Did you know that spending time in a hot tub or swimming pool regularly can result in an array of health benefits?
Routine hydrotherapy sessions can help to improve your sleep patterns, ease muscle tension, soothe sore joints, reduce feelings of stress, and so much more.
While swimming on the other hand, provides you with a whole-body workout that feels practically effortless.
To take those health benefits a step further, why not consider a whole-body exercise routine in the water?
In this article, we will take a look at some of the best hot tub and swimming pool exercises to help you live a healthy lifestyle.
Cardiovascular
Cardiovascular exercises can help to build muscle throughout your body, while improving your endurance and helping you to lose weight.
Some cardiovascular exercises that can be done in the hot tub or swimming pool can include:
- Walking in place
- Jogging in place
- Running in place
- Swimming laps
- Running from side to side
- Jumping jacks
- Treading water
- Ankle touches
- High knees
Try to include cardiovascular exercise in each of your workouts and on a regular basis if your lifestyle and schedule permit.
Simply going for a 15-20 minute swim each day can provide you with enough cardiovascular exercise as you begin your journey toward a healthier lifestyle.
Legs
Keep your legs toned with exercises that work the muscles in your calves, thighs, and rear on a regular basis. The combination of buoyancy, heat, and massage within your hot tub can help to lift pressure from sore joints and soothe them with the healing environment of the spa, while the cool water of your swimming pool can help your muscles to cool down and recover following a workout.
If exercises on dry land tend to hurt the joints in your legs, hips and knees, exercising inside the hot tub might be the perfect solution for you.
- Squats
- Lunges
- Toe pushes
- Leg raises
- Flutter kicks
Try to include leg exercises within at least two of your workouts each week. To maximize the effectiveness of your next leg day, why not consider using waterproof ankle weights?
These lightweights can add a little resistance to your workout, helping to give your legs additional resistance to work against and making each workout a little harder than the last.
Arms
Did you know that the added resistance of the water can help to improve the effectiveness of your workout?
While exercising on dry land can help you to improve your health, lose weight and build strength, working out in the water can prove to be even more effective as you have something to work against.
Looking to focus on your arms, chest and shoulders? Try the following exercises:
- Wall push-ups
- Shoulder rolls
- Arm circles
- Biceps curls with water weights
With water weights, you can engage in a variety of arm, shoulder, and chest exercises. If you don’t have access to water weights or waterproof dumbbells, some pool toys or floats that you have laying around can make a good substitute.
Pool noodles and boogie boards can make a surprising, yet effective, addition to a swimming pool workout. Try holding the floatation device under the water for as long as you can, pushing it down a little further as you keep it still and stable.
Since these pool toys are designed to float, they will provide you with resistance and fight to make it to the surface.
Core
Building core strength can take time, but once you start to feel the muscles strengthen within your abdominals, chances are you’ll experience a difference in many of your day-to-day activities.
You might notice that lifting heavy objects is easier or that your balance has improved, or even an improved overall physical performance.
Some spa-friendly abdominal exercises can include:
- Torso twists
- Reverse crunches
- Wall plank
- Flutter kicks
Certain balance exercises can help to work your core as well. Try standing on one foot and focus on your balance by stabilizing through your core.
Alternative Approaches to Exercise
If a water-based workout is a little too structured, stale, or simply not your lifestyle, there are a number of other ways that you can get active while in the water.
Why not try yoga, water aerobics, playing with the kids, or even dancing while in the water? The more your body moves, the better your workout will be.
Consume a Healthy Diet
A valuable asset to any healthy lifestyle, is a healthy diet. If you plan to exercise regularly within the water of your hot tub or swimming pool, it is recommended that you pair it with a healthy diet. This can include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and of course, water.
While everything can be enjoyed in moderation, you should aim to generally avoid fast food, junk food and other meals that are full of sodium or sugar, such as frozen meals, soda, juice, pizza, burgers, fries, and more.
If you’re having trouble sticking to a well-balanced and healthy diet, you may find that tracking your meals can help. By tracking, you can hold yourself accountable for everything that hits your plate.
While it can be easy to forget that chocolate bar or extra slice of pizza that you had for lunch, your diet will thank you later for keeping track.
For water, you should aim to drink a minimum of eight glasses a water a day. To keep things interesting, consider drinking sparkling water with meals or infusing your water with fruit, vegetables and herbs, including but not limited to berries, cucumber, lemon, mint, ginger, and oranges.
National Pools & Spas
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