Squats Routine

This 12 minutes routine aims to strengthen your leg muscles, especially the quadriceps, and to improve your overall balance. You may use aqua dumbbells, pool noodle or any other objects if available to increase resistance and to put more weight on your leg/legs.

With having most of your body supported in the water,  you will experience the most comfortable squats ever, as opposed to dry-land squats. This exercise can be performed by almost everyone. 

Warm-Up (2 min)

Stand in the shallow-end and start by jogging on the spot for 30 seconds. Then jump lunges for 40 seconds. Followed by jogging in circles around the pool, about 40 seconds. Finish with faster jogging on the spot (fast enough to feel your body warming up) for about 10 seconds. 

Main Set(7.5 min)

1. With your feet about shoulder-width apart, put your hands by your side and keep them in the water. With straight back, bend your knees and go down, using your leg muscles, then push your self back up until you return to the starting position. Repeat for 45 seconds. Click Here for more         

2. Repeat the same exercise a little faster and in smaller range of motion. Feel more resistance in your leg muscles. Keep your knees bent all the time and push your shoulders above the water. Bend twice with inhale and twice with exhale. Always keep your arms in the water. Repeat for 30 seconds. 

3. Put your arms up above the water and keep them straight in front of you, at your torso level, and perform a big range of motion squat. Put your shoulders and your arms in the water as you go down and stretch your legs as you go up. Having your arms above the water creates more weight on your leg muscles. Repeat for 45 seconds

4. With your arms still above the water, speed-up in smaller range of motion. The extra weight created by your arms, in addition to increasing the speed will give you the maximum resistance. Use weights if available. Repeat for 30 seconds

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5. Repeat all of the 4 previous squat routines (with the same above durations) while standing on one leg. Keep your other leg bent and still and both your knees closed together. First with your arms in the water, then speed up in smaller range of motion. Then with your arms out of water and speed up in smaller range of motion. After that perform with your other leg. 2.5 minutes each leg. 

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Cool Down & Stretch (2.5 minutes)

Walk around the pool forward for 1 minute and backward for 30 seconds.

Stand by the side of the pool and hold the wall with one hand. Bend your far knee and pull your foot up toward your bottom until you squeeze your hamstrings. Feel the stretch in your quadriceps. Keep your knees closed together and your back straight. Hold for 30 seconds with each leg. 

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Related Links:
How Body-Weight Resistance Works in the Pool
Balance Exercises in the Pool

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