It’s tempting to view a backyard swimming pool solely as a place to float with a beer in hand (might we suggest one of these stellar summer brews), but even the smallest backyard varieties can provide challenging pool workouts for both serious and recreational swimmers.
A lot of exercises you do on land can be performed in the water. The movements become more challenging because the water resistance—while being less stressful on the joints—puts more force against your body to work against.
Competitive swimmers often turn to dryland training—traditional conditioning and weight room work performed out of the water to complement their swim training. That provides a change of pace and a respite from the water. But for athletes who don’t swim for training purposes, the water can provide similar benefits in terms of breaking the monotony of the gym and complementing traditional strength and cardio training.
Here are five pool workouts perfect for a heat wave.