Get Beach Fit: Poolside Fitness Routines with a Splash

Sunshine, cool water, and a chance to get your heart pumping – what's not to love about a poolside workout? But let's face it, swimming laps can get monotonous. This is where the magic of poolside fitness routines comes in. By incorporating fun and functional equipment like dumbbells, kickboards, pullbuoys, you can transform your pool into a total-body workout zone.

Benefits of a Poolside Workout:

• Low-impact: The water's buoyancy takes the stress off your joints, making it ideal for those with injuries or joint pain.
• Full-body conditioning: Swimming engages most major muscle groups, while the equipment adds targeted resistance.
• Cardio boost: Swimming is a fantastic way to elevate your heart rate and improve cardiovascular health.
• Variety and fun: Poolside workouts keep things interesting and can be a welcome change from the gym routine.

The Essential Poolside Equipment:

• Dumbbells: Opt for water dumbbells made of buoyant foam. These add resistance for upper body exercises without sinking.
• Kickboard: This classic tool isolates your lower body, allowing you to focus on strengthening your core and leg muscles.
• Pullbuoy: This foam wedge fits between your legs, forcing you to rely on your upper body for propulsion. It's a great way to improve your swim stroke technique and upper body strength.

 https://www.simplyswim.com/collections/resistance

Ready to Dive In? Here are 3 Poolside Fitness Routines:

Warm-Up (5 Minutes):

• Light jog or jumping jacks: Get your blood flowing with 2-3 minutes of light cardio around the pool.
• Arm circles: 10 forward and 10 backward circles with each arm to loosen up your shoulders.
• Dynamic stretches: Focus on torso twists, leg swings, and arm reaches to prepare your body for movement.

Routine 1: Cardio Blast (20 Minutes):

This high-intensity interval training (HIIT) routine alternates between swimming drills and water exercises to get your heart rate soaring.

• 200m Freestyle swim: Focus on proper form and breathing technique.
• 30 seconds dumbbell bicep curls: Hold dumbbells at your sides, palms facing up, and curl towards your shoulders. Repeat 10-12 times.
• 400m alternating freestyle and backstroke swim: Challenge yourself with different swimming styles.
• 30 seconds dumbbell shoulder press: Hold dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing outwards, and press straight up. Repeat 10-12 times.
• 200m kick with kickboard: Focus on a strong flutter kick from your hips.
• 30 seconds water squat jumps: Hold dumbbells at your chest and perform squat jumps in the shallow end. Repeat 10-12 times.
• Repeat this circuit 2-3 times, resting for 30 seconds between exercises.

https://www.simplyswim.com/collections/kick-boards

Routine 2: Strength & Tone (25 Minutes):

This routine incorporates dumbbells and bodyweight exercises to build muscle strength and definition.

• 4 x 50m freestyle swim: Focus on powerful strokes and good form.
• 10 x dumbbell lunges per leg: Hold dumbbells at your side and lunge forward, keeping your front knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Repeat on the other leg.
• 3 x 10 pull-ups (using pool edge): Grip the edge of the pool and perform bodyweight pull-ups, engaging your back and core muscles.
• 3 x 15 tricep dips (using pool edge): Grip the edge of the pool with your hands behind you and lower yourself down, bending your elbows at a 90-degree angle. Push back up to starting position.
• 3 x 20 leg raises: Hold onto the pool edge and lift your legs straight up and down, engaging your core.
• Rest for 1 minute between sets and repeat the circuit 2-3 times.

https://www.simplyswim.com/collections/pull-buoys

Routine 3: Core & Technique (20 Minutes):

This routine uses the pullbuoy and focuses on drills to improve your swimming technique and core strength.

• 4 x 100m freestyle swim with pullbuoy: Focus on pulling with your arms and engaging your core for propulsion.
• 3 x 1 minute flutter kick drill: Hold a pullbuoy behind your thighs and focus on a strong, rhythmic flutter kick from your hips.
• 3 x 30 seconds single-arm freestyle drill: Use the pullbuoy between your legs and swim freestyle with one arm at a time, focusing on proper body rotation and core engagement.