Pool Fitness at The Collective

Anyone that lives at The Collective knows that we offer our residents pools for days! With the summer being in full swing, this creates the perfect opportunity to create beautiful summer memories right from our rooftop! While our pool areas are great for vibes, there also perfect for a great workout this summer. Pool fitness is ideal for adding new cardio and full-body dimensions to your fitness program while also adding a therapeutic element to your lifestyle. Pool workouts are a great way to recover your body after an intense week of working out.  We’ve taken the liberty of putting together a list of easy-to-do pool workouts to begin adding to your fitness plan. With the world opening back up, why not try something you haven’t tried before!  Try out one of these workouts, and let us know what you think.  

1. Walk in water

Walking in water is an excellent exercise to start with as it helps you get a feeling for how you can create resistance. Walking in water can target your arms, core, and lower body. You can increase the intensity by using hand or ankle weights.

1. Start off walking in shallow water, around waist height.
2. Lengthen your spine and walk by putting pressure on your heel first and then your toes instead of walking on your tiptoes.
3. Keep your arms at your side, in the water, and move them as you walk.
4. Engage your core and stand tall as you walk.
5. Continue walking for 5-10 minutes.

2. Water arm lifts

This exercise will help strengthen the muscles in your arms. Using foam dumbbells will help add more resistance.

1. Stand in the water up to your shoulders.
2. Hold the dumbbells at your side, with your palms facing up.
3. Draw your elbows close to your torso as you lift your forearms to the height of the water.
4. Rotate your wrists to turn your palms face down.
5. Lower your arms back to the starting position.
6. Do 1-3 sets of 10-15 reps for each exercise.

3. Lateral arm lifts

This exercise, which targets your upper body, is also best done with foam dumbbells.

1. Stand in the water up to your shoulders.
2. Hold the dumbbells at your side.
3. Raise your arms to the side until they’re level with the water and your shoulders.
4. Lower your arms back down to your sides.
5. Do 1-3 sets of 8-14 repetitions.

4. Back wall glide

This exercise helps to activate the muscles in your core and lower body.

1. Hold onto the pool ledge, tuck your knees into your chest, and press your feet into the wall.
2. Push off from the wall and float on your back as far as you can.
3. Draw your knees into your chest, press your feet down to the bottom of the pool, and run back to the wall.
4. Continue this exercise for 5-10 minutes.

5. Jumping jacks

Jumping jacks work the muscles in both your upper and lower body. You can add resistance with wrist and ankle weights.

1. Stand in water at chest level.
2. Start with your feet together and your arms at your side.
3. Jump by moving your legs outward and, at the same time, bringing your arms over your head.
4. Jump again to return to the starting position with your feet together and your arms at your side.
5. Do 1-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions.

6. Leg shoots

This dynamic exercise works your core, low back, and legs.

1. Keep your feet off the bottom of the pool during this exercise.
2. Tuck your knees into your chest.
3. Explosively press your feet and legs out in front and float flat on your back.
4. Draw your knees back into your chest.
5. Press your legs out behind you, so you’re floating on your stomach.
6. This is one repetition. Do 1-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions.

7. High-knee lift extensions

This exercise can strengthen the muscles in your core and lower body. Add ankle weights to increase the difficulty.

1. Stand in water at waist height.
2. Engage your core as you lift your right leg, bending your knee until your leg is level with the water.
3. Pause with your leg lifted for a few seconds.
4. Extend your leg straight out and hold this position for a few seconds.
5. Slowly lower your leg down, keeping it straight.
6. Repeat this move with your left leg.
7. Continue for 5-10 minutes.

8. Leg kicks

This exercise works the muscles in your core and legs. Use ankle weights to make it more challenging.

1. Hold onto the pool ledge or hold a kickboard.
2. Flutter-kick your legs.
3. Scissor-kick your legs open and closed.
4. Do a breaststroke kick with your legs.
5. Follow with dolphin kicks.
6. Do each kick for 1-3 minutes.

The pools at The Collective are located in various locations. We have two pool areas located at the Park Chelsea and Agora rooftops and one indoor lap pool located inside of the Park Chelsea on the first level. Incorporate these exciting pool workouts into your fitness program for a new level of fitness at The Collective.