Workouts and Pools

This week, I want to focus on things that you can do to improve your health while in a pool. While we know that not everyone has access to a pool, they really are invaluable in regards to the health benefits that they provide us with. This means that you can say that your doctor told you to get a pool. That’s how insurance works, right? Well, even though it isn’t, it certainly is a good justification to your spouse!
One of the great things about getting into a pool is no matter what your swimming skill level is, you can almost certainly walk around. If nothing else, simply walking in water will help to build up some of your muscles due to the resistance the water provides while still managing to be low impact for the same reason. Even if you are only in the water up to your waist, you are still feeling those benefits. In waist deep water, you are only carrying around about half of your weight while building up those awesome legs of yours. So keep walking!
One of the things I like to do in a pool is what my friends refer to as my “water ballet”. This means I stand in the pool or hold onto the edge and stretch my legs out to the side and behind me. Sometimes I crouch down and do this again. It is much easier to do in a pool than on dry land, so I am able to feel like I’m actually accomplishing something. Even just holding onto the side of a pool and kicking your legs out behind you can be a great workout, so try doing that if you aren’t too confident in your swimming ability.
Another thing that you can do in the water is toss a ball back and forth. While this seems odd, it helps to work out your arms while you are quickly moving back and forth through the water to make sure that you catch the ball. This helps to work out both halves of your body at the same time without you having to swim. They even make balls specifically made for use in a pool, so you can have a great deal of fun with the water-filled sphere that is coming toward you. Whatever you decide, come into Wirth Chiropractic in ,Greenville NC, and see how much better it can feel!