Try water workouts to burn calories

We all want the summer body but sans the sweating. Gyms and fitness centre are too stuffy in the summer and the outdoors is too harsh. Why not work out in the pool? A workout in the pool would be similar to regular exercise with a few tweaks.

Start with a warm-up of five to 10 minutes it could be a pool jog, you could incorporate kicks, punches and jumping jacks too. Once the muscles are ready for the workout, you can up the intensity. You could add some strength training by using foam dumbbells or paddles. You could do a HIIT workout with various exercises done in quick successions with short rest phases.

Will I burn calories?

Water is heavier than air and that means it provides much more resistance while working out. An hour’s workout in water can easily burn 600 plus calories.

Is it better than gym workouts?

Water is buoyant, keeps the body light and so the impact on joints while exercising is much lesser. Knee pain or back pain is something most of us deal with. This is when pool workouts come to the rescue. Athletes can cross train with aqua fitness on their active recovery days. This reduces the risk of repetitive use injuries.

Here are a few tips for an effective pool workout:

• Always plan your exercise in detail, with warm-ups and stretches before splashing in. Work on different muscle groups legs, upper body, core etc.
• Keep yourself hydrated.
• Ensure you have a small snack two or more hours before the aqua session. This will give you enough energy to workout. Avoid working out in the pool immediately after a heavy meal.
• Eat healthy throughout the day.

(The author is a fitness expert, Speedo)