Floating Fitness

Aerobic water workouts are some of the best workouts you can do for your body. Some of the benefits of exercising in the pool, hot tub, or swim spa as opposed to on land are: 

• Provides a full-body workout
• Provides gentle resistance from all angles making it more challenging than working out on land
• The water buoyancy provides extra support for muscles and joints, preventing sport injuries

Always start with a warm-up!

As with any work out, it is always a good idea to warm-up and stretch your muscles out. 

Some beneficial warm-ups include: 

• Marching in place
• Swinging your arms
• High knees

Warming-up in a hot tub or swim spa has added benefits because of the heat. Warming-up and working out in general is easier in the heat because it increases blood flow, stimulates healing, and relaxes muscles. Sitting in the hot tub or swim spa before or after a workout can also help relax your muscles as well as help circulate and replenish oxygen back to the blood.  

Work It Out!

 Below are some great aerobic water workouts that you can do in your pool, hot tub, or swim spa. 

#1. Resistance Bands & Cord Rowing

Elastic resistance bands are great for multiple workouts in the water. Most workouts that can be done with resistance bands out of water can also be done in water. Such as:

• Left to right side steps:
  • put the band around both ankles, then alternate which leg steps outward

• Single leg steps:
  • put the band around both ankles, then alternate which leg steps backward

• Leg raises:
  • put the band around both ankles, then alternate lifting each leg up in front of you

• Jumping jacks:
  • put the band around both ankles, then jump and separate your legs at the same time

• Walking side shuffles:
  • put the band around both ankles, then walk one direction by stepping left with your left leg, then bring the right foot to meet your left foot, and step outward left again. Repeat the same exercise for your right side

• Backward leg taps:
  • put the band around both ankles, then alternate which leg goes backwards to tap the bottom of the pool behind you

• The skier:
  • much like a jumping jack, you will put the band around both ankles, then jump and separate your legs in front of and behind you, alternating which leg goes forward and which goes backwards

If you have a swim spa, you can also purchase a rowing kit that attaches to the side of your swim spa. You can then stand between the two row cords and row with your arms. This will allow for low-impact strength training. 

#2. Break Your Wake

In your pool or swim spa, you will sprint as far as you desire, creating a current behind you, then you will turn around and try to run back through your own wake. This will cause extra resistance. Unfortunately, this exercise will not work in the hot tub due to limited space. 

#3. Stair Steps

Much like the exercise on land steps, you can also use pool, hot tub, or swim spa steps for exercise. Stand at the bottom of the steps, then step up onto the lowest step. You can alternate which leg steps up to ensure both legs are getting a good workout. You could also use the ladder in your pool for a similar exercise. 

#4. HIIT Training

HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training. This type of exercise consists of small bursts of hard workouts followed by short periods of rest. This is often 45 seconds of workout and 15 seconds of rest but you can adjust that time frame to whatever works best for you. Here are some HIIT workouts :

• Tuck Jumps:
  • Jump in place, bringing both knees up to your chest at the same time. Then land on both feet and repeat

• Split Lunge: 
  • Jump and split your legs at the same time, bringing one leg forward and one leg backwards. Then bend the knees slightly to create a lunge motion. Then jump and repeat alternating which leg goes forward

• Star Jumps:
  • Similar to a jumping jack but you will start with your arms and legs in the shape of an X, then jump and straighten out both the arms and the legs. Then return back to the X position. 

• Speed Skater:
  
  • Start in the standing position. Then jump left, landing on your left foot. Then jump right, landing on your right foot. Continue alternating sides. 

#5. Laps & Endurance Training:

As always, don't discount the effectiveness of basic swimming laps or using your swim spa for resistance as a great overall workout for the whole body. 

The Possibilities Are Endless! 

There are so many aquatic exercises you can do in your hot tub or swim spa. If you run out of ideas, try modifying some of the ones we listed above. A lot of the resistance band exercises can be done without resistance and the HIIT exercises can be done in a slower pace for your comfort. Whichever workouts you decide to do, we hope you enjoy your water workouts!