Exercise Without Breaking A Sweat!

Hello my lovelies!!
Today I am sharing some great ways you can exercise and burn lots of calories without even breaking a sweat!
With Summer here, being at the gym has not been fun.
Who wants to go work out real hard, break a sweat, then head out into the heat to sweat some more?
Ummm, hello.. not me!
Alas I have been a good girl, rocking my weight loss journey and sticking to the gym like a trooper!
*applause please*
HOWEVER, a couple days of the week I have been getting my work-out on, in the pool!
Not only is swimming enjoyable but it is also a good work out.
 Water is a great fitness tool, it provides resistance, which strengthens muscles and boosts cardio intensity. And because it supports your weight, it makes workouts easier on joints and reduces injury.
Plus its good to switch up your workout routine,
because when muscles get used to a routine they dont work as hard!
  
So, lets look at some other facts/benefits there are to swimming:

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Now I am no fitness expert or anything but this is what I do for my pool exercises!
Some things I have found online (and will link to) other things I just incorporated from my regular "on land" workout, because they seemed to still give me get that workout burn in the water.

So, before you get your work-out on, be sure to just swim around gently for 5-10 minutes.
Get used to the water temperature and get your muscles warmed up and ready.

Ok so first here is one that I came up with, inspired by one of the ab workouts I do.

 Pool Flutter Kicks
If you are not familiar with regular flutter kicks, see the photo below.

• Start at one end of the pool
• Lay on your back in the water
• Floating with your head above the water, pointing to the opposite end of the pool.
• Keep hands to side or holding on to your tush
• Start "flutter kicking" until you reach the other end of the pool.

Be sure not to let your lay your head back,
keeping your head up and above the water helps keep your abs tight.
Because of that and the resistance of the water on your legs, you should feel the burn in your abs and thighs.

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I usually alternate pool flutter kicks with another exercise I dont really have a name for.
So I will do flutter kicks all the way across the pool, and then I switch over to swim back on my stomach.
When I swim back on my stomach I try to keep my body as straight & flat as possible,
also keeping my head above the water, and ONLY use my hands/arms to swim!
That way I am working my abs and legs on one trip, then my abs and arms on the next.


Wave Maker

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• Hold on to edge of pool deck with left hand and place right palm, fingers pointing down, against wall just below water line for stability.
• Extend legs behind you at water level with both feet and knees together.
• Kick like a dolphin, causing a “wave”.
• Squeeze abs to stabilize your stomach and hips while kicking.
• Kick as hard and as fast as you can for 30 seconds – 1 minute.
•  If you can't make waves for a full 30 seconds, don't stop! Separate your legs and do flutter kicks.

Waist Trimmer

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• With your back against the pool, place arms along the edge for support.
• Draw your knees to your chest then extend them straight ahead.
• Swing your legs to your left, to the right, then back to the center.
• Place your legs back down.
• Repeat 10 times with your back pressed against the wall the entire motion.

Otter Roll

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• Hugging beach ball to chest, float on back, legs extended, feet together. 
• Roll toward left and over top of ball (like an otter spinning in the water), using entire body -- shoulders, back, core, legs -- to make a full revolution, returning to start. Take a breath. (Beginners can rock from side to side with head above water throughout.)
• Continue for 30 seconds, alternating direction of roll.

Tip: Really drive your leading shoulder and hip into the water to get rolling.


 Spiderman

• Stand in the water at the side of the pool, stabilize your upper body by sweeping your hands back and forth.
• Run your legs up the side of the pool and then back down to the floor. 
• Do four Spiderman exercises, alternating the leading leg each time you reach the end of one jogging circuit.

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Pool Plank

Ok I have mentioned my struggle with planks before! They are SO hard and a big challenge for me on land. But all of that changes in a pool. Pool planks can boost your endurance and “the water pushing and pulling on you increases the challenge to your core,” a water expert explains.

How to do it: 

• Stand on the pool floor. Hold a noodle vertically in both hands. 
• Press it straight down into the water and lean forward until your body is on an even incline. (Your head stays out of the water.) 
• Try to keep yourself stable for 1-2 minutes. 

Be sure to also end your pool exercise with some carefree floating or light swimming, so you can "cool off".

I have been loving this fun and sweat free way to burn calories!
 So if you are trying to lose weight, or even just keep toned give these exercises a try. :)
SOOOO much better than breaking a sweat in the gym, right?!?

Much Love & Hugs,

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