If you love the water and never miss a chance to dive in, here’s how to make the most of every splash. Aquatic sports are well known for helping you lose weight, tone up and achieve a lean, elongated silhouette. But where do you start? Here are some tips and exercises to put into practice right now, at the pool!
Which swimming stroke is best for weight loss?
If you’re a fan of swimming, you’ll be glad to know it’s entirely possible to lose weight by swimming. Not only does swimming help reduce water retention (which has a direct impact on weight), it also helps burn a significant number of calories, especially when sessions are long and regular.
Each swimming stroke has its own benefits.
Breaststroke is ideal for slimming the calves and knees, toning the inner thighs, strengthening the core and sculpting the upper body. That said, over time it can strain the lower back (hyperlordosis) and put pressure on the neck and knees (the unnatural “frog” movement can weaken the ligaments). It is therefore advisable to favour the glide breaststroke.
Front crawl, the ultimate stroke, is highly recommended for weight loss as it demands significant cardio effort. It also effectively tones the arms, shoulders and glutes (those leg kicks really do make a difference!).
Backstroke, meanwhile, helps strengthen the back, firm the abs (perfect for a flat stomach) and tone the thighs. Swim it with fins and the benefits are even greater, as they add extra resistance.
A few additional tips to help you lose weight swimming in the pool:
- aim for at least two weekly sessions of 45 minutes to one hour to start seeing results;
- to accelerate your slimming results, consider interval swimming (based on the HIIT or running principle) – alternate sprinting for 1 minute, then easy swimming for 30 seconds, then sprint again… and so on, for 10 minutes;
- swimming and, more broadly, water sports, tend to increase appetite. But when you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to keep your calorie intake in check. In short: go easy on the fridge after your session!
4 aqua gym exercises to slim and tone
Don’t be fooled by its fun reputation: aqua gym is remarkably effective for reshaping your figure and burning calories. The feeling of weightlessness in the water is deceptive – moving through it actually requires a great deal of energy. Water creates natural resistance, which means the body has to work harder with every movement. Another bonus: aqua gym carries very little risk of injury, as the movements are naturally cushioned.
So, which exercises should you do to achieve a sculpted, streamlined silhouette? Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Exercise no1 for losing weight in the pool: knees-to-chest
For this exercise, you’ll need two pool noodles – those long foam tubes that float so well. This first move gently works the abs for a flatter stomach!
- Place one pool noodle under each arm, at armpit level.
- Take a seated position, back straight, legs extended in front of you at 90o to your torso.
- On the inhale, bend your legs and draw your knees towards your chest.
- On the exhale, extend your legs back out in front of you.
- Repeat around fifteen times.
Exercise no2: rear leg extension
This second exercise requires no equipment – simply stand in a part of the pool where you can touch the bottom. It gently works the glutes for beautifully lifted, rounded results!
- Stand in the pool close to the edge, hands resting on the pool ledge.
- On the inhale, extend one leg straight back, keeping it fully extended without arching your back.
- On the exhale, bring your leg back to the starting position.
- Repeat around fifteen times, then switch sides.
Exercise no3: lateral leg extension
A slight variation on the previous exercise, this one helps slim your waist and tone your hips.
- Stand at the edge of the pool, hands resting on the ledge.
- On the inhale, extend one leg out to the side, keeping the rest of your body aligned.
- On the exhale, bring your leg back to the starting position.
- Repeat around fifteen times, then switch sides.
Exercise no4: pedalling
A true aqua gym classic, and undeniably effective for toning the thighs and achieving slim, shapely legs. This exercise also has the added benefit of boosting microcirculation, helping to ease the feeling of heavy legs.
- Sit on the pool ladder or steps, depending on the pool’s layout.
- Hold firmly onto the bars, or rest your hands on the steps.
- Extend your legs and perform a steady pedalling motion with your legs.
- Keep up the pace for at least 10 minutes.
Sample programme for losing weight in the pool
Feel free to mix and match the exercises above or create your own variations. But to see real results, you’ll need to commit to a consistent, structured programme! Here’s a two-week example:
- Day 1: 45 minutes of glide breaststroke
- Day 2: 10 minutes of interval crawl + 2 sets of each exercise
- Day 3: 45 minutes of glide breaststroke
- Day 4: 10 minutes of interval crawl + 2 sets of each exercise
- Day 5: 50 minutes of glide breaststroke
- Day 6: 15 minutes of interval crawl + 2 sets of each exercise
- Day 7: 50 minutes of backstroke without fins
- Day 8: 15 minutes of interval crawl + 2 sets of each exercise
- Day 9: 50 minutes of backstroke without fins
- Day 10: 15 minutes of interval crawl + 3 sets of each exercise
- Day 11: 50 minutes of backstroke with fins
- Day 12: 20 minutes of interval crawl + 3 sets of each exercise
- Day 13: 50 minutes of backstroke with fins
- Day 14: 20 minutes of interval crawl + 3 sets of each exercise