Typically, cross-training should include a combination of strength-training and aerobic exercises. According to research, resistance training helps individuals prevent injury, control body weight, and improve functional capacity.

 

Why exercise in water?

Like any regular exercise regimen, it’s a great stress reliever and releases a chemical to the brain that makes you feel good. Water exercises offer all the same benefits of land exercise but without the harsh impact on your joints. Here are 4 benefits of water workouts.

1. Water-Resistance:  In the course of a strength training building workout, a swim spa uses the water’s resistance to build strength and power while the water’s buoyancy provides more support for your muscles and joints.
2. Burn More Calories: With an intense water workout, you work harder using water resistance; therefore, burning more calories.
3. Low-Impact Exercise:  Because water workouts are low-impact and easy on the joints, you are only supporting about 90% of your body weight when standing in chest high water. Thus, reducing strain and stress off your joints and bones, which is less risky for those with chronic pain or recovering from an injury.
4. Overall Flexibility:  When exercising in a Swim Spa, the water lessens the effects of gravity allowing your joints to move more freely and a ffull range of motion, without causing unnecessary pressure on your joints.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few cross-training exercises you can do in a swim spa.

Lower Body Training

• Jog In-Place: Run in place while bringing your knees up as high as possible. For a little more difficulty, turn on the swim current to a low setting and jog against the water-current without being pushed backward.
• Backward Jog In-Place: Basically, this is the same as the above exercise but with your back to the jets. According to research, walking and jogging in reverse engages more muscles than going forward. Make sure you keep the current very low, slowly building up as needed.

Core Training

• Crunch: Start in a bicycle position, extend your legs straight out with your feet and knees together.  Pull your knees into your chest and return to the starting position. Repeat 10-20 times.
• Water Planks: Planks are great for building core strength. For the pool, you’ll need a noodle. Hold the noodle vertically in both hands while pressing it down in the water towards the floor. Lean forward until your body is on an incline, and your head remains above water. Hold this position as long as you can, approximately 1-2 minutes.

Upper Body Training

• Step Push-Ups:  Put your hands on the entry steps or the exercise bar and do push-ups. Try to go down as far as possible in the water without submerging your face. Because you are lighter in the water, these are much easier to do in a swim spa. Don’t go fast, take your time to get the most out of the exercise. Try to aim for 2-3 sets of 10-15 pushups.
• Triceps Push: With a set of dumbbells, hold them vertically at your chest. The top of the dumbbells should be touching your shoulders while your elbows are bent, and palms facing each other. Then slowly push the weights down towards your thighs and straightening arms without moving your upper arms. Once your upper arms are straight, bring the dumbbells back to the starting position.  You’ve now completed one rep. Try to aim for 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.

For those recovering from an injury or prone to running injuries, swimming is an excellent alternative. With a Michael Phelps Signature Swim Spa by Master Spas, you can incorporate cross-training into your daily life without adding more stress to your joints. Moreover, it increases your functional living which is critical as we age since our flexibility affects our overall enjoyment of life.