No Impact Aqua Workout for Absolute Beginners

Make the pool your exercise playground in the summer!

Whether you’re recovering from an injury or you’re starting a fitness program for the first time, sometimes you need to start from the absolute beginning. Adding stress to bones, joints, and muscles can lead to injury if you up the intensity too soon, so non-impact activities, like those found in an aqua workout, are a great place to begin. There’s no better time than summer to take advantage of the pool to help you get your heart rate up, burn fat, and build muscle with minimal risk of injury. Try our Shape Up Size Down- No Impact Aqua Workout for Absolute Beginners!

*It’s always important to check with your doctor before beginning any new fitness routine. Once you’ve received the ‘green light’, it is suggested to complete this workout 4x per week on non-consecutive days.

Equipment Needed: a water bottle, a shallow pool, a kickboard, and a watch or timer.

Exercises:

1. Warm-up  for 2 minutes by walking slowly through the water. Keep your back straight and cup your hands as you swing them by your sides to increase friction.

2. Flutterkick – Hold the kickboard out in front of you, with your hands at the top of the board and your arms straight. Lie on your belly and use your legs to kick from one side of the pool to the other and back. Kick from your hips, as opposed to your knees. Continue for 2 minutes and try to build up to 5 minutes over time.

3. Aqua Jacks – Begin by standing with your legs together and your arms at your sides. Use your feet to push off from the floor slightly, while extending your legs to hip-distance apart and raising your arms over your head. Push off from the floor again and return starting position. Repeat for 1 minute and try to build up to 3 minutes over time.

4. Leg Raises – Stand with your back to the wall and your arms extended out from your shoulders and your hands holding the wall for support. Slowly raise one leg as high as you are able, hold it for a count of 3 and lower it. Repeat with the other leg. Aim for 10-12 repetitions on each leg.

5. Arm Swings with Resistance – Stand with your feet flat on the floor and hold the kickboard out in front of you, with your arms extended and gripping the sides of the board. Rotate the kickboard so that it is resting on its side. Slowly drag the board through the water to one side until you can go no farther, and then flip the board to its other side,  and drag it to your other side. Aim for 10-12 repetitions on each side.

6. Cool Down for 2 minutes by floating on your back.

Try some of our other beginner workouts:
Yoga Workout for Beginners
Shape Up, Size Down Workout for Absolute Beginners
Running for Absolute Beginners

This post may include affiliate links.

Kym Votruba

More by Kym

3 Comments

  1. I am excited to try these exercises. I would appreciate if you can put some pictures beside the instructions. My exercise knowledge is not good and my english understanding is poor.
    Thank you so much

  2. I am excited to try these exercises. I would appreciate if you can put some pictures beside the instructions. My exercise knowledge is not good and my english understanding is poor.

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