Exercises to Beat the Heat

There’s no doubting it’s hot in July in Little Rock, but you may still want to exercise outdoors. Here’s how you can you do it and stay cool at the same time.

In this article, we look at exercise to beat the heat. Do them right in or beside your pool to stay cool while doing them!

Why the Pool to Beat the Heat?

First, exercising in the pool is great for people of all ages and fitness types. What’s more, when you exercise in the pool, you can help keep your body temperature lower. This means you don’t usually get as hot.

If you’re exercising by the water, you can always jump for a minute or splash yourself with some water to help keep your body cool.

Second, when you exercise in the water, you benefit from the buoyancy of the water. This helps limit the impact on your muscles and joints so your body doesn’t hurt as much, and you have less risk of injury.

Third, the pool water acts as natural resistance which helps you get stronger and build endurance. Whether you’re swimming laps, lifting pool weight, using pool noodles, treading water, jogging in the water, or doing water aerobics, you’ll find that you work harder moving your body through the water.

Exercising in the swimming pool is a low impact activity that can leave you feeling great. You can work out as vigorously (or as gently) as you’d like in the pool while beating the heat at the same time.

Exercises for the Pool

Now let’s look at some exercises you can do in and around the pool.

Swim laps: this is great exercise for swimmers or any age.
Yoga: you can do yoga in the pool or right beside it. This is a great way to stretch and lengthen your muscles.
Walk in the water: this is a good exercise especially for beginners. Walking in the pool works your arms, legs, and core. If you want, you can add water weights on your hands or ankles to increase the intensity. When you’re ready, move to jogging in the water.
Front arm lifts: Use foam water dumbbells for this exercise, or you can even use waterproof weights. Stand in water that’s up to your shoulders, hold dumbbells at your side, with your palms facing up. Keep your elbows close to your body and slowly lift your forearms to the top of the water. Rotate your wrists and turn your palms face down. Lower back to starting position. Do several sets of 10-15 repetitions.
Side arm lifts: Position yourself like the above exercise but instead lift your arms straight out to your side and back down.
Jumping jacks: these work your whole body, but in the pool, they are easier on your joints. Water should be about chest level and do several sets of repetitions.
Leg extensions: strengthen your core and lower body with these and add ankle weights to make it more difficult. Stand in waist high water. Lift your right leg, bend your knee, hold it for a few seconds, extend it out in front of you, hold it for few second, and slowly lower it down. Repeat on both legs for five to 10 minutes each.
Leg kicks: Grab a kick board or float or hold onto the pool ledge. Flutter kick your legs, scissor kick your legs, and do the breaststroke kick. Do each kick for several minutes and repeat.
Water lunges: do these as you would on land, remembering to keep your knee in front of your toes when bending. Do front, back, and side lunges while holding onto the wall.
Pool planks: Grab a pool noodle and hold it with both hands shoulder width apart parallel to the pool floor. Keep your toes on the floor, straighten your elbows, lean forward and submerge the pool noodle in the water. You are now in a plank position. You want your body straight and diagonal with the pool floor. Hold up to 60 seconds and repeat.