Monday, July 10, 2017

The Swimming Workout You Can Do On Dry Land

No pool? No problem. These swimming-inspired moves will get you a Speedo-ready body without a single lap.

During the Summer Olympics, there's one type of event that always strikes a chord with me...swimming. I don't know if it's because it's so hot outside (making pool sports look especially inviting) or if it's the bangin' bodies of the competitors. But there's something about it that gets me going.

So it's an especially big bummer that I rarely have an opportunity to swim. The gym I belong to doesn't have a pool, and I'm not much interested in shelling out extra cash to pay for a membership at one that does. None of my friends have pools, or at least none have invited me to any. So if I want to fulfill my swim fix or at least reap the benefits of a swim workout, I have to find a way to do it on dry ground.

That's where this routine comes in. The American Council on Exercise kindly put together the moves that will give you a swim-style sweat, sans H2O. During the warm-up, perform two sets of 10 to 12 reps of each move. Then once you dive into the main workout, perform two to three sets of eight to 12 reps.

1. Supine Snow Angel -
  1. Lie on back on an exercise mat, bending knees so feet are flat on the floor.
  2. Keeping back and hips flat on the floor, pull shoulders down toward hips.
  3. Bring arms away from sides to about 45 degrees, rotating palms toward the ceiling and keeping upper arms in contact with the mat.
  4. As you exhale, gently slide arms upward along the mat until hands touch, keeping backs of arms, wrists, and hands in contact with the mat.
  5. Inhale and bring your arms back to the starting position.
2. Push-Ups with Single-Leg Raise -
  1. Get into normal push-up position, bracing core and tucking toes under heels.
  2. Lower yourself until chest or chin touches the floor, keeping elbows close to body.
  3. As you straighten elbows, lift left foot off the floor with a straight knee. Don't let hips rotate or low back sag.
  4. Once elbows are straight, hold. Then lower leg, and repeat alternating legs with each repetition.
3.  Superman - 
  1. Lie facedown on floor with arms and legs spread to form an X. Keeping abs tight, squeeze glutes and lift right arm, left leg, and head 3 inches.
  2. Hold for 3 counts, then release. Repeat on the opposite side, raising left arm, right leg, and head.
  3. Continue alternating for a total of 8 to 10 times.
4. Spider walks -
  1. Get into a push-up position.
  2. Push toes of left foot into the floor and bring right knee to outside of right elbow, squeezing left thigh and glute.
  3. Holding right leg in position, straighten left leg.
  4. Then straighten right leg and bring left knee to the outside of left elbow, reaching forward with right hand.
  5. Continue alternating sides.