Regardless of what your fitness goals are this year, swimming is a great way to improve your overall health and wellbeing. If you own a swimming pool, you have everything you need right at your backdoor step to get you started. Here are some ways you can get in shape using your pool.
Why swim?
Swimming is an all-inclusive activity that can be done by anyone and at any age. It’s gentle on the body which allows people with limited mobility or injuries to exercise with minimal strain on the joints and bones. Swimming is a full-body workout that burns twice the number of calories as running or cycling for the same amount of time. It improves strength and stamina, not only that, but the water also cools you down as you go. What more could you want?
Why a swimming pool?
Having a pool of your own in the backyard gives you flexibility that cannot be matched by the beach or a public swimming pool. Beach conditions can be unsuitable for swimming at times and relying on a public swimming pool for your fitness means you can only work out when they are open. If you have to go into a mandatory lockdown, you can forget leaving your home which puts your lifestyle and fitness goals on hold indefinitely. A swimming pool is a source of entertainment and can be used for both health and relaxation, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Here are some popular water exercises
Laps
The good old classic – laps! You can’t beat them if you want a cardio-vascular session that’s sure to get the heart pumping. Swimming laps work the entire body and promotes lean muscle growth everywhere, not just in an isolated area like a lot of land-based exercises are notorious for. If you are just starting out, it’s best to get your technique right first to get the most from your workouts. You can take professional swimming lessons or if you don’t want to pay for lessons, there are tonnes of free swimming videos online that can help. Try to focus on learning one swimming technique at a time to avoid confusion. Set yourself small regular goals and build on them as you go, remember practice makes perfect. So do you know Everything you need to know about lap pools?
Water Aerobics
The great thing about water aerobics is that there are so many different forms, so you can find one that you like and can change it up often to keep it interesting. You can work at a pace that suits and having a pool in the backyard allows you to do it in the comfort and privacy of your own home. If you don’t know any water aerobic routines, you can simply select one online and play it through a portable speaker that’s connected by Bluetooth. If you have a waterproof speaker, even better, if not they are relatively cheap to purchase and are worthwhile as you don’t have to worry about them getting damaged.
Swim jets
The modern-day swimming pool has all the inclusions you can think of and one of them is swim jets. Swim jets are flush mounted into one end of the pool and propel a continuous one way current of water that is used to swim or do exercises against. They are a great choice for people who don’t have enough room in the backyard for a large pool and are unable to physically swim laps. Usually, three jets are installed, two at shoulder level with the other sitting upwards towards the chest.
The strength of the current can be adjusted to suit the swimmer’s ability, this also comes in handy for warming up and cooling down. They are not only great for working out but can be used for therapeutic and relaxation purposes. After your exercises, you can sit back and relax by the jets while they massage your tired and achy muscles. This can help you maintain optimal performance throughout your workouts without sore muscles holding you back.
Bungee Straps
If installing swim jets is out of the question due to costs, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on working on your swimming fitness in the pool. Bungee straps are a cheap alternative that can give you a similar effect. There are a couple of different varieties, but generally, one end of the bungee rope is attached to you and the other to a solid object outside of the pool. Their main objective is to keep pulling you back as you swim.
What equipment do I need?
If you’re just beginning your fitness journey, you don’t need anything except for some swimmers, a towel, and a pair of googles. Once you have built up your endurance, you may want to include some equipment to make your workouts more challenging. Here are some popular choices:
Foam dumbbells
Foam dumbbells are great for toning and sculpting the muscles. They are light when dry and become heavy when submerged in water.
Hand paddles
Hand paddles can help you move through the water faster and improve your technique. The paddles should be slightly bigger than your hands to begin with and you can increase the size as you improve.
Wrist and ankle weights
You can add wrist and ankles weights to virtually all of your water workouts. They increase resistance when moving your arms and legs through the water.
Kickboard
Using a kickboard is an effective way to improve your swimming technique. They help to keep you afloat while giving you a killer calf, thigh, glutes, and core workout.
Buoyancy belt
Buoyancy belts are wrapped around the waist and help to keep you balanced and floating in the water while completing your exercises.
Ready to put your new year’s resolution into action?
Having a swimming pool in the backyard means you can work on your goals anytime, right from the convenience of your home. No waiting for the gym to open or driving to and from classes, just you and your own private oasis. There’s no better time than 2021 to focus on you and the best version of yourself. Considering a pool for your place? Get in contact with our helpful team here at Barrier Reef Pools for more information.