performing exercises. You can even cut them into different sizes to use as water dumbbells.
The MayoClinic.com website suggests performing a leg curl using a water noodle. Stand with your back against one side of the pool for balance. Tie a water noodle around one of your ankles. Extend the leg with the noodle out in front of your body. Bend your knee, curling your calf and foot in toward your body, then reverse the movement. Perform the exercise on each side of your body.
Kickboard
Most sporting goods stores and major big box retailers will sell kickboards year round. You can use a kickboard to focus on your leg work during a lap swimming workout, or you can use the kickboard to create resistance in the water for strength training exercises. For instance, you can rest your hands on the top of the kickboard in chest-deep water, and press the board directly down into the water next to your body, exercising your shoulders and arms. You can also push and pull the board through the water, with the board perpendicular to the bottom of the pool to work your abs and upper body.
Inflated Ball
"Fitness" magazine suggests using an inflatable ball, such as a beach ball, to perform water exercises. If you don't have a beach ball, any ball that will float, including a basketball, volleyball or soccer ball, will work equally well. You can purchase an inflatable ball from almost any retail store, including many large grocery stores, big box stores and sporting good stores. Because the ball naturally wants to float on the surface of the water, by pressing the ball under the surface, you will engage your muscles, working to enhance your strength. One suggested exercise is the ball lever. Lie face down at the surface of the water, your arms extended over your head, holding the ball. Feel free to lift your face out of the water whenever you need to breathe. Keeping your elbows straight, press the ball through the water, levering the ball down in an arc from your shoulders. When your arms are extended directly under your shoulders, reverse the movement and return the ball to the surface of the water.
Member Comments