Summer is a great time to get outside and be active. It’s also a good time for jumping into pools, rivers, oceans, ponds or whatever body of water you can find.
Swimming and paddling aren’t just refreshing — they can offer low-impact ways to get fit. The pull of gravity doesn’t feel as strong underwater, and water provides a lot of resistance. That lets you work hard without jolting your bones and joints.
So this summer, consider picking up a paddle or strapping on some goggles. Here are a few of our favorite water workouts from recent years.
1. Make lap swimming a workout.
There’s nothing wrong with getting into the water and simply swimming until you get tired. But if you have regular access to a lap pool, there are real benefits to taking your swimming game up a notch.
The best way to begin is with some swim-training fundamentals, like how to get more from your stroke and the importance of intervals. In this article, we break down the basic nomenclature (what’s the difference between a 1×200 and a 4×50 anyway?) and suggest a few simple workouts to get started.
2. Paddle a kayak.
Kayaking is one of the best core and upper body workouts you can do on the water. What’s more, it can take you in and around countless hidden natural wonders that you would never find without a boat.
But to do it properly and not totally exhaust your arms, you have to engage your legs and trunk as you paddle. It takes some practice, and serious kayakers spend their lives mastering the forward stroke. In this article, we give you the basics.
3. Try a pool exercise routine.
Not everyone was cut out to swim laps. For some, it’s boring; for others, too tiring. Some of us simply sink.
If that sounds familiar, or if you are just seeking a great low-impact workout, it’s worth looking into pool exercises. Some are geared toward older adults and people recovering from injury, while others are hard core enough to exhaust any athlete.
In this article, we provide a few resources for finding classes and offer one workout to try next time you wade into your local pool.
4. Stand up on a paddleboard.
Stand-up paddling (or SUPing) has grown steadily in popularity over the last couple decades. What was once an obscure way to use an old surfboard has become a sport in its own right.
Paddleboards give you a unique vantage above the water’s surface as you explore lakes and rivers. They also provide a great workout. Unlike kayaking, where you sit in your boat, stand-up paddling requires you to immediately engage your legs as you balance and try to move the board around.
It takes some practice to get the hang of it — so expect to fall in the water a few times. This guide will help you get started.
5. Get outside and swim.
If you are an experienced swimmer looking to mix up your routine — or if you just hate the taste of chlorine — consider a little open water swimming. Whether in a lake, a gentle river or the ocean, swimming in natural bodies of water offers a whole suite of new experiences and challenges.
In this article, we share a few tips to break away from the buoyed lanes and strike out on your own.
6. Go surfing — in town.
Just because you live in a big city doesn’t mean that you can’t spend a summer day catching a few waves. While the most famous surf locations might be in Maui or Southern California, many urban areas like New York or Boston can be welcoming places to learn the sport. The waves are small enough to be forgiving and some of them are even accessible by public transit.
In this article, we offer up some resources and inspiration for becoming an urban surfer.