10 Exercises You Can Do in a Swim Spa

As people become more concerned about health and fitness, working out in the water has become a popular way to stay fit. Swim spas are not only a great place to relax, but they are also ideal for a well-rounded workout. The resistance and buoyancy properties of water make working out in the water less stressful on joints while still providing effective resistance training.

This article will detail 10 exercises you can do in a swim spa to help you make the most of this resource and improve your fitness.

Reasons to Work Out in the Water

Good health is certainly a valid reason to try water aerobics and other water sports. A recent article titled "What Makes Water Exercise So Worth It?" on the Harvard Medical School website of Harvard Health Publishing explores how water exercise strengthens your cardiovascular system and muscles.

In the article, Dr. Aubrey Grant, a sports cardiology fellow at the Cardiac Performance Laboratory at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, calls swimming "one of the best forms of cardiovascular exercise." Grant further explains in the article, "Swimming is a full-body exercise that uses nearly every muscle in your body to propel you forward. And because you're horizontal in the water, blood doesn't pool in your lower body like it would if you were exercising upright.

This, combined with the pressure of the water on your body, increases blood flow from your extremities to your center and heart. This way, according to Grant, your heart becomes more efficient. Another advantage the article points out is, "Moving your body in water provides more resistance than moving it in air, which means swimming strengthens both your muscles and your cardiovascular system at the same time."

1. Swimming

Swimming is one of the most common forms of water exercise and is suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels. Not only is it an effective aerobic exercise, it also provides a comprehensive workout for your entire body.

    ● Freestyle: is a fast and efficient stroke that works your back, shoulders, arms, and legs.

    ● Breaststroke: is a slower paced stroke but strengthens your chest, back, and leg muscles.

    ● Backstroke: helps relieve back tension while working your abdominal and leg muscles.

    ● Butterfly stroke: It is the most challenging stroke and fully exercises the muscles of the whole body, especially the upper body.

2. Water walking

Water walking is one of the simplest ways to exercise in the water and is suitable for people of all ages. It helps to improve cardiopulmonary function, strengthen the lower body strength, and improve balance.

    ● Basic walking: Walking in the water, keeping an upright posture, can exercise the leg and core muscles.

    ● High-leg walking: Increase the height of the steps, increase the intensity of the exercise, and further strengthen the leg and core strength.

    ● Sideways walking: Walking sideways, strengthen the muscles of the buttocks and outer thighs.

3. Lunges

Water lunges are a very effective lower body exercise that can help improve leg strength and stability while reducing pressure on the knees.

    ● Basic lunges: Standing position, step forward with one leg, bend the knee, keep the back leg upright, and then return to the starting position.

    ● Cross lunges: Step sideways and backward, bend the knees, similar to the crossover movement, strengthen the muscles of the buttocks and thighs.

    ● Lunge Jumps: Jump between lunge positions to increase cardio and leg strength.

4. Squats

Squats are a fundamental exercise for strengthening the lower body, and the buoyancy of the water reduces the pressure on the knees, making them safer and more efficient.

    ● Basic Squats: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees and squat, keep your back straight, and then return to the starting position.

    ● Jump Squats: Jump from a squat position to increase cardio and explosiveness.

    ● Single-leg Squats: Improve balance and core strength, stand on one leg, extend the other leg straight forward, and then do a squat.

5. Push-ups

Push-ups in water are a low-impact upper body exercise that strengthens the chest, shoulders, and arms.

    ● Shallow Water Push-ups: Perform standard push-ups in shallow water, using the buoyancy of the water to reduce your body weight.

    ● Edge Push-ups: Place your hands on the edge of the pool, lean your body, and do push-ups.

    ● One-arm push-ups: Further increase the intensity of the exercise, do push-ups with one arm to strengthen the arm and shoulder strength.

6. Arm Exercise

The resistance in the water can effectively exercise the arm muscles while reducing the pressure on the joints.

    ● Water push-ups: Make fists with both hands or use dumbbells in the water, push from both sides of the body to the chest, and then return to the starting position.

    ● Water rowing: Imitate the rowing action to strengthen the back and arm strength.

    ● Water boxing: Perform boxing movements, punch quickly, improve cardiopulmonary function and arm strength.

7. Leg lifts

Leg lifts in the water help to strengthen the leg and core strength, improve balance and flexibility.

    ● Straight leg raise: Stand upright, one leg upright, lift the other leg forward, then put it down, alternately.

    ● Side leg raise: One leg upright, lift the other leg to the side, then put it down, alternately, strengthen the buttocks and outer thigh muscles.

    ● Back leg raise: One leg upright, lift the other leg backward, strengthen the buttocks and lower back strength.

8. Rowing

The rowing action in the water can fully exercise the upper body muscles and improve cardiopulmonary function.

    ● Double-arm rowing: imitate the rowing action, and both arms do it at the same time to strengthen the shoulders, arms and back.

    ● Single-arm rowing: rowing with one arm to improve the intensity and coordination of exercise.

    ● Alternating rowing: rowing with both arms alternately to further improve cardiopulmonary function and arm strength.

9. Jacks

The water jack is an efficient full-body exercise that can improve cardiopulmonary function and coordination of whole-body muscles.

    ● Basic jacks: stand in a posture, jump your legs apart, raise your arms to the top of your head, and then return to the starting position.

    ● Lateral jacks: jump your legs to the side, and stretch your arms to the sides at the same time to strengthen the side abdomen and arms.

    ● Front and back jacks: jump your legs forward and backward, and swing your arms forward and backward at the same time to improve cardiopulmonary function and whole-body coordination.

10. Jumping Tucks

Jumping tucks in water are a fun and effective cardiorespiratory exercise that can enhance leg and core strength.

    ● Basic jumping tucks: Stand, jump up with your legs, lift your knees as close to your chest as possible, and then return to the starting position.

    ● Cross jumping tucks: Jump up with your legs crossed, lift your knees as close to your chest as possible, and then return to the starting position to improve flexibility and coordination.

    ● Side jumping tucks: Jump up with your legs to the side, lift your knees as close to your chest as possible, and then return to the starting position to enhance the strength of your flanks and legs.

Conclusion

With its unique advantages and diverse exercise methods, water exercise has become a favorite fitness choice for more and more people. Whether it is swimming, walking on water, lunges, squats, etc., these movements can be effectively performed in a swimming spa to help you improve your overall physical fitness. Through reasonable arrangements and scientific training, you can not only enjoy the fun of fitness in the water, but also gain significant health benefits.

I hope that the 10 water exercises introduced in this article can provide a useful reference for your fitness plan, help you find a suitable exercise method in the water, and enjoy health and happiness.