Using Water to your Advantage
When it comes to exercise, we often think of running, lifting weights, or doing yoga. But have you ever considered the benefits of pool exercises? Whether you're recovering from an injury, looking to improve your explosiveness, or just want to mix up your routine, the pool can be a great place to get in a workout. I may be a little based since a large portion of my youth years were involved in water polo, swimming, lake days, ocean swims, and basically anything involving a body of water. But what advantages does it give us?
Let’s start with the big one. It’s a huge comfort thing for a lot of people. Just getting in a body of water can change your attitude immediately. It’s different than land sports. Not all of us can swim or tread water for an hour, let alone hold our breath with weights on the bottom of the pool!! Physically, a main benefit of pool exercises is that it provides low-impact resistance training and pure explosiveness without the strain on your joints. This makes pool exercises perfect for recovery days or for people with chronic pain or injuries all the while getting a very intensive training day.
Deep End Fitness did a study on underwater workouts, pool training, and breath holds and discovered this type of work reduced anxiety, depression, and stress by 28%. (study) By challenging yourself outside of the comfort zone, using the sensory environment of the pool, weightlessness, sound of the water, and temperature, this can help your mental and physical state for the better!
So what are some pool exercises you can try? Here are a few:
Water walking or jogging: Simply walking or jogging in the water provides a great workout for your legs and core, without the impact of running on land. This is a great one for runners trying to recovery a leg injury.
Poolside pull-outs: Place your hands on the edge of the pool and pull yourself out of the pool over and over again using the water resistance to work your upper body.
Lap swimming: Swimming laps is a great cardiovascular workout that works your whole body, while also improving your breathing and endurance. Though I selfishly hate staring at the black line on the bottom of the pool, it’s obviously a killer workout. Not feeling the pool? Test yourself mentally by doing long lake or ocean swims. Don’t think about the sharks..
Underwater Pool plyometrics: Use the pool's resistance to perform explosive movements, such as jumps and kicks, to improve your explosiveness and power. You can do this with or without weight. We can cater to all levels of performance and comfort in order for everyone to get a training session.
When it comes to pool exercises, it's important to remember that safety should always come first. Make sure you're in a pool that is deep enough for your height and experience level, and always have a buddy with you.
Incorporating pool exercises into your routine can be a great way to mix up your workouts and improve your physical and mental health. So next time you're looking for a new way to exercise, consider taking a dip in the pool.
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