Here are some great exercises to do when you are in the swimming pool, either making laps or having fun. They take about 10 minutes and will keep you toned and firm.
These localized exercises work your lower body, abominal muscles and arms.
Try them out and make your swimming pool session a more complete one! Water is a great tool, since it makes resistance against your movements, acting as a giant whole-body-weight.
Each exercise comprises 2 series of 20 repetitions. You should feel a bit sore by the end of the session.
After some sessions, you may find out you don’t get sore anymore and that it gets easier. By then, increase to 3 series of 20 repetitions.
When that becomes easy, increse to 3 series of 25 repetitions.
Once you get to 3 series of 30 repetitions, try some different exercises, so you’ll use your muscles in a different way.
You can download a .pdf document with all of the exercises in the Printables section.
ONE
Place your legs over the pool border, as shown in the figure.
Extend your arms foward and raise your upper body slowly until your fingers touch your toes.
Alternatively and to make it more difficult, you can put your hands behind your head.
Retunr to the first position slowly and repeat.
TWO
Place your extended arms over the pool border, as shown in the figure.
Extend your legs backwards. Now, pretend you are swimming, moving your legs up and down alternately.
One repetition is complete when both leg went up and down.
Squeeze your bum and extend your toes for maximizing the muscle use.
THREE
Lower your legs, maintaining your arms extended over the pool border, shoulder-wide.
Extend your legs downwards, like you were standing.
Slowly raise your knees, by flexing your legs, until they reach your chest, between your arms. Extend your legs again, slowly, until reaching the previous position.
Try to keep your back straight to increase the abdominal muscles’ work.
Make it more complete: After these series, make the oblique series. Raise your legs to one side, until it reaches your elbow, then lower them. After completing one serie, make the same thing to the other side.
FOUR
Grab the pool border as most convenient with your hands.
Extend one of your legs and raise the other one laterally, the most you can. Lower your leg again and repeat, always slowly.
To make this exercise more difficult, instead of keeping the static leg extended, you can flex it and lean your knee on the pool wall.
After one serie, do the same with the other leg. Repeat both series.
More difficult still: Extend both legs and make circles, keeping them straight. Make one serie on the inward sense, then make one on the outward sense. Repeat.
FIVE
Place yourself on the same position as the previous exercise. It is better, however, to keep your knee bent, to support your lower back.
Extend your free leg backwards, squeezing your bum tight.
Repeat with other leg.
Posted in Exercise, Tips and How to Tagged: Exercise and fitness
