
Hit the swimming pool, not the gym this summer!
Standing in the sun with sweat dripping down your face as you push a hand-held skimmer net through the debris-filled water can be quite the workout. Luckily, the Solar-Breeze NX2 automatically keeps your pool swim-ready so that you can practice a more enjoyable health and fitness routine that involves actually getting into the sparkling water.
Many gyms are closed right now and while some are re-opening, it is probably best to stay at home. The good thing is that there are many benefits to workout aquatics. Plus, working out in the water doesn’t feel like ‘work’ – it’s hard to not have fun while splashing around.
- They provide resistance, which strengthens muscles and boosts cardio intensity
- Water supports some of your weight, which makes the workouts easier on joints
- Aquatic exercises may accommodate faster healing from joint injuries
- Pool workouts give you better balance, agility and endurance, and are great way to burn fat in a short amount of time
Here are five fun, easy exercises by Shape.com that can help you achieve these benefits:
Aqua Teaser
Targets shoulders, arms, abs, and hips
- Standing in shallow end, simultaneously sit back into water, treading with hands out to sides, and lift both legs together so that you fold at hips to create a wide V shape, with head and toes just above surface.
- Quickly bring knees to chest — or bring legs as straight as you can toward chest to make V less wide—then extend legs to return to V position.
- Do 15 to 20 reps. Continue treading with hands for 1 minute.
Pool Edge Side Burpee
Targets abs, obliques, hips, and legs
- In deep end, hold on to edge of pool with right hand so that body is perpendicular to edge; tuck knees into chest to place both feet flat (right stacked above left) against side wall of pool as high as possible.
- Maintaining hand grip throughout the water aerobics exercise, jump feet off wall and extend legs as you engage abs to bring body as parallel to surface as possible in a side-plank position (left hip now stacked above right).
- Return to tuck and continue for 1 minute. Switch sides and repeat for 1 minute.
Water Taxi
Targets back, shoulders, arms, chest, and abs
- Sit on kickboard with knees together, legs dangling or skimming bottom of pool.
- Extend arms in front of you, palms facing away from each other, then sweep arms out to sides (as if doing a breaststroke).
- Continue stroking across pool for 30 seconds, then switch stroke to go in opposite direction: Bring arms out to sides with palms facing forward, elbows slightly bent, then sweep arms together in front of you.
- Continue for 30 seconds, squeezing shoulder blades throughout the swimming exercise as you push forward and back.
Tombstone Kick
Targets back, arms, abs, butt, and legs
- With your back to edge of pool, hold kickboard with both hands so that it’s vertical (rounded edge up) and half of it is below surface of water.
- Push off wall with feet, holding kickboard in tombstone position, and kick as hard as you can toward opposite side of pool.
- Continue for 1 minute.
Dolphin Tail
Targets abs and legs
- Tread water in deep end of pool, arms out to sides and legs extended beneath you.
- Engaging abs, squeeze legs together and sweep them backward, bending knees slightly, then quickly extend them forward (like a dolphin’s tail); counterbalance motion by sweeping arms through water in opposite direction of legs.
- Continue for 1 minute.
This summer, use your swimming pool to get moving and stay healthy. The Solar-Breeze NX2 even dispenses chlorine while travelling to make sure that the pool is sanitized for your next workout. Do less cleaning and more calorie-burning.