What You'll Find on This Website
This website offers hundreds of aqua exercises for all levels and categories. Each aqua exercise is demonstrated with clear visuals to help you understand the movement and the muscles involved. You will also find useful tips and variations for every exercise.
The aqua exercises on this website are original and have been developed for safety and effectiveness. As the collection grows, you'll keep your pool workouts fresh, safe, and varied.
To see what this looks like in practice, check out the aqua exercise library below.
Aqua Exercises: Your Aqua Fitness Guide
Discover original aqua exercises, clear animated demonstrations, and practical guidance for safer, more effective pool workouts.
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Aqua Fitness Is More Than Just Fitness
Many people think aqua fitness is just exercising in a pool. It is actually more than that. In water, a whole new world opens up. Someone with physical limits can find themselves performing acrobatic-like movements, something they'd probably never do on land. Those aiming to shed extra pounds can exercise in the pool without feeling sweaty or sore, as they might on land. When recovering from injuries or coping with chronic pain, moving in water can provide relief, sometimes as soon as one steps out of the pool. So aqua fitness is a whole new dimension of exercise, with possibilities that extend beyond what you can do on land.
And you don't even have to be a strong swimmer. In fact, many aqua exercises can be done in shallow water, while deep-water exercises often use flotation devices that don't require special swimming skills. Water is the main resistance in aqua fitness and what you're working against when jumping, kicking, and sculling. But don't let that fool you. It is harder than you might think.
Featured Video: 5 Standing Pool Exercises for Your Abs
Aqua walking and aqua jogging are probably the most familiar moves in the pool. These basic aqua moves make a great workout on their own, targeting major muscles and endurance while gently improving flexibility.
More advanced popular exercises include cross-country skiing and jumping jacks. Both involve synchronized arm and leg movements that target more muscles and improve coordination. Jumping jacks move your limbs out and in as you jump, while cross-country skiing mimics diagonal skiing by moving opposite arms and legs back and forth.
These popular aqua exercises are great for everyone, especially beginners. But there is more to explore on our website whenever you're ready.
Popular Aqua Exercises
My Top Aqua Exercise Picks
I picked a mix of my favorite aqua exercises across different categories. Follow each link to see the complete exercise visuals and instructions.
Aqua Hugs for Stronger Chest, Back and Arms
Aqua Hugs combine a wide arm sweep with an elbow bend. Start in a lunge position with your arms straight at shoulder level, push them forward, then fold your elbows toward your chest in one continuous motion.
Open-Close Leg Lifts for Stronger Abs and Inner Thighs
This deep-water exercise combines pushing the legs in and out with straight-leg lifts. Perform both parts as one smooth movement to work the abs and inner and outer thighs.
Seated Leg Curls for Stronger Quads and Hamstrings
Use a noodle or kickboard to hold your body in a seated position. Curl and extend your legs together, pushing the water with your feet in both directions.
Around the World for Shoulder Flexibility
Move one aqua dumbbell around your body, switching hands in front and behind your back. This challenges coordination and stability while helping with shoulder flexibility.
Press Jogging for Endurance and Stronger Arms
Jog continuously in deep water while pressing a noodle down against the water. The noodle provides both support and resistance as you train your triceps, core, and legs
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Fresh Aqua Exercise Ideas to Get Creative in the Pool
Don't limit your workouts to traditional pool exercises when you can come up with creative movements yourself. Look for inspiration from land-based exercises like lunges or calf raises and see if you can modify them for pool workouts. You can even come up with completely new moves if you know a bit of anatomy, like how joints align and how muscles engage with different moves. The point is not to be afraid of getting creative as long as you're staying safe.
This can also include using existing exercises to create your own routines or variations, such as changing the speed, combining different moves, or adding resistance. Make sure to test your custom exercises in the pool first to make sure they feel good, comfortable, pain-free, and safe.
Frequently Asked Questions About Aqua Exercises (FAQ)
Is Exercising in Shallow Water Bad for Knees?
Not necessarily! It all depends on the moves and how deep the shallow end is. The deeper you are submerged, the more support you will have.
Can I Build Muscles in the Pool?
You can, but not the big-sized type that people usually get by lifting weights. Water resistance has a different effect, which helps achieve lean muscle tone rather than bulk.
Can I Lose Weight in the Pool?
Absolutely! Aqua exercises are fantastic for weight loss. Water buoyancy eases the pressure on your joints, which makes your movement safer and more effective. However, you will burn fewer calories in the pool as opposed to land-based exercises. This means you will need to work longer and harder to get the same results.
Can Pool Workouts Replace Land Exercises?
Not entirely. While exercising in water improves most fitness areas, there are parts where it falls short. For example, water's buoyancy reduces gravitational impact on bones, which may limit their growth.
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