Swimming is often overlooked as a way to exercise. However, it is one of the most fun ways a person can get in shape. Did you know you can burn as much as 300-800 calories an hour doing routines in the shower? Anyone can become fit by engaging in swimming exercises.
Are you curious to learn a few exercises to try in the pool? Keep reading to learn 5 neat workouts you can use to build muscle while increasing your cardiac ability.
1. Start With Kicks
Most people who play in the water are no strangers to kicks. Seeing the water splash is fun, especially for children.
It also helps raise the heart rate and tone the legs. There are a few types of kicks you can try:
Flutter Kicks
Water workouts like flutter kicks work mainly on the side muscles. Working out the transverse abdominis will kill any born fat or muffin top. Extend your legs in the water in line with your body then kick up and down.
Frog Kicks
Frog kicks target the legs, namely the inner thighs, and the glutes. You can shape and tone your lower half with this exercise. All you need to do is bring your feet together then bring your legs toward your body.
It should resemble the position of a frog. Straighten your legs and bring them back up. Do this a few times.
Drill Kicks
Kids and teens will enjoy learning kicks on a kickboard. You should position the kickboard in front of you at arm’s length. You need to keep your core tight as you do this exercise.
A great tip is to focus on flexing your feet beyond 90 degrees. This will provide you better propulsion as you move.
Dolphin Kicks
Dolphin kicks are another fun routine for the core. You don’t need a lot of pool space to do this.
Rather than swim you want to kick horizontally over the water. You can take swimming lessons to pick up learning how to perform these kicks in the water.
2. Butterfly Drill and Breaststroke
Kids and adults can have a blast with butterfly drills and breaststrokes as a form of swimming fitness. They are the best exercises for helping you improve overall endurance and speed while engaging your core.
In order to do the butterfly drill, you should use one arm pull for every 3 sets of dolphin kicks. Remember to keep your stomach tight as it will help you take your arms outside the water.
Breaststrokes are similar to butterfly kicks. You also want to complete one arm pull, but instead for every three leg kicks.
Start off slow if you’re a beginner and slowly increase the number of reps as you get better. Those who are advances can try 10 25-meter swims and rest for 15 seconds for every interval you complete.
3. Water Jogging/Running
This routine may seem like a piece of cake, but it’s a great way to get to challenge yourself. Water jogging and running is the perfect aerobic exercise.
Your back needs to be straight while performing this exercise. Be sure to bend your arms at the elbow too. Keep your hands in a ball as you move in the water.
These water workouts are the most demanding on your upper body. If you really want to add more of a challenge, you can add equipment to engage the biceps and triceps. This is also a great exercise for those with lower joint issues and older adults.
This is because water jogging and running are easy on the knees. They are low impact. Complete 3 rounds of these for about 5 minutes each and you will feel like you can conquer the world.
4. Water Crunches
Swimmers have amazing cores thanks to a majority of water workouts that target the stomach. Nothing else beats water resistance in a pool quite like doing water crunches.
Doing crunches in a pool is great to increase flexibility because it also provides a better range of motion. You should start by floating in the water on your back in line with the side of the pool.
Stay afloat and place your legs at the edge of the pool while bending at the knees. The rest of your body should remain flat over the water. Like any other crunch you want to use your core to push your body up and out of the water.
You need to rely on your core once more to position your body back into the water and repeat this a few times. Try to do these exercises until exhaustion.
5. Paddles and Parachute
You can engage your forearms, shoulders, and lats with powerful upper-body exercises by adding paddles and parachute. This routine is before for the most competitive swimmers although anyone can try this.
The added resistance makes your body work hard. Most swimmers who train often add paddles and parachute to add intensity with a variety of swimming exercises.
This workout is a great way swimmers can learn to be more fluid while they swim in the water. It will allow them to have a more balanced swim stroke too.
Learn How to Stay Fit With Swimming Exercises
Summertime is here. There is no better time than now to be outdoors while enjoying the sun and breeze while you’re in the water.
Swimming exercises can improve your figure and it can be a great activity for the kids to enjoy. Everyone wins.
No worries if you don’t have a pool or lack experience. Anyone can start a membership with White Fish Wave no matter their experience level or age.
We also have programs for those with medical conditions. No matter who you are, you can enjoy the water, burn calories, and enjoy every moment.
