Our Life & Times

I was just thinking while standing in my pool today that I should look on the internet for some water workout exercises, and low and behold after reading Lori, Sandy, and Angie's blogs about their weight loss this week at Weight Watchers, I decided to check out www.weightwatchers.com. There I found water workout exercises. Coincidence? Maybe. Anyway, I have been saying on my blog for a few weeks that I was going to join back up with WW, but still haven't done it. I am not sure what is stopping me. Maybe the money, fear I will fail again, having to go alone, could be all of those things. But, I am going to copy the article from WW about Water Workouts, maybe this will remind me to "just do it!"

The Water Workout By S. Kirk Walsh 8/22/2006
There's no better way to escape the summer heat than with a refreshing dip in the swimming pool. But a pool's not just a great place to cool down; it can be the perfect spot for a workout.
"Water is a natural air-conditioner," explains Jane Katz, swim expert and author of Your Water Workout (Broadway Books, 2003), "and it makes it feel like less work while you're exercising."
Here's a water workout specially designed by Katz, with moves adapted from her book. During the workout, Katz notes that you should rest when needed and breathe normally.

Warm-Up
Water Walking: Walk a slow and relaxed gait in the water. Depending on the depth of the pool, you can walk along the black-painted lane lines on the pool's floor. Walk for 5 minutes.
Mountain Pose: Stand with your hands in prayer position in front of your chest. Extend your arms overhead with palms pressed together. Check your posture: Back, neck and chin should be in a straight line; shoulders should be down and back; pelvis should be neutral; weight should be evenly distributed over both feet. Focus on squeezing your arms toward each other, trying to touch your ears with your inner arms. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths.
Workout
Leg Circles: Stand in chest-deep water with left side next to pool wall, holding the pool's edge with left hand. Lift right leg 90 degrees. Move leg in 5 to 7 counterclockwise circles. Then, rotate leg in 5 to 7 clockwise circles. Switch sides and repeat.
Warrior: Stand in waist-deep water with feet approximately 3 to 4 feet apart. Turn right foot 90 degrees to the right and left foot 30 degrees to the right while keeping hips squared forward. Bend right leg until shin is at a 90-degree angle to pool's bottom. Right thigh should approach parallel position to pool's bottom. Extend arms horizontally at shoulder level with palms facing downward and gaze at the middle finger of the right hand. Torso should remain centered over hips, vertical, and squared in the same direction as the hips. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths. Switch sides and repeat.
Swing: Stand in chest-deep water and place your hands together in prayer position. Swing your hands under water from right to left. For more resistance, grip a floatation device, such as a Styrofoam pull-boy or paddle, in your right hand and repeat motion. Repeat exercise with left hand.
Water Running: Stand in water and jog as you do on land. Move right hand forward with left leg and left arm forward with right leg. Lean forward slightly. In deep water: Wear a floatation device, such as a "noodle," and move your legs as if you are riding a bike. Run for 3 to 5 minutes.
Cool-Down
Aqua Lunge: Face pool wall and grasp the edge of the pool with both hands, shoulder- width apart. Place feet against wall in a straddle position, beyond shoulder-width apart. Shift body weight to right, bending knee and keeping left leg extended. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths. Switch sides and repeat 5 times on each side.
Mountain Pose: Repeat exercise described in the warm-up.