Ultimate Water Workout

It may not be board short season, but now is the time to hit the pool. Make a splash with a muscle-sculpting, calorie-burning cardio and strength regime that’ll help you get in your best shape ever.

Wanting the perfect body has never been easier. Just add water!

Between senior citizens doing the sidestroke, ladies aquacising in skirted swimsuits and toddlers bobbing in floaties, the pool might not seem like the must-hit exercise spot for fitness-minded men. But a smart water workout – not simply slogging through laps – holds the key to sculpting your best body ever. “Water is about 800 times denser than air, so it provides about 12 times more resistance,” says fitness instructor Erwin R Gonzalez.

“That means the moves you do in the pool can work your entire body, particularly your arms, legs, shoulders and core.” By performing a mix of cardio and strength moves in the water, you burn calories while building lean muscle, which accelerates your metabolism. “Plus,” adds Gonzalez, “you get the same endorphin rush as you do running or spinning.”

There’s one thing, however, that a pool- based workout will not give you: muscle soreness and injury. “Exercising in the pool is a great complement to dry-land exercises like running because there’s virtually no impact on your joints,” says exercise physiologist Jonathan Cane. And it can help ease the tension we all get from hunching over a desk all day, explains Gonzalez: “The benefits of water workouts for gaining flexibility, balance and muscle symmetry cannot be overestimated.” You’ll also bust your exercise boredom. “People quickly get tired of the same old gym workouts,” says Gonzalez, who designed this plan. “Getting in the water can re-energise you and bring back that resolve.”

Before we begin, here are a few tidbits to help with prepare for your workout.

Where To Do It

• Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre, Sydney A state-of-the-art facility with three heated pools. itac.org.au
  
• Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre Boasts a range of specialised aqua exercise kit. msac.com.au
  
• Challenge Stadium, Perth Six pools and a range of fitness classes. venueswest. wa.gov.au
  

Three Ways to Maximise Your Water Workout

1. Short Shift

The longer the swim shorts, the harder the workout, because it creates more drag. One more reason to skip the banana hammock.

2. Don't Be Shallow

The workout will deliver better benefits the deeper you go because there will be more water resistance.

3. Stay Tuned In

Can’t manage a workout without music? A waterproof MP3 player will keep you plugged in to your favourite songs.

Launch the gallery to read about and view more of the ultimate water workout.