How to Exercise With Water Dumbbells

Use water dumbbells to work out your arms while you water jog.

Water exercises can provide you with cardiovascular benefits as well as strength-resistance training that is gentle on your joints. Due to the water's buoyancy, aerobic exercises, stretches and other movements are more fluid and less strained in the water, so you can get the benefits of a strenuous workout without stressing or injuring your body. If you add weights such as water dumbbells to your routine, you can intensify your workout by coupling strength training with the buoyant resistance of the water.

Instructions

1. Stand in chest-high water with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Hold one dumbbell between your legs with both hands. Bring your knees as far up as you can by jumping in the water. Hang onto to the dumbbell while jumping to work out your abdominal muscles. Do repetitions of 10 in sets of two or three and then rest.

2. Stand in shoulder-deep water with your legs shoulder-width apart and firmly planted on the pool floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, resting them against your outer thighs. Raise each dumbbell to shoulder height and then push the dumbbells down toward your outer thighs. Repeat 10 times. Do as many sets as you are comfortable doing.

3. Stand in water deep enough to cover your shoulders. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and extend your arms out in front of you so they are in line with your chest. Then pull your arms back toward your chest by bending at your elbows. Repeat this biceps exercise 10 times before resting. Do as many sets as you can.

4. Stand in waist-high water. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your hands parallel to your shoulders. Raise each arm straight up and above your shoulder. Then bring your hands back down to shoulder height and repeat. For a cardiovascular workout, jog in place while you raise and drop your weighted arms.

Tips & Warnings

• Consult a physician if you have any chronic joint pain or other health issues prior to beginning any workout routine.

References

• Prevention: 10-Minute Water Workout
• Idea: Wet Workout
• Water Wellness Workouts: Water Exercise Tips

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish