Creative Ways to Exercise in Your Pool
Doing laps aren’t the only way to exercise in a pool. There are many ways to trim fat in the convenience of your backyard. Read on for six backyard pool exercises you can do to burn calories in such a fun way that you’ll barely realize that you’re exercising.
Walk Through Water
Even just wading through knee-deep water can help you burn calories. On land, you can burn 260 calories an hour, but with the resistance of the water, you can burn as many as 520 per hour just by walking. Make sure that you walk normally, heel to toe, just like you would on land to reap the full benefits. To burn a few more calories, do marching laps and lunges rather than just walking.
Aquatic Jogging
Get a life jacket and take up aquatic jogging. Put on your life jacket, and “run” up and down your pool. The vest will keep you afloat, and help you build strength. You will burn more calories if you run in a part of the pool where you cannot touch the bottom. When you get strong enough, remove the life jacket, and tread water instead.
Gym Exercises
Find a place in the pool where the water is up to your waist. Do a 15 minute warm up by jogging, marching, and jumping in place. Then, begin your normal gym exercises. Any 15 to 30 minute exercise can be done underwater, and you will reap more benefits from the resistance of the water than you would out of the water.
Kickboarding
Get a kickboard, and do some kickboard exercises in your pool. Hold the kickboard out at arm’s length from your body, or if you are not a great swimmer, put it on your chest instead of out in front of you. Kick your legs out behind you as hard and as fast as you can. This exercise can help you tone your legs and bottom. If you don’t have a kick board, you can use a life vest or inflatable toy to keep you above water.
Pool Noodle Workouts
Grab yourself a pool noodle and engage in a pool noodle workout. In the shallow end, push the pool noodle down towards the floor of the pool, and step over it, like a jumprope. In the deep end, put the noodle under your armpits, and do leg lifts, flutter kicks, and more. Another exercise you can do is to sit on the noodle, and ride it like you’re riding a bicycle.
