20 Pool Exercises For Your Full Body Workout

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Pool exercises are a fun and great way to get a complete body workout. The water resistance generally forces your muscles to be more involved while being gentle to your joints.

If you're aiming to build strength or flexibility, a pool workout can be part of your fitness regimen. Let's discover 20 water exercises that can help you enhance your exercise routine along with understanding the benefits of water-based workouts.


1. Water Walking

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Water walking is a very efficient and easy exercise that involves the whole body. It strengthens the arms, legs, and core since water walking makes the muscles contract more than land walking.

Due to its little impact, it is ideal for those recovering from injuries or people with joint problems.

Steps To Do It:

  • Stand in the water to your waist with your back straight.
  • Begin walking forward with a natural speed and arm swing.
  • Engage your muscles to push against the water as you take each step.
  • Also, step backward without losing any of your speed.
  • Do this for five to ten minutes and switch directions.

2. Pool Planks

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One of the superb swimming pool exercises is planks, which are great for activating your core and other muscles simultaneously. Because of the natural resistance of the water, you will be able to perform an intense workout and build up your shoulders, back, and abs.

Adding pool planks to your routine will improve overall body strength, balance, and posture.

Steps To Do It:

  • Start by standing in the pool's shallow end to your chest depth.
  • Allow your hands to come up and rest on the edge of the pool. You can also use the noodle for that.
  • Walk your feet so that your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
  • Hold the position for about twenty to thirty seconds while engaging the core.
  • Walk your feet slowly back toward the beginning position.

3. Aqua Jogging

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They are a low-impact yet highly effective full-body workout that involves resistance training. By improving endurance, your muscles will work harder to support your arms, legs, and core.

This exercise is appropriate for people of all fitness levels who wish to enhance their cardiovascular health without putting excessive pressure on the joints.

Steps To Do It:

  • Go completely deep in the water or maintain up to your chest level.
  • Keep your posture straight, with your core engaged.
  • Start jogging by merely doing high knee lifts and arm swings as if you were running on land.
  • Maintain your speed at a constant rate.
  • Do this for around 10-20 minutes.

4. Water Squats

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If your lower back is hurting, water squats are one of the best ways to work the core and develop the lower body. They are also a great workout for pool that helps gain muscles and improve balance by targeting areas of the calf, thighs, and glutes.

Squats carried out in the pool provide yet another form of challenge as they enhance the dynamic nature of each movement.

Steps To Do It:

  • Step into the end of the pool and position your feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Bend your knees, lowering your hips as if you were setting yourself down in a chair.
  • Hinge down, keeping your back straight and your chest up.
  • Press through your heels to return to the start position.
  • Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

5. Aqua Arm Circles

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This swimming fitness workout can help you develop and improve the power of your upper body muscles. The movement involves all the muscles in your arms, shoulders, and upper back that give you an engaging full-body workout.

Water arm circles are an excellent addition to any schedule for full-body exercise because they promote joint mobility and muscle activation.

Steps To Do It:

  • Start by standing in the water at shoulder level.
  • Extend your arms straight out to the sides.
  • Slowly move in one direction while making small circles with your arms.
  • Then, switch the direction of the circles.
  • Continue the action 15 to 20 times by maintaining control of movements.

6. Pool Edge Push Up

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This exercise in the swimming pool works on your arms and upper body by fully engaging you with the water. It is great for all water training routines that enhance the triceps, shoulders, and chest muscles.

You can easily change the angle of the body to make the workout either harder or lighter, which makes it effective and agile for a variety of fitness levels.

Steps To Do It:

  • Position yourself on the edge of the pool.
  • Allow your hands to the pool edge, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  • Adjust your feet so that your body is aligned from head to heels in a straight line.
  • Lower your chest towards the edge of the pool by barely bending your elbows.
  • Push your body back by extending your arms.

7. Flutter Kicks

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One of the best full-body water fitness workouts that work a number of muscle groups, flutter kicks feature continuous leg action. These strengthen the legs, hips, and abdominal muscles and at the same time, improve the cardiovascular muscles.

Take advantage of this workout in a pool by increasing your endurance and maintaining a steady rhythm.

Steps To Do It:

  • Hold onto the side of the pool with both hands.
  • Stabilize your body and extend the legs behind you.
  • Continue to flutter your legs up and down at a steady pace
  • During the exercise, hold the legs straight and close together.
  • Do flutter kicks at least 30 to 40 times.

8. Water Jumping Jacks

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This water fitness workout utilizes water resistance to develop power and efficiency with every move. Include this in your fitness program for a refreshing full-body workout to build strength and persistence.

It is quite an enjoyable and engaging way to enhance your level of fitness.

Steps To Do It:

  • Start in the shallow end of the pool by standing with your feet together.
  • Jump up by extending your legs and raising your arms over your head.
  • Also, jump back to the initial position, bringing your feet together with your arms at your sides.
  • Keep your movements controlled and steady.
  • Continue for 10 to 15 times.

9. Pool Lunges

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It is among the most suitable workout in pool for developing strength and stability in the lower part of the body. This exercise works your glutes and legs with less stress on your joints, thus providing a great workout option.

This perfect workout in the pool is a great addition to your exercise routine because it helps to regain balance and coordination.

Steps To Do It:

  • Step into the pool and position your feet hip-width apart.
  • Lower the body down into a lunge position by taking a step forward with one foot and bending both knees.
  • Keep the rear leg extended and your front knee over your ankle.
  • Push through your front heel to return to the starting position.
  • Repeat with opposite legs.

10. Water Bicycle Legs

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Water bicycle legs are the most entertaining and efficient way to work your lower body in water. Adding this move to your practice will heighten your general physical fitness and make you enjoy the refreshing feel of a workout in water.

It will target the legs, hips, and glutes as you perform cycling motion within the water.

Steps To Do It:

  • Stand with your feet shoulder apart in the pool. The water should be at your neck or waist level.
  • Lift one knee upwards in a pedaling bicycle motion.
  • Extend the lifted leg forward, then back in a pedaling motion.
  • Switch legs to continue the pedaling.
  • Continue to switch your legs for desired repetitions.

11. Leg Lifts

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The water leg lift is a great method of enhancing your lower body. This exercise contributes to overall muscular stability and balance since your leg muscles are involved uniquely.

Lifting your legs would serve as an effective way of addressing your legs and hips, incorporating endurance and flexibility as well. Add these into your routine for a refreshing change of pace and noticeable results.

Steps To Do It:

  • Stand in the pool with the water level to your waist.
  • Balance yourself on the side of the pool or grab onto it.
  • Lift your right leg forward while keeping it straight.
  • Hold for several seconds.
  • Return your leg to the starting position and continue on the opposite leg.

12. Scissor Kicks

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They are one of the best swimming workouts, which are quite fun and effective. Scissor kicks target the core and lower body parts. This scissor-like motion with the legs can be very useful in improving muscular stamina and overall strength within your body.

It is suitable for an intensive full-body workout because it is challenging and focuses on several groups of muscles simultaneously.

Steps To Do It:

  • Situate your legs slightly apart, floating on your back in the pool.
  • Keeping one leg lower, lift one leg to the surface.
  • Switch the legs in a scissors-like motion by bringing the first leg down as the second leg rises.
  • Now, continue the same process with another leg.
  • Repeat for 20 to 30 times.

13. Water Chest Flys

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Water chest flies might be your new best companion in the world of swimming pool workouts because they are a great way to function the upper body while regaining the health benefits of water. This exercise focuses on the shoulders and chest for firming, enabling them to be strong.

You can progress this exercise and make it more intense in the pool, as the water creates a current that offers more resistance and support to the body.

Steps To Do It:

  • Stand or sit with your feet in the pool.
  • Extend the arms straight out to your sides at shoulder level. For extra stretches, you can also use dumbbells in your hands.
  • Slowly bring your arms together in front of your body.
  • Lower your arms back to the initial position in control.

14. Water Torso Twists

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Particularly useful for twisting the upper body, this workout strengthens core muscles and improves the balance of the back. Regularly including this energetic exercise will help to promote your overall well-being.

It is also useful for those looking to boost their water-based workout habit.

Steps To Do It:

  • With feet and shoulders extended, stand in the pool.
  • Extend the arms in front of you or the other side.
  • Engage the core and twist the torso to the left.
  • Twist back to the middle, then over to the right.
  • Then, resume the alternate twists 20 to 25 times.

15. Tricep Extension

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If you feel pain in the triceps, then this workout ranks among the best ways to shape your upper arm and relieve the discomfort. These exercises for pool give good definition to your muscles and tone up the arms.

Steps To Do It:

  • Simply stand on the pool.
  • Hold onto the side of the pool with both hands for balance if needed.
  • Keep one arm extended behind you and close to your body.
  • Drop your arm down and then raise it.
  • Switch arms after completing 12-15 repetitions.

16. Knee Kicks

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Knee kicks improve your workout's level of intensity and offer a good cardiovascular challenge. The motion in water can help improve the body's general conditioning and increase coordination and endurance.

With the knee kick, you can easily rely on it for a dynamic and full-body workout.

Steps To Do It:

  • Rest your head on your hands or hold onto the side of the wall.
  • Pull your legs in and point your knees to the side.
  • Kick your legs straight out to either side in a diagonal motion.
  • After that, bring your legs to the center.
  • Repeat the action for 20 to 25 times.

17. One Leg Balance

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One of the best exercises for stability is one-leg balancing. During these exercises, your muscles will work on balance and control, which aids in raising general resilience and body awareness.

Similarly, you can add variety to the activity by raising your arms higher or closing your eyes. You can easily practice them at home and strengthen your upper-body muscles.

Steps To Do It:

  • Stand with your feet on the pool.
  • Shift all the weight onto one leg by raising it.
  • Put the other leg either completely straight or only slightly bent.
  • Stay in that position for some time by balancing.
  • Also, perform the same process with the other leg.

18. Wall Supine Crunch

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They are a great core workout that you can do in the pool with a noodle. You will be able to float and crunch with an engaged core by using a noodle for support.

This exercise is great for taking advantage of the buoyancy and support of the water with improved stability and endurance.

Steps To Do It:

  • Sit on the edge of the pool with your legs straight out in front of you.
  • Place a pool noodle under your lower back to support your body.
  • Lean back toward the noodle by placing the legs on the wall.
  • Crunch your core while bringing the chest up toward your knee.
  • Lower the legs back down to the beginning position.

19. Regular Swimming

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Don't forget to skip regular swimming because it also provides a proper full-body workout. It strengthens the overall body by activating all the muscles in the body.

By adding standard swimming into your regular regimen, you will improve your physical health and levels of fitness. Indeed, it is one good productive method of exercise that helps in keeping up with a healthy lifestyle.

Steps To Do It:

  • Enter the pool and begin at the poolside.
  • Step off the floor or wall forward to start.
  • Use a flutter kick while extending your arms in front of you.
  • Alternate arms by pulling one back while the other moves forward.
  • Continue in the pattern to maintain momentum and cover distance.

20. Side To Side Crunch

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One of the more fun ways to build up your core and add variety to your water workout is through side-to-side crunches. Hang onto a noodle for support and stability, allowing controlled side twists and bends.

This exercise activates the oblique muscles and improves core stability and abdominal strength.

Steps To Do It:

  • Lie on the pool with the noodle horizontal beneath the lower back.
  • Hold onto the noodle with both hands in order to stabilize.
  • Lift the legs and twist slowly to one side, bringing the elbow to the opposite knee.
  • Repeat this process from left to right for 10 to 15 times.

Safety Tips For Pool Workouts

Safety is essential in carrying out pool activities to avoid accidents. Follow these important tips to stay safe and get the most out of water exercise:

  • Firstly, do proper warm-ups to eliminate the risk of injury. Light warm-ups may also loosen up those muscles and joints.
  • Use appropriate equipment to avoid casualties. Weights or noodles used for the activity must be in good condition and fit for the exercise.
  • Hydrate yourself because it will minimize the risk of cramps and maximize the benefits.
  • Always watch out for slippery pool edges and other obstacles.
  • If it is possible, work out with someone or let someone know about your exercise routines.
  • Try to do these workouts lightly at first and progressively increase the intensity without overworking the body.

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