Pool Workouts - Stay Cool While Feeling the Burn!

August is hot! It’s a great month to jump in the pool.  And luckily, in addition to cooling you off, the pool is a great place to get a workout in.  If you’ve been watching the Olympics you know that swimmers are in great shape (have you seen their abs?!).  Treading water alone can burn around 600 calories per hour (you’d get about the same calorie burn running a 10-min mile pace for the same time).  But, if the thought of swimming laps sounds boring, don’t fret - there are a lot of other ways to move in the pool and tone up.  Rather than just taking a dip in your swimsuit, dive in to a pool workout to stay fit and cool this summer!

The Benefits of Water Exercise: 

Stretch: Being in the water allows your muscles and joints to stretch out because it gives them an improved range of motion.  Athletes will often use active stretching techniques, like leg swings, to get more flexible. {Runner’s World provides stretches to try here. }

Resistance:  Moving in the water requires more energy – you’re pushing each leg through the water instead of the air, so it’s harder!  By adding more resistance, you’re upping the difficulty and calorie burn of your workout.

Easy on your joints: The pool provides a space to exercise that is low or no-impact and great for people with knee and other joint problems.  The water keeps you buoyant and you are essentially able to partially defy gravity and protect your joints. You’ll still get some impact if you are standing in the shallow end, instead of treading in the deep end, but regardless of where you are in the pool you’ll experience less impact than you would on land.  

Injury prevention: Because the pool doesn’t put a lot of impact on your joints you’re able to get a good workout without putting a lot of strain your body.  You’ll also strengthen muscles, like your core and hips, which reduces your risk of getting injured down the road. 

Fun:  Workouts should be fun, and when you’re “playing” in the pool all the splashing around will make you forget you’re burning calories!  Instead, you’ll remember how much fun it is to be in the water.

Be sure to consult your physician for approval before beginning a new exercise routine.