Strong legs are often the result of weight-training and leg-focused cardio such as running and cycling, but there is a risk that sort of exercise can damage the joints, particularly as we get older.
For that reason, many people are exploring pool exercises for legs, with the water providing support for your body as well as extra resistance to create toned, stronger legs. Water exercises for legs can also be performed with ankle weights to work your muscles even harder.
Before you hop into the water, we suggest you invest in a pair of water shoes, which will help to provide traction on the pool floor. We also recommend having a plenty of drinking water nearby to prevent you from becoming dehydrated.
Here are some of the most effective water exercises for legs you can perform in your swim spa…
Flutter and scissor kicks
Flutter and scissor kicks are two simple water leg workouts you can do without any additional equipment at all. As well as being excellent ways to strengthen the legs, both of these exercises tone the lower the body, help to shed belly fat, sculpt the abs, improve posture, reduce back pain and increase the heart rate to provide an excellent cardio workout.
Skips
Underwater skips are one of the simplest pool exercises for legs you can do. We recommend wearing your water shoes for this one to avoid slipping. As well as strengthening the calves and the lower legs, this type of water leg workout will boost mobility, build stronger ankles and deliver cardiovascular benefits, all while decreasing the stress on your joints.
Calf raises
If a perfectly sculpted calf is your goal then the underwater calf raise is the safe and easy way to achieve to it. Your calf muscles control your ankle motion, so a stronger calf gives you greater stability when walking, running and taking part in sports such as football and tennis. This greater ankle stability will also help to improve your balance, which is extremely important for elite athletes and people of all ages. Once again, we recommend wearing your water shoes to help provide greater stability.
Leg sweeps
Leg sweeps are a great way to tone and strengthen your inner thighs, glutes, hamstrings and hip flexors. It will also test the mobility of your hips and the stability of your upper body and knees. Keeping your body as straight as you can while you circle your leg will also improve your core strength, while your flexibility and coordination will also get a boost. Increasing the flow of the water will up the resistance and put a greater demand on all those working muscles.
Once you’ve finished with our pool exercises for legs, take a look at our other training guides and exercise videos to find simple ways to work the rest of your body in your Endless Pool.
