Water exercises

If you consider yourself water friendly and got bored from swimming down the lanes or want to incorporate some variety in your daily workout routines, why not try some water exercises? Water exercise is safer for the pregnant mothers and persons suffering from nagging arthritis or low back pain. While exercising in the water much of your weight is carried by the buoyancy, you are lees like to injure yourself. Let us discuss some of the popular water exercises.

Water marching – to start with, balance yourself in the water and stand straight with normal breathing, do continuous strides just like marching in a same place. Extend your arms and legs as far as you can. The buoyancy will slow down the marching. Widen your legs and arms to the fullest possible amount, pointing your toes and pulling your arms briskly. Continue doing this for at least three minutes or as long as you are comfortable. The aim should be balanced rhythmic marching movement.

Toning arms – balance yourself inside the water and stand with your legs apart. The arms should be extended right in front of you. Hold a soft ball with the extended arms. While breathing rhythmically, push the ball down the water and let yourself swing with the ball in a figure of eight pattern inside water. Try to feel the resistance over the upper part of your body along with the arms. Make an even rhythm ascertaining not to injure your shoulder or back side. Repeat the procedure for 10 times.

Side stretch – stand sideways inside the swimming pool wall holding the edge by your arms fully extended. Keep your feet flat on the floor of the pool. Inhale deeply while doing the posterior shoulder stretch. Then exhale slowly while leaning your hips away from the pool side. Repeat the water exercise 10 times on each of your side.

Jumping jacks – this exercise is correctly performed by an experienced swimmer. Begin with your feet rested flat on the bottom of the swimming pool. Place your arms relaxed by your sides. Bend forward from the hips and jump from the floor as high as you can like a spring action. While trying to jump, kick your legs out to respective sides keeping your toes down and swinging the arms out to the side and above your head. Your body should take a shape of a star. Try to land on the water with knees bend and the feet apart. Repeat the procedure for 10-15 times.

Waist trimmer – you should stand beside the wall of the pool. Rest your back against the poolside. Place your arms along the edge to get some support. Bend the knees to your chest. Then extend the legs forward. While inhaling deeply, swing the legs to your left side and then back to the normal position. While exhaling slowly, progress your legs to front and withdraw to the chest. Do again for 10-15 times. While doing this, continue pressing your back to the sidewall of the pool.

Total body stretch – stand inside the water facing the sidewall of the pool. Hold the edge for balance. Bend your body from the knees and press your feet against the poolside while inhaling deeply. Now exhale slowly and move your hips back. Make sure not to injure your knees or sprain your back side. Repeat the whole procedure for 10-15 times.