3 Water Workouts

3 versions of WATER WORKOUT: good resistance & easy on the joints!

(If you want pics, please email me and I will send this with the pictures- I'm having issues uploading them on here)  Total-Body Water Workout Six great pool moves that fight flab By Dina Roth Port , Dina Roth Port is a freelance writer in Florida who exercises in water year-round. In Prevention. Looking better in a bathing suit could be as simple as putting one on and jumping into the pool. Moving through water is cardio and resistance training combined, and you don't have to lift a weight. Water provides about 15 times more resistance than doing the same moves on land, says Mary E. Sanders, PhD, an associate professor in exercise science at the University of Nevada, Reno, and director of WaterFit International. "The harder you press during an exercise, the more resistance the water provides, so you can tailor the workout for how you feel at that moment," says Sanders. What's more, research shows that exercising in water improves flexibility while relieving stress. "Water tones the whole body, yet it also relaxes you, so it's ideal for people with injuries and back problems," says Nicole Forsythe, a water fitness instructor at the Delano Hotel's David Barton Gym in Miami, who put together this 30-minute aqua circuit. Perform it in less than 4 feet of water and you'll get toned--no swimming required. Warmup Warm up by walking as fast as you can in the pool for 5 minutes or by doing high knee lifts for 3 minutes. Then complete three sets of each move, resting 15 seconds between each set. To boost intensity and calorie burn, throw in 3 minutes of high knee lifts after every two exercises. Repeat the entire workout 3 days a week, and soon you'll be leaving that cover-up behind. Dips (Targets chest, back, triceps, and shoulders) A. Place palms flat on pool edge or grab gutter. Do a little hop and raise yourself up as high as you can by straightening arms. Hold position for a few seconds.  B. Keeping elbows close to body, lower yourself until elbows form 90-degree angles. Don't let feet touch pool bottom. Raise and lower yourself for 10 to 20 reps. Arm Curls (Strengthens biceps and triceps) A. Stand with feet slightly turned out and far enough apart so shoulders are partly submerged. Position arms so palms face chest, a few inches away, and fingertips touch. B. Moving from elbow, extend arms out to sides (like a door swinging open on a hinge) so that palms now face forward and arms are parallel to pool bottom. Close arms to complete one rep. Do 20 reps. Leg Curls (Firms hamstrings and calves)  A. Stand with legs together. Extend arms out to sides and hold edge of pool with one hand for balance (not pictured). B. Bending left knee, try to touch heel to butt. Lower and repeat with right leg to complete one rep. Do 20 reps. Jumps (Firms thighs and butt)  A. Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Squat low enough so shoulders are underwater. Keep arms out to sides for balance.  B. Jump straight up, lowering arms and squeezing butt as you go, and bring legs together at top of jump. Land in starting position. Do 20 reps. Leg Lifts (Tones abs)  A. Sit on edge of pool with legs straight down. (Water should come to about midthigh.) Lean back slightly, with hands behind body for support.  B. Keeping legs straight, lift them above surface to form a V with your body. Point toes and keep legs together at all times. Lower legs to starting position. Do 10 to 20 reps.  Scissors (Firms thighs, hips, and abs) A. Lean back against pool wall, grasping edge for support. Raise legs so they're parallel to pool bottom, then spread legs as wide as possible. B. Squeezing inner thighs, bring legs together, crossing left leg over right. Contracting outer thighs, open back up to starting position. Repeat, crossing right leg over left, to complete one rep. Do 20 reps. 10-Minute Water Workout By Shelley Drozd , Shelley Drozd is a former assistant fitness editor at Prevention. Here's a high-intensity workout that builds strength, shapes muscles, and burns a boatload of calories--all while being easy on your moving parts. That's because despite feeling like silk against your skin, water creates a natural resistance 800 times greater than air. These double-duty moves turn your local pool into a giant exercise machine. Not only do they simultaneously tone and strengthen your major muscle groups, they also work the upper and lower body in tandem for maximum cardio fat frying. This workout was created by Mary E. Sanders, an exercise scientist at the University of Nevada, Reno. It burns about 100 calories in only 10 minutes. Perform each exercise for 3 minutes (resting your upper body if needed), then jog for 30 seconds between exercises. Repeat to burn even more calories. Perform this workout two or three times a week. Look for water exercising accessories in sporting goods stores and pool stores. ·  Exercise in navel- to chest-deep water. ·  Wear water shoes. ·  Add equipment if the work's too easy. ·  Maintain form while increasing your speed to intensify resistance. ·  Begin by practicing the upper- and lower-body moves separately. Jump & Dig  Lower-body Move Assume a wide stance, then jump like a frog, bringing your knees to the surface and back down, landing on the pool floor. Your abs will love this one! Upper-body Move At surface level, place your hands together so they form a scoop. Reach down, then scoop back up without breaking the surface, moving first left, then right. A killer move for your obliques, the muscles that wrap around your torso. Make it harder with water gloves; for maximum resistance, use water paddles ($19 a pair). Stomp & Push Lower-body Move Striking a wide stance, pump your legs, alternately lifting each knee in front of you as if you were stomping grapes. Touch the pool bottom with every step. This is a great exercise for your thighs and butt. Upper-body Move Hold your arms out wide and in front of you, bending them slightly. Alternately push each arm down hard to your hips, then back up again. Works your upper back and the back of your arms on the way down, your shoulders and the front of your arms on the way up.  Make it harder with water gloves ($11 to $14 a pair). Scissor Press Lower-body Move Place one leg behind the other in a lunge position. Flex your knees, jump, and switch legs (like you're cross-country skiing). An awesome challenge to your legs and butt! Upper-body Move Extend your arms out to the sides at the water's surface. Keep your shoulders down and back and your elbows slightly bent. Press your arms down to your sides, then back up to the surface. Works your back and shoulders. Make it harder with water gloves, water paddles, or aquatic hand buoys ($12 to $18 a pair). 20-Minute Water Workout: Sculpt Your Body in the Pool To get sexy muscles, try a water workout. Sculpt your legs and core -- and get your heart rate up -- with this workout from Ivy Larson, a fitness instructor in Jupiter, Florida. By Hallie Levine Sklar in Fitness Magazine Do each move for two minutes in the pool's shallow end (about 4 feet deep): 1. Jog in place Keep knees high. 2. Tick-tock hop Quickly jump from side to side, keeping feet together. 3. Knee twist Cross right elbow toward left knee at waist. Alternate sides. 4. Squat jump Squat down with arms extended at shoulder height; jump as high as possible while raising arms overhead. 5. Jog in place Keep knees high. 6. Bicycle Lean with back against side of pool, arms outstretched at edge. "Pedal" legs at surface. 7. Flutter kick Hold onto edge of pool, arms extended; kick legs quickly. 8. Pendulum swing From bicycle, extend legs in front of you. Swing up and over to the right, then left, keeping them together and underwater. 9. Crunch From bicycle, extend legs, keeping feet together. Pull both knees into chest. Return to starting position. 10. Outer-thigh lift Stand with left side near wall, feet together, holding edge with left hand. Lift right leg out to side. Do 20 reps on each side.