Water Aerobics: Barbell Exercises

Swimming is a great way to work out without the harm on your joints! Depending on your stroke, you can get a full body workout. Front & Back Crawl works your arms and shoulders, while the butterfly works your chest and abs. Depending on your weight, you could burn up to 1000 calories doing the breaststroke. Why stop there? Use some aerobic barbells for extra resistance! 

Bicep Curl

This is the most common barbell exercise that can be done in both inside or outside the pool. By holding the barbell in each hand at your sides with your palms up, you will want to slowly lift your forearms to water level. Be sure to keep your elbows tight to your body while doing this motion to activate your bicep muscles. Return your arms to your sides and you’ve just completed one rep! Complete a full set of 10-12 reps.

Front/Lateral Raises

These are both great exercises to hit your shoulders! For a front raise, hold barbells in your hand at your sides with your palm facing down. Slowly move your arm to the surface of the water, and return it to the starting position. For lateral raise, begin with your barbell at your sides with your thumbs up. Similar to the front raise, you want to raise your arms outward until you hit the surface of the water and return to starting position. This will hit a different part of your shoulder than the front raises. You can do both of these exercises or combine them – the choice is yours!

Chest Fly

To begin, step with your right foot and lean forward to keep you steady for this exercise. Extent your arms and hold your barbells at water height with your thumbs facing up. Use the resistance from the water and bring the barbells together in front of you. This will activate your pectoral muscles, also known as your chest. Return to starting position, that’s one! Keep going!

Oblique Side Bend

Who doesn’t want a nice, strong core? Again, hold the dumbbells at your side with your palms facing down. Slowly move the right barbell down your leg, toward your knee, and then back up to the starting position. You will want to do about 12-15 of these before moving to your left side. This will work the sides of your core, those dreadful love handles! 

The Lifeguard Store offers a variety of different styles of aerobic equipment to keep you in shape! Be sure to check out our jog belts and wrist/ankle weights!