Exercise Challenge - Splish Splash!
By Rita Sextro, MS, PT
With summertime temperatures reaching well into the 90s, exercising outdoors might not be an attractive or safe option. Time to kick off those flip flops and jump into the pool! Swimming can be a great way to keep cool while you burn calories exercising.
There are two great benefits to pool exercise:
The buoyancy of the water supports and unloads joints that would otherwise be compressed and stressed during land exercise making the pool ideal for those with arthritis, who are overweight or who are just beginning cardiorespiratory exercise
The calorie-burning benefit of swimming is higher than walking briskly, weightlifting or shoveling snow! Compare the number of calories burned in one hour of swimming compared to one hour of other activities:
|
Activity (1 hour) |
130 lbs. |
155 lbs. |
190 lbs. |
|
Running, 6 mph (10 min mile) |
590 |
704 |
863 |
|
Running, stairs, up |
885 |
1056 |
1294 |
|
Scrubbing floors, on hands and knees |
325 |
387 |
474 |
|
Shoveling snow, by hand |
354 |
422 |
518 |
|
Sweeping garage, sidewalk |
236 |
281 |
345 |
|
Swimming laps, freestyle, fast, vigorous effort |
590 |
704 |
863 |
|
Swimming laps, freestyle, light/moderate effort |
472 |
563 |
690 |
|
Swimming, backstroke, general |
472 |
563 |
690 |
|
Swimming, breaststroke, general |
590 |
704 |
863 |
|
Swimming, butterfly, general |
649 |
774 |
949 |
|
Swimming, treading water, fast/vigorous |
590 |
704 |
863 |
|
Swimming, treading water, moderate effort |
236 |
281 |
345 |
|
Walking, 3.0 mph, mod. pace, walking dog |
207 |
246 |
302 |
|
Walking, 3.5 mph, uphill |
354 |
422 |
518 |
|
Walking, 4.0 mph, very brisk pace |
236 |
281 |
345 |
|
Weight lifting or body building, vigorous effort |
354 |
422 |
518 |
|
Weight lifting, light or moderate effort |
177 |
211 |
259 |
Your Challenge: Spend 30 minutes of your pool time exercising. If you're not a traditional stroke swimmer, be creative and get those muscles moving with some of these fun activities. Perform each for 30 seconds or until fatigued, and combine them with your favorite strokes.
Run
My college soccer coach required us to water-run in the indoor pool as part of winter training -- what a workout that was!
Knee Extensions
Sit poolside with your feet in the water, and straighten and bend your knees quickly against the water's resistance
Leg Lifts
Stand in the deeper water, and kick your leg forward and back with your knee straight; this works on your hip flexors and gluteal muscles
Tread Water
Tread water in the deepest end of the pool for one minute; rest and repeat 5-10 times
Water Angel
With your back to the wall, support your upper body so that your legs are free floating, then move your legs apart and together while keeping your knees straight (like the bottom half of a snow angel)
Otter Roll
Hug a beach ball to your chest while floating on your back, your legs extended and feet together; roll to your left and over the top of the ball; use your entire body to complete the turn underwater, then alternate the direction of your roll
Pullouts
Face the pool's gutter and place your hands shoulder-width apart on the deck above you; pull your body straight out of the water, keeping your elbows high; when your arms are extended and your upper body is perpendicular to the deck (which should now be at waist-level), lower yourself back down into the water with a controlled motion (Depending on your strength and comfort level in the water, you might want to start this exercise in shallow water and graduate to deeper water)
Walk Fast
Don't have access to a swimming pool? Jump in your kids' backyard pool and walk fast, making a whirlpool; squeeze those gluts and abs with every step
