10 Water Exercises You Can Do in Your Fiberglass Pool

Enjoy the Health Benefits of Swimming in Your Own Backyard!

An inground pool is a lovely addition to one’s home and is a great place to host gatherings for family and friends. Pools allow the family to get out of the house and still escape the intense summer heat. But your fiberglass pool can be more than just a social spot. In this post, we will give you some ideas for swimming pool exercises that you can do alone or with others to maximize the health benefits of your time in the pool.

Health Benefits of Swimming Pool Exercises

Did you know that swimming pool exercises are one of the best ways to burn calories with minimal risk of injury? Movements in the pool are lower impact than the hard ground allowing for a more joint friendly workout. And, water is around 784 times denser than air which provides a stronger resistance resulting in more calories being burned. What’s more, swimming uses every muscle group in both your upper and lower body, so you’ll get a great whole body workout.

Summertime is the perfect time for starting a resolution to get in shape, and your own backyard pool is an enjoyable, private place to exercise. While swimming laps are effective, it can be boring and cause many to lose sight of their resolution. That’s why we came up with ten swimming pool exercises that will help you burn calories, strengthen your muscles, and get fit for summer!

Water Exercise Equipment Checklist

Before you get started, make sure you are equipped for the exercises. You will want to have the proper equipment ready including water goggles, aquatic dumbbells and water floaties. Here’s why:

• Goggles. Goggles are a necessity for water exercising. They help your body create a steady form and direction while protecting your eyes.
• Aquatic Weights. Weights allow for greater resistance. Adding weights can help improve smaller muscle groups that get missed in a normal workout.
• Water Floaties. Can be useful to have nearby in case of a cramp, and they are helpful when maneuvering around the pool.

How to do Swimming Pool Exercises

1. The Bicycle.
   
   (Note: Please do not bring your actual bicycle into the pool!) Rest your elbows on the side of the pool, face toward the pool and move your legs into a crouched position. Then, move your legs to make an imaginary type of bicycle motion. Do this exercise for 2 minutes, rest 30 seconds, then repeat three to five times.
   Benefits: Burns calories fast and strengthens core, shoulders and legs and also helps by improving form.
2. Missile.
   
   Begin near the wall, facing the pool floor. Place your your legs in a squatting position with your hands parallel to the pool floor. Next, push your feet from the wall and explode away. Repeat two to five times. Then, flip over and perform the same swimming pool exercise facing upward with the same number of repetitions.
   Benefits: Strengthens calves, glutes and hamstrings. Improves muscle explosiveness.
3. Jog/Sprint.
   
   A light jog around the pool is good for the lower body. Once you have warmed up your body (three to five minutes), move your knees up higher and move across faster to get a more intense workout. 15-30 minutes total should suffice.
   Benefits: Helps with rehab, walking gait and muscular explosiveness in the lower body.
4. Squat Jumps.
   
   Start in a squatting position as low as you can, then jump as high as you can. Do five to 10 consecutively followed by 60 seconds of walking in place. Repeat three to five times.
   Benefits: Strengthens quads, glutes and hamstrings. Improves explosiveness and balance.
5. Bicep Curls.
   
   Standing chest-deep in water, lift aquatic weights in front of you toward your chest. Make sure to keep the full range of motion under the water. Do ten curls, rest for a ten count. Then repeat the cycle three times.
   Benefits: Strengthens and tones biceps.
6. Noodle Plank.
   
   Hold onto the noodle down on the stairs and get into a push-up position. The water resistance against the noodle will make holding the position difficult. Try holding the position for at least two minutes. Rest for a ten count and repeat 3 times.
   Benefits: Strengthens abdominal muscles, core, and is a light workout for arms and shoulders.
7. Free Style with Weights.
   
   Swim laps as you normally would, but use weights to increase your resistance.
   Benefits: Strengths arms, shoulders and core.
8. Jab Punches.
   
   Reenact Rocky 1,2,3,4,5 and 6!  Squat until your shoulders are underwater, then punch underwater as fast as you can.
   Benefits: Improves explosiveness and strengthens back, shoulders, arms and core.
9. Spiderman.
   
   Climb the wall like Spiderman! Get in the pool, and stand by the edge. Hold on to the side of the pool and stabilize your upper body while you put one foot on the wall. Next, let go of the wall and start moving your hands back and forth to keep your balance while running your feet up and down the side of the pool. Try for 30 seconds of climbing at a time, and repeat two to four times.
   Benefits: Burns calories and strengthens quads.
10. One-Legged Balance
    
    Do your best one-legged flamingo! Keep one leg under water and bend your knees slightly. Then, raise one leg closer toward the water surface. Try to hold for 30 seconds, and alternate legs. Repeat 5 times per leg.
    Benefits: Strengthens core and balance and improves flexibility.
11. Bonus! Leg Plank Kicks Created by Thursday’s own, Pilar Vondell
    
    This swimming exercise is best accomplished in the Thursday Pools Aspen design! Get into a plank position on the Aspen’s stairs, then raise one leg as high as possible into the air. Once you have raised your leg on both sides fives times, flip so your body is facing the sky and repeat.
    Benefits: Improves flexibility and range of motion, and strengthens core.
    

Get in the swim! 

If you’re ready to have fun and get fit and enjoy the health benefits of swimming exercise, find a Thursday Pools dealer near you today and get your weekend started early!