Workout in the Pool for a Strong Core
Aquatic exercise offers many potential solutions that can provide relief from lower back pain. It has been estimated that up to 31 million Americans suffer from lower back pain. There are a few very simple exercises you can perform in the pool that can help take off pressure and tension from the back
One of these exercises involves standing by the side of the pool frame or at the pull up bar. Standing up straight, take both hands and lightly grip the metal bar, lean backwards slightly tilting your head up while keeping both feet flat on the floor. This movement helps stretch your back.
Other exercises that can assist with the lower back take advantage of the buoyancy of the water and also can strengthen your core abdominal muscles. Leaning your back against the pull up bar, or the frame of the pool while resting your arms for support, you can perform knee curls by pulling your knees up towards your chest. You can even work your oblique muscles by turning your knees towards one side then the other in a roman twist.
Without relying on the frame of the pool, you can perform some very simple movements to build strength in your core muscles and back by bringing your knee up to an alternate elbow and repeating several times. The buoyancy of the water will help support you and prevent you from losing balance. Performing this exercise in the water will also help strengthen multiple core and structural muscles as you perform the movement and switch sides.
Another exercise you can perform is leaning your back against the side of the pool, making sure your buttocks and lower back are firmly pressed against the surface. From there you can lift your arms forward and back in a rocking motion while making sure your back is still pressed against the surface. If your back floats off the wall, keep at it until you can maintain contact. To add more difficulty lift your arms up and down faster, creating more resistance and force. This exercise helps strengthen the muscles and tissue around the spine and is very important in maintaining good posture and protecting you from back injuries.
Performing water based exercises offer a lot of opportunity to help strengthen the core muscles and postural muscles of the body. Working out in your own private pool offers a way to reap the benefits of these exercises within the privacy of your own home or backyard at a fraction of the cost and with very minimal space requirements. Besides tight, strong abdominal muscles, you can enjoy the benefits of good posture, confidence, and a strong core giving you greater health and vitality even to your later years.
