Beginners Water Workout

If there is not an option for a group class in your area but you do have access to a pool getting started with water aerobics is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

If you do have access to a portable, waterproof speaker, a little workout music helps you to motivate you and keep pace. You can also time your workout based upon your music choices. We recommend you start with 45 minutes in total.

Find a spot in the pool where your feet can be planted firmly on the ground and your shoulders are not completely submerged. While exercising take care to land on the soles of your feet. You may feel the urge to land on your toes but this can strain your calf muscles, so land with your feet as flat as you can. Maintain this throughout your routine. And don’t forget to bring a bottle of water. With any aerobic exercise you need to keep hydrated, even if you aren’t sweating.

  1. Warm up: Start with a slow jog in place. Make sure to pump your arms to get your heart rate up. Jog in place for 2-3 minutes. Take care to land on the soles of your feet. You may feel like landing on your toes but this can strain your calf muscles, so land with your feet as flat as you can. Maintain this throughout your routine. Next add some additional movements to warm up the rest of your muscles.
    • Twist and Pull: With knees bent, arms bent a your chest, legs shoulder distance apart, do the twist. Pulling the water with your arms in the opposite direction twist and pull on each side for a count of 20.
    • Jumping Jacks: Arms at your side, jump your feet apart while raising your arms at your sides. Repeat for 20.
    • Cross Country: Start with arms and legs together. Jump your feet apart in scissors in front and back, swinging your opposite arm back and forth, as you would if you were cross-country skiing. Repeat for 20
  2. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT may provide the same health benefits as regular exercise in less time by helping increase calorie burn and reduce body fat, heart rate, and blood pressure. It may even help improve blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity. The pool allows for HIIT training with minimal impact on joints and bones. So let’s get started…
    • Circuit 1: High knee jog with running arms – 30 Seconds
      Rest: Jumping Jacks palms up, palms down – 15 Seconds
      Toe touch in front. Bend knees outward and touch toes with opposite hand – 30 seconds
      Rest: Cross country skiing: Arms back and forth 15 seconds.
      Toe touch in back. Bed knees to the back and reach with opposite hand to try and touch toes – 30 seconds.
    • 1 minute slow jog (break time – grab water if you need it)
    • Circuit 2: Front hops: With feet flat on bottom of pool, hop forward and back. Lifting both knees to chest at the top of hop – 30 Seconds
      Rest: Twist and pull – 15 seconds
      Side hops: As with the front hops jump from side to side. Knees to chest – 30 seconds
      Rest: Twist and pull – 15 seconds
    • 1 minute slow jog (break time – grab water if you need it)
    • Circuit 3: Frog jumps: Start with feet apart arms in front. Jump your feet up toward groin, knees out and hands in center, like a frog. Up and down – 30 seconds
      Rest: Slow jog – 15 seconds
      45 angle kicks: Legs wide, lift knee up and kick leg up, reaching to touch toe with opposite hand. – 30 seconds
      Rest: Slow jog – 15 seconds
      Back kicks: Start with legs on bottom of pool. Swing bent leg back and kick from knee. Push hands back and forth in front – 30 seconds
    • 1 Minute (break time – grab water if you need it)
    • Final Circuit: High Knee Sprint: With hands in running position job in double time – 60 Seconds
      Slow jog – 15 seconds (break time – grab water if you need it)
      *Repeat circuit 2 – 3 times.
    • Cool Down – Water jog – 2 minutes, Water walk – 2 to 5 minutes depending on how long it takes to bring your heart rate down.
  3. Water Weights (Optional): These lightweight foam weights work with the resistance of the water as the weight. Inexpensive online a pair of water weights can add resistance training to your water workout. You may choose to continue a slow jog during these exercises, or keep feet planted on the bottom of the pool.
    • Push pull. Start with weights at shoulder level, under water. Push the weights out in front of you and back to your chest. Repeat 12 times.
    • Jack flies. With weights at side perform a jumping jack and bring weights up to the surface at the side as your legs jack out. Repeat 12 times.
    • Up/Downs: With elbows out, weights in front, slow jogging or feet still, push weights down in front and back up to chest. Repeat 12 times.
    • Oblique jog: With weights at your sides begin to jog slowly pulling weight up on the side of the bent knee and down at the side of the straight leg. Repeat 12 times. Speed it up for 12 repetitions
    • Front curl: Start with weights in front of you, palms up. Keeping elbows at your sides, curl your upper arms up and down slowly. Repeat 12 times.
  4. Abs with noodle or weights: For all of these exercises, float on your back with a noodle behind your shoulders, or water weights held out at your sides.
    • Crunches. Start with legs straight out in front of you crunch your knees in to your chest and back out straight. Repeat 12 times.
    • Corkscrew: Knees to your chest on one side push legs out in front while on your side, twist and repeat on other side. Repeat 12 times.
    • Floating jacks. Legs out in front, while floating, pull legs in and out in a jack motion. Repeat 12 times.
    • Long legged kicks. Start on your back, lower one leg down to bottom of pool while other leg stays floating, repeat on other side. Do 12 times on each leg.
  5. Stretch: Keep feet still on bottom of pool during most exercises. Time to cool down and stretch out.
    • Twist, side to side. Allow arms to float to top of pool. Slowly twist from the waist from side to side allowing arms to float and follow. Repeat 2x on each side.
    • Arm stretches. Slowly lift both arms to top of water. Inhale and lift one arm straight up, slowly bend elbow and touch hand to back. Use other hand to gently pull on the elbow to increase the stretch. Release hand, lift hand up and slowly to the side. Repeat on other side.
    • Leg stretch. Bending knee on one side, grab foot and stretch front of leg. Release foot and place the same foot on opposite knee, pushing the stretched leg out to the side, creating a 4 with your leg, for count of 10. Release and repeat on other side.
    • Lunge. Step back with one foot, flat on the pool, bending front leg into a lunge. Hold for 10. Repeat on other side.
    • Hip circles. Stand with feet shoulder width apart, arms on hips. Slowly rotate hips around in a circle one way for 3 times. Repeat on other side.
    • Deep breaths. With arms at sides inhale lifting arms up and out of water, gently lifting head up to the sky. Repeat 3 times.

Congratulations, you are doing something to increase your physical fitness and overall well-being! Water workouts are an excellent way to stay in shape at EVERY age! See you at the pool!