It’s safe to say that in this heat wave, you really don’t have to do much to break a sweat. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have an automatic excuse for skipping your workout today. You should, however, definitely be wary of your personal condition and make sure you are drinking plenty of water and perhaps taking it just a little bit easy.
With all of that in mind, how about a workout you can do…in a pool? The cooling pool water will keep you from overheating too easily on a super hot day, but it also serves double duty since water adds a deceptively challenging amount of resistance to your workout. Exercising in water is also great if you are recovering from any type of joint injury or if you’re just looking to take a day off from pounding away on the treadmill.
Pool workouts are also great since they can provide both cardio and strength training benefits. Try this 7-move pool workout circuit from Self Magazine for a fitness experience that will get you moving while keeping you relatively cool!
1. Cannonball
Float in deep water with noodle wrapped around upper back and under arms, hands on either end. Extend legs toward pool bottom, feet together, toes pointed. Engage abs and raise knees toward chest (as shown). Hold for two seconds, then straighten legs for one rep. Do 20 reps.
2. Stair Master
Start floating with feet on pool ladder, holding noodle with both hands shoulder-width apart, arms extended in front of you. Engage abs to stabilize and push noodle toward pool bottom, keeping arms straight, until in plank position (as shown). Hold 30 seconds. Return to start for one rep. Do 10 reps.
3. Drop Anchor
Holding pool ladder with both hands, elbows bent, place noodle under stomach and float with legs extended behind you, feet together. Engage abs to stabilize and lower legs toward pool bottom, so body forms a 90-degree angle (as shown). Return to start for one rep. Do 20 reps.
4. Deep-Sea Dive
Stand with feet hip-width apart in waist-deep water, holding noodle on water’s surface with both hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Press arms down as you raise left leg behind you until parallel to pool bottom (as shown). Return to start for one rep. Do 10 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
5. Cheek Chiseler
Stand with feet hip-width apart in chest-deep water, holding noodle up with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart at water’s surface. Squat, submerging noodle to knees (as shown), then stand as you rotate torso to right, moving noodle through water to right side. Rotate back to center. Repeat squat sequence on left side for one rep. Do 20 reps.
6. Synchronized Slimmer
Float on back with noodle under knees, arms extended out to sides. Crunch, bringing hands toward knees inside noodle (as shown). Return to start for one rep. Do 20 reps.
7. Liquid Lunge
Stand with feet hip-width apart in chest-deep water and hold one end of noodle in each hand, arms extended in front of you underwater, noodle bent into a U. Push noodle toward pool bottom as you lift left leg and step over noodle into a lunge (as shown). Step back to start. Repeat on opposite side for one rep. Do 10 reps.
Check out the full article from Self here!
Have you ever done a pool workout before?
Exercises and images from Self Magazine
Feature image: sillydog via photopin cc
