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The temperature is getting warmer, and it’s almost time to take a dip in the pool. Well, Drew Porter from The Sports Club/LA in Los Angeles offers alternative exercises that can be performed in the water to get you ready for the summer. 

Water Aerobics Tips

There are three important things to focus on when performing water exercises:  keeping shoulders submerged, straight arms and a tight core.  Each exercise below targets a specific muscle group in one motion and the antagonist on the opposite motion.  Each should be done for 30 seconds (back and forth as quickly and as hard as possible) followed by a leg or core exercise.

1. Multi-planar torso.  Water is an iso-tonic resistance, therefore the harder one pushes the more resistance is felt.  This exercise involves the chest, shoulders, and back.  It is a 3-part series that should be repeated four times with a leg exercise in between (described below).  The first part begins with both arms extended out in front (parallel to each other; sagittal plane) and ends with both arms behind the torso (parallel).  Repeat for 30 seconds.  The second part starts with arms stretched out to each side (T position; frontal plane) and ends with the arms crossing in front of the waist.  The third part starts with the arms in T position (transverse plane) and ends with the arms together in front (as if shooting).

2. Multi-planar biceps/triceps.  The exercise has three parts (similar to the previous exercise). First start with the arms at your side (upper arm in fixed position with palms facing forward) the exercise ends with the elbows at full bend (sagittal plane).  The second starts with the arms in the T-position (palms down) and ends with the hands under the armpit (scarecrow style - frontal plane).  The third begins with the arms in the T-position (palms forward) and ends with hands in front of the shoulder (arms are just below the surface of the water- transverse plane).

3. Multi-planar legs.  These need to be performed with explosive intent and maximal height reached on each jump.  The first plane (sagittal) involves jumping with both legs forward and back.  The second plane (transverse) involves jumping with both legs (or 1 and twisting 90 degrees, each jump to land in the opposite direction (you can lift your knees to involve more core and obliques).  Both of these can also be performed with one leg to increase the difficulty of the exercise.  The third is the most challenging.  It is in the frontal plane and begins with the feet together.  Jump with legs straight, then proceed to abduct legs (push them as far apart and then back together as time permits) and the exercise ends with the feet landing in the same position as they started.

4. Multi-planar walking.  The first plane of motion involves walking forward and backward as fast as possible (arms out of the water).  The second involves walking sideways (both directions) as quickly as possible.  The third is walking while turning 360 degrees (change directions each lap).

5. Multi-planar Core.  The first exercise begins with both arms outstretched in front (hands perpendicular to the bottom of the pool and on top of each to thumb).  The person then, with the arms static, moves their torso 90 degrees, back and forth, as fast as possible.  The second plane is to begin with treading water with the legs out stretched in front (as if in back float position) one then pulls the knees into chest, rotates back and ends with the legs behind (as if in front float position).  The final plane begins with a side float and ends on the other side (by pulling knees from left side and ends with legs on the right side).

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