Watercise! Tips for Working Out in the Pool

(source)

I pretty much love the water, especially in the summer. Bonus: I can get my work-out on in the pool!

Enter: Watercise! The swimming sensation that's sweeping the nation!

Just kidding. But with spectacles like Prancercise, it seemed a fitting title.

In all seriousness, there are many benefits of swimming, including lower impact on joints and increased muscle tone and strength due to the resistance of the water. For me, that translates into more bang for my buck with less pain. Bonus: I'm not hot and sweaty at the end of a work out. That makes the whole thing seem much more do-able.

Even more than the potential benefits, I actually enjoy swimming. In my opinion, this is the most important factor for establishing a consistent work-out routine.

I'll tell you what I mean.

Rewind a couple years. I signed up to run a 5k with some friends. I had a few months to prepare, so I faithfully got up in the mornings and jogged. I strictly adhered to a training schedule I found online (and a really easy one at that), but running/jogging just made me want to die. Seriously. I was always red-faced and out of breath. I didn't want to be embarrassed at my 5k, so I continued on. And on. And on. For three months.

Finally the day of my 5k arrived: I was a snail compared the rest of my team! Even after all that work!

So what did I do? I promptly stopped jogging. And I've never gone back. For a while I took long walks instead, but even that waned over time.

Now that it's summer, I've started swimming and water aerobics. Swimming is lovely. The water is both refreshing and relaxing. Basically, I love getting in the pool.

So what is my routine like? I usually start by walking a few laps. Yes, walking. This is more of a warm-up, but even walking in the pool can be more beneficial than walking around the block. Why? Water resistance. The resistance of the water helps to build and strengthen muscles. Which sounds wonderful to me.

I have a smallish above-ground pool, so I walk the circumference of it. I start by the ladder, walk once around clockwise, then when I get back to the ladder, I change directions. This keeps the water from forming a whirlpool that I can just coast on. Instead, I am working against the water, maximizing my work-out.

Next I do a few laps of whatever I feel like. I'm not really a swimmer in that I never learned how to swim. I just kind of flail my limbs until I get where I want to go. I probably look kind of goofy, like this guy:

(source)

But I don't let that bother me. I usually do about 10 laps of swimming regularly, then I switch to just swimming with my arms (keeping my legs straight behind me), then a few with just my legs (holding a kick board or some such). Maybe some backstroke thrown in there.

I also like to do some of the exercises in this Total Body Pool Workout. All you need is a beach ball. And, you know, a pool. My pool isn't deep enough for all of these exercises, but I do what I can. You can look up other exercises on the internets. I loves the internets!

I finish up by stretching. Not all stretches are convenient in the water, but here are some of my favorites:
 • Neck side stretches - Place your left hand on the top of your head and slowly tilt your head to the left. Apply gentle pressure with your hand to increase the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on your right side.
 • Calf stretch - Face the wall of the pool. Step back with your right foot, keeping your left toes next to the pool wall. You want your left leg bent and right leg straight. Make sure your right foot is flat on the pool floor. Keep your hands on the pool wall, and lean forward. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch to the left.
 • Shoulder stretch -  Bring your left arm across your body and hold it with your right arm, either above or below the elbow. Hold for about 30 seconds. Switch arms and repeat.

If you are considering moving your usual work-out to the pool, I suggest the following:

1. Stick with it, and don't get discouraged. Exercise only helps you if you do it! Of course, sometimes you will have setbacks. A few days ago I woke up to thunder and pouring rain. I was really looking forward to my pool time, but I had to postpone it. Sometimes life gets in the way, but do your best be consistent.

2. Remember something is better than nothing. Even if you just go out and swim a few laps, that's better than not doing anything at all.

(source)

3. Use sun protection. Again, my pool is outside, so I use plenty of sunscreen before heading out for a swim. If your hair gets sun-dry, try smoothing a little sunscreen through your hair. Works wonders. You can also put a little bit of conditioner on the ends if the chlorine tends to dry it out.

4. Buy some swimmer's ear drops. Without them, swimming would be just as miserable as running (for me).

5. Do whatever will make you more comfortable in the water. If you need a pool noodle or something else to hold on to, do so. If you like swim caps and goggles, wear them. I hear that some people like nose plugs and/or ear plugs.

6. Have fun! Maybe take a few underwater selfies while you're at it.

If swimming isn't your thing, try something else. But don't stick with any routine that makes the grim reaper seem like an attractive fella.