5 Aquafitness Exercises to Build Your Core
Staying active and fit as you age is absolutely within reach. Among the many activities available to older adults, aquafitness stands out as an effective full-body workout that is gentle on the joints. The natural resistance of the water also helps strengthen your core muscles, which play an important role in stability and balance. Here are five simple exercises to try during your next pool workout.
Why strengthen your core in the water?
The abdominal muscles are the group of muscles located between the chest and the pelvis. This abdominal area, often referred to as the “core,” helps connect the movements of the upper and lower body and plays an important role in many everyday activities, such as getting up from a chair, climbing stairs or carrying grocery bags.
Water provides an ideal environment for working these muscles without putting undue stress on them. The resistance of the water also helps reduce the risk of muscle strains and tears.
We can all benefit from maintaining strong core muscles, but the World Health Organization goes a step further, recommending that adults aged 65 and older incorporate activities that promote muscle strength and balance into their routines – two important factors in maintaining mobility and independence. This is where water aerobics comes in.
What pool equipment do you need for abdominal exercises?
Most aquafitness exercises can be done with very little equipment. That said, the following items may be useful:
- A kickboard or other stable flotation device
- A pool noodle, sometimes called a “water noodle”
- Foam water weights for those looking to increase resistance
Most municipal pools and aquatic centres already provide this equipment during aquafitness classes, as do Le Groupe Maurice residences, all of which feature a pool and the items mentioned above.
Aquafitness exercises to build your core
This series of five exercises was developed by Antoine Bernard-Lalonde, an internationally competitive swimmer and physical education teacher, who is also a swimming coach and aquafitness instructor.
Exercise #1 – Knee tuck with a kickboard
Place your hands on either side of a kickboard or other stable flotation device. Perform a tuck jump by bringing your knees toward your chest, curling your body into a compact position, then return to the starting position. Keep your back as straight and stable as possible to engage your core and the muscles around your hips.
Exercise #2 – Torso rotations with a kickboard
Hold a kickboard with your hands positioned at the centre, either vertically or horizontally. Rotate your upper body from side to side, keeping the movement controlled and your hips stable. This exercise primarily engages the obliques and back muscles.
Exercise #3 – Leg movements with a pool noodle
Place a pool noodle behind your back and under your armpits, then lean back into a semi-reclined position, as if you were sitting in a sofa. Keeping your upper body supported, move your legs in different ways: perform scissor kicks, make small upward kicks or lower your legs toward the pool bottom before bringing them back up together. Your core muscles work to stabilize your body throughout the exercise.
Exercise #4 – Hip rotations with a pool noodle
Keep the pool noodle under your armpits, but this time position it in front of you. Let yourself float, bend your knees, then gently rotate your hips from side to side without straightening your legs. Keep your upper body as stable as possible throughout the movement.
Exercise #5 – Punching with water weights
Hold a water weight in each hand and punch in different directions: forward, downward, upward or backward. Keep your core engaged to stabilize your body and maintain better control of your arm movements. This exercise works your arms as well as your back muscles.
An easy routine to add to your time in the pool
These five aquafitness exercises help strengthen your core while engaging the stabilizing muscles that are essential for balance and efficient movement. Practised regularly, they can help build core strength in a way that’s gentle on the joints. Feel free to adapt each exercise to your fitness level, and always prioritize controlled movement over intensity.
Want to keep your workout going? Check out our series of leg strengthening exercises to round out your workout. Enjoy!