If you are wanting to start getting healthy and need a way of exercising that is both simple and painless, try looking into pool exercises. To perform these work outs, you will first need a pool. If you do not have one then visit one of two of The Pool Store’s locations in Valdosta and Thomasville for all of your pool needs.

Exercises done in the water are also known as aquatics or water aerobics. Just about anyone can practice them; a bonus is that it involves all the components of a great workout. Aquatics works out your heart, muscular strength, stamina, and flexibility. The swimming pool is the perfect place for people with arthritis or severe back problems to work out. This is due to water reducing a person’s weight by around 90 percent, lessening the stress on bones or muscles, which makes it highly uncommon for injuries or soreness to occur.

Engaging in water aerobics burns calories like you would not believe. To get a good example of this, a person who weighs 155 pounds can burn around 300 calories in one hour while doing a basic water aerobics routine. If you up the ante and move down to deeper waters, you can burn a staggering 11 calories a minute. That is 660 calories in just one hour! Water exercises are ideal for your heart health too. According to the American Council on Exercise, your heart rate is reduced by as much as 17 beats per minute when performing water aerobics as opposed to on-land work outs. This effectively will increase your cardiovascular health.

It is important to know that water aerobics is not just swimming. There are many different exercises involved.
Leg Lifts

Standing in shoulder-deep water, hold onto the edge of the pool and extend your right leg straight out to the side as far up as you can bring it while keeping your hips straight toward the pool wall. Eight to ten reps should suffice. Now repeat with your left leg.
Lateral Rises

Standing in shoulder-deep water, have your arms straight down by your sides. Slowly extend both arms out all the way up level with the water. Pause. Repeat.
Water Squats

Stand in the water with your feet hip-width apart, then bend your knees just a tad as you push your hips back (just as if you are sitting down in a chair). Remember to keep your knees behind your toes and keep your feet planted well enough on the ground.
Water Roman Chair

This one involves being in deeper water, and you will need a tube or two kickboards. Floating on your tube or kickboards under your arms, place your feet together and bend your knees up to waist-level, pause for a second, and return. You want to repeat this eight to 10 times.
Water Jogging

This can be achieved by using a floatation device that does not allow your feet to touch the ground. With the floatation device ready, run in place while making sure your feet never touch the ground. This workout will be performed best in deep water. If you would rather have your feet touch the ground, then try running one to two laps around the shallow end. Rest for one minute and repeat five to seven times while interchanging it with swimming laps.

If you are interested in trying out water aerobics, find a local class. Classes usually range from 45 to 55 minutes per workout. You may also do some research on water aerobics to find out how to perform the routine and then try it on your own or with a group of friends, eventually leading to having your own water aerobics class. First, visit The Pool Store located at 3363 North Valdosta Rd in Valdosta or at 1616 Smith Avenue in Thomasville. They will meet all of your in-ground or above-ground pool needs plus so much more including spas, grills, play-sets, pool cleaning, and pool maintenance. You can call them today at (229) 247-6440 (Valdosta) or (229) 227-1194 (Thomasville).

Written by: Cody Harris