Aquatic Fitness Exercises
Benefits
By leveraging your body’s decreased resistance to weight in the water, the Pool-Up Bar™ allows you to control the intensity of your swimming pool workout by simply adjusting the bar height. As you move the bar higher, and pull or push yourself further out of the water, you’ll increase your weight resistance and workout intensity. Plus, you’ll enjoy the benefits of cardiovascular fitness as you increase your heart rate through repetitions. From your biceps and triceps to your abdominals and thighs, the Pool-Up Bar provides a total body swimming pool workout. The following swimming pool workouts can be performed using the Pool-Up Bar™:
Pool Pull Up
Follow the instructions below when doing a pull up:
- While standing on the pool deck, set the bar height for the desired amount of resistance. The higher the bar, the more resistance is provided.
- Enter the pool and position yourself directly in front of and facing the Pool-Up bar aqua fitness system.
- Select a hand grip. Pull-ups are done using the overhand grip, meaning the palms of your hand are facing away from you with your thumbs toward each other. A wider grip on the bar focuses more on the outer back, while a narrower grip focuses more on the middle back area.
- Pull your chest up toward the bar by bending your arms. The motion should be smooth. Keep your hands at the same position on the bar.
- For beginners, pull your upper body out of the water so that your chin can reach over the bar. For a more difficult pool exercise, pull your body up so that your chest makes contact with the bar itself.
- Pause briefly and then lower yourself back into the water. Keep your torso straight and try not to rock back and forth.
- Pause once you’ve lowered yourself to the starting position, and then repeat the pool exercise.
Muscles Worked:
| Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|
| latissmus dorsi | trapezius biceps |
Pool Chin Up
Follow the instructions below when doing a chin-up:
- While standing on the pool deck, set the bar height for the desired amount of resistance. The higher the bar, the more resistance is provided.
- Enter the pool and position yourself directly in front of and facing the Pool-Up Bar aqua fitness system.
- Select a hand grip. Chin-ups are done using the underhand grip, meaning the palms of your hand are facing toward you with your thumbs pointed away from each other. Narrow your grip to focus more on strengthening and toning your biceps. Widen your grip to focus more on strengthening and toning your back.
- Lift your chest up toward the bar so that your chin can reach over the bar. The motion should be smooth. Keep your hands at the same position on the bar.
- Pause briefly and then lower yourself back into the water. Keep your torso straight and try not to rock back and forth.
- Pause once you’ve lowered yourself to the starting position, and then repeat the exercise.
Muscles Worked:
| Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|
| rectus abdominus | obliquus externus gluteus maximus |
Hanging Leg Lift
Follow the instructions below when doing a hanging leg or knee lift:
- While standing on the pool deck, set the bar height for the desired amount of resistance. The higher the bar, the more resistance is provided.
- Enter the pool and position yourself below the exercise bar facing away from the Pool-Up Bar aqua fitness system.
- Extend your arms above your head and grip the exercise bar using an overhand grip, meaning the palms of your hand are facing away from you with your thumbs pointed toward each other. Your hands should be approximately 2-4 inches farther apart than shoulder width.
- Hang fully extended from the exercise bar keeping your back straight and your body and legs perpendicular.
- Hanging Leg Lift: While keeping your legs together, slowly raise your knees and toes upward until your legs are horizontal to your upper torso so that your body forms an “L” shape. Do not swing or rock to create upward momentum. Use your abdominals to do the lifting in a slow, controlled manner.
Hanging Knee Lift: While keeping your legs together, slowly raise your knees upward until your knees reach your chest. Do not swing or rock to create upward momentum. Use your abdominals to do the lifting in a slow, controlled manner. - Pause briefly while flexing your abs and then lower your legs to the starting position.
- Pause once you’ve lowered yourself to the starting position, and then repeat the exercise.
Muscles Worked:
| Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|
| latissmus dorsi biceps | trapezius |
