Working out in a pool offers several decided advantages over land exercise. The water both supports you, easing the load on your joints and allowing greater, more comfortable range of motion, and offers a built-in source of resistance. The biggest downside of working out in the water is potentially getting in over your head. Jogging float belts should never be mistaken for life preservers, but they can help give you extra confidence and stability when navigating deep water. And even if you never leave the shallow end, you can still get an effective workout in the pool.
Walking
Step 1
Step into the shallow end of the pool and walk from one end to the other. If you're confined to a single lane, walk as far toward the deep end as you feel comfortable going, then turn and come back. This is a way to get comfortable with the idea of being in the water.
Step 2
Put on pool shoes if you feel like you need extra grip on the bottom of the pool. Don't try to wear your own sneakers into the pool; you can purchase specially made shoes for use only in the pool. These shoes drain water quickly and grip the pool bottom securely.
Step 3
Swing your arms through the water in a natural walking motion as you move. For greater resistance, cup your hands together or put on hand webs, special gloves that increase the surface area of your hands.
Step 4
Use an aqua-jogging belt to help you keep afloat if you decide to transition into deeper water. Getting your feet off the bottom of the pool allows you to work harder at "running" through the water's resistance without actually bobbing up out of the water each time you push off.
Triceps Extensions
Step 1
Grasp one float weight in each hand. Ideally, you should be in water that reaches up farther than your elbows.
Step 2
Bend your elbows and turn your palms down, with the float weights in the water in front of you.
Step 3
Extend one arm at a time, submerging the weight as you straighten your elbow. Squeeze your core and pay close attention to balancing upright as you move the weight through the water.
Step 4
Return the weight to the start position and repeat on the other side. Continue alternating sides until you've completed a full set. As with dry-land training, a set of 12 well-controlled repetitions to fatigue is sufficient for strength training in the water.
Leg Curls
Step 1
Tie a water noodle around one ankle.
Step 2
Stand near the edge of the pool. Grasp the pool edge for balance if necessary, especially if you're in relatively deep water.
Step 3
Extend the leg with the foam noodle straight out from your hip. Bend your knee against the noodle's resistance, until your lower leg points straight down. Keep your torso vertical throughout this exercise.
Step 4
Return to the starting position. Once you've completed a full set on the first leg, switch the noodle to the other leg.
Things You'll Need
- Hand webs
- Aqua-jogging belt
- Foam noodle
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