Water Workouts: 8 of the Best Full-Body Exercises in the Pool
Be it a new fitness challenge, a low-impact workout that's easy on your joints, or a full weight loss journey, full body swimming exercise are the perfect way to get cardio and strength training in one session. In fact, at up to 800 times denser than air, water provides about 15 times more resistance than doing the same moves on land, and the harder you exercise, the more resistance the water provides. That is why, being one of Monroe's aquatic fitness centre, we provide water aerobics for weight loss, aqua physical classes, prenatal water aerobics, aquatic resistance training, aqua cycle classes, and any other water workout with a proper aqua fitness instructor.
A full body workout in the water is also ideal for everyone for this reason: gravity's weakened effect in water takes pressure off the joints, increasing flexibility, relieving pain, and reducing injury risk, making low-impact pool exercises perfect for people with injuries, disabilities, or other physical limitations.
Try These Pool Exercise for a Swimming Full-Body Workout:
Triceps Dip
Sit on the poolside with your feet in the water and hands at your sides whilst gripping the edge. Slide your body forwards, lowering yourself into the water while bending your arms straight back until they're at 90-degree angles. Then, do a "push up", straightening your arms as you lift your body so that your bottom hovers just inside the edge of the pool. Do 15 of these for a workout that targets the triceps and core.
Incline Push-up
Face the poolside and place your hands on the edge at about shoulder-width distance. Form a straight line from head to heels with your body while keeping your arms and legs straight. Then, do a "push up," bending your elbows to 90 degrees or until your chest touches the pool's edge, and then push back up to the starting position. Repeat 10 times to feel the triceps, shoulders, chest, and core, burn.
Jumping Jack
Stand with your arms by your side and your feet about hip distance apart. Raise your arms out sideways and upward whilst jumping up with your feet out slightly wider than your shoulders. Then, land and return to the starting position, and repeat this cardio exercise 20 times, which works your glutes, quads, upper back, and shoulders.
Mountain Climber
Begin in a plank position with your hands on the pool's edge, and your body in a full straight line from head to heels. Then, bring your knees towards your chest one at a time as fast as you can - and the faster you do it, the more water resistance there is. Perform 15 of these to target your back, shoulders, core, and legs.
Lateral Lunge
Stand with your feet at a hip distance apart and your hands by your sides. Then, take a large step to the right, pushing your hips back and bending your right knee to a lower seat level until it's at a 90-degree angle. Afterwards, push back into an upright position, lifting your right knee and pulling it into your chest with your arms. Do 10 of these on each side to work your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core.
Squat Jump
Begin in a low squat with your arms reaching straight forward at shoulder height. Then, jump off the pool floor as explosively as possible, landing back into the starting position. Repeat this 10 times to build muscle in the quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and core.
Tuck Jump
Start this by standing with your feet at a hip-width distance and both arms at your sides. Bend your knees a little and extend your arms out up to shoulder height, with your elbows bent and wide and your palms facing the water. Bend your legs deeply, then jump straight up whilst lifting your knees up to meet your hands. Do 10 reps of this ultimate cardio pool exercise for a full-body workout.
Scissor Kick
For the last full-body exercise to do in the pool, start by leaning with your shoulders on the poolside and your arms out wide, holding onto the pool's edges on both sides of your body. When ready, extend your legs straight until your body forms a line. Using your core, lift your feet up off the pool floor and do short, quick alternating kicks underwater whilst keeping your legs extended and your toes pointed. Every two kicks are one rep. Do 15 reps in total to target your core, glutes, and your inner and outer thighs.
What Are The Benefits of a Full Body Swimming Workout?
Water aerobics sessions count as full-body workouts because they build strength and work your cardiovascular system. Building strength increases lean muscle which supports healthy weight loss and increased stability. Cardio workouts keep your heart and lungs healthy and improve circulation. Better circulation leads to quicker recovery from injury as the body heals by delivering nutrients to hurt muscles via the blood. A fast swim can also get your blood pumping, but water aerobics will engage a wider range of movement and more muscle groups, so it's the more effective choice. Booking into a group session as a full-body swim exercise can also have mental health benefits. You'll be getting social and mental stimulation, plus the soothing temperature and improved joint pain can improve your mental state. An exercise for body and mind? Sign us up! Read More
Let the Water Support You in Full Body Swimming Exercise
As water supports your body weight, you get the benefit of high-intensity training without the stress on your joints. This means you can push yourself a bit harder before you fatigue and means you recover quicker. As there's no impact on the joints a swimming full body workout carries less risk of injury. As water is far denser than air though it also provides resistance against any movement. This is how you can activate most muscle groups in the water.
Certain movements are handy to incorporate into your routine to get as many muscles as possible pumping. Aqua jogging is a great choice for example, by running in the deep end your feet don't touch the floor so there's no impact to worry about and you'll be working against the water resistance, so you'll be building strength. If you've had an injury and can't run for a while, this will use the same muscles, so you'll find you aren't far behind when you get back to it. If you'd prefer to be in the shallower water, lunges are a great way to work your legs. We'd recommend adding water friendly weights which you lift out of the water with each deep lunge to work your arms and coordination too.
To push the cardio part of your workout, why not add in squat jumps? In the shallow end stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat by sitting back on your heels, making sure your head isn't underwater, then straighten your hips and knees to push up as far as you can. If you want more challenge, squat down and push up faster as you'll create more water resistance. We can feel it in our thighs just talking about it!
Our Swimming Workout Routines and Plans are Ready When You Are
Aquatic Performance Training is trying to spread the message of how beneficial water-based exercise is. If you'd like to try out the amazing head-to-toe benefits of water aerobics in group sessions or with our personal trainers, reach out to our team here and find your perfect regime. Read Less