Keeping fit in the pool while having fun!!! – Greater Sacramento Area
Published: Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Hey everybody!
So the temperature this week is going to stay in the 90’s! A great time to get in your pool! However, with the heat comes fatigue, and with fatigue comes laziness! And we all know when we get lazy, exercising goes straight out the window! A great way to get exercise, cool down, and have fun is to get in your pool and exercise! So here are a couple exercises you can do in the pool and still have a great time.
1. Kickboard Drills
-Using a kickboard, swim four laps freestyle using only your legs to propel you through the water.
-Rest for one minute after you first set, then repeat.
-More advanced swimmers can try alternating freestyle kicking and breaststroke kicking between laps to work the leg muscles in different ways.
2. Make Waves
-Swim to the shallow end and place one hand on the edge of the pool. Place the other hand on the wall of the pool about a foot below the surface – this will give you added stability during the exercise.
-Float so that your whole body is at the water surface level.
-Keeping your feet and legs, start kicking like a dolphin. Your legs and feet should be moving all together like a dolphin’s back fins.
-Continue kicking as hard as you can for about 30 seconds.
3. Just Tread Water – The easiest and may be the most effective!
-Swim out to the deep end, or at least to an area deep enough that your feet cannot touch the bottom of the pool while keeping your head above water.
-Begin treading water. To do this, stretch your arms out to either side and make small circles near the surface of the water, keeping your hands cupped.
-To add more intensity to the exercise, lift your right leg out in front of you and attempt to keep it at hip level. Let your left leg point towards the bottom of the pool.
-Hold the leg positions for about five seconds and then switch. Continue this pattern while treading water for about 30-60 seconds, depending on your strength and stamina.