5 Exercises to Do in a Therapy Pool
Whatever hardships you’ve experienced, a therapy pool can be greatly beneficial in your rehabilitation. The water resistance helps strengthen muscles, while the buoyancy of the water can aid with agility and flexibility. Here are five exercises you should try in your brand new Fitmax iPool – you’ll be on the road to recovery in no time!
- Water walking or jogging
It’s best to start simple, and it doesn’t get much easier than water walking. Begin in the shallow end, by walking backward or forward in water that’s up to or around waist or chest height. Vary your pace and amount of steps taken over time, until you’re effectively jogging on the spot for 30 seconds.
Water is around 12 times more resistant than air, but the buoyancy means that, while you’re strengthening your muscles, you’re not putting too much pressure on those joints.
- Forward and side lunges
For this exercise, you might want to position yourself close to a side wall, in case you require support. If in the deep end, you’ll also need a Styrofoam support belt, or ‘noodle’, to help keep you afloat for a prolonged period of time.
For forward lunges, step forward in the water, but ensure that your front knee is behind your toes. Return to the starting position and then do the same with the other leg. For side lunges, step to the side, with toes facing forward. These exercises will help strengthen the upper leg, including the quadrilaterals and abductors.
- Pool planks
This is a core strengthening exercise, and once again you’ll require a Styrofoam support to maintain buoyancy. Holding the noodle out in front of you, move into a plank position, with your elbows pointing toward the pool floor and your feet still firmly in place on the floor. Try and hold for a minute and repeat three to five times.
- Deep water bicycle
You’ve heard of spin classes, right? Well this is the aquatic version of the notoriously tiring workout. Place a flotation device around your hips, and use another to rest your arms on, if necessary. Then, move your legs in the water as if riding a bike. Do this for three to five minutes and you should soon start to feel the burn in your legs. After this, riding an exercise bike on land shouldn’t feel too bad!
- Arm raises
Finally, move on to the arms! For this exercise, you might want to find paddles to increase resistance. Holding your arms at your sides, bend your elbows at a 90 degree angle. Raise and lower your arms between the water’s surface and your sides, keeping your elbows bent. Do three sets of 10, or as many repetitions as you can manage.
If you’re thinking of therapy pool rehabilitation, ensure you consult your physician beforehand.
