1. Jump back to starting position after each lateral jump. 
2. Perform without arms.
3. Swing the arms in and out of water.
4. Squat once on one leg as you land on each side.
5. Perform the exercise in the shallowest part of the pool.

Variations

1. Total Body Workout: Speed Skaters provides a total body workout. Because you are moving fast and with so much force, it is great for burning calories and building endurance.

2. Balance and Agility: Speed Skaters are very challenging, which is why you will need to use your core and other major muscles as you jump from side to side. And landing on one leg after each jump can help improve your balance and agility.

3. Flexibility: Using one leg to jump to the side will force you to stretch that leg to its full length, which will help you to be more flexible. Performing speed skaters regularly will increase the range of motion in your knees, ankles, and hips. 

4. Coordination and Timing: Getting your arms and legs to work in harmony requires a level of coordination and timing. The sweeping arm movement has to be in sync with your leg jumps, which requires you to be in tune with your body. 

5. Strengthening Leg Joints: Your Hip, knee, and ankles are very important joints in your body. They allow you to stand, walk, run, jump and do all kinds of other movements. Speed Skaters are an excellent way to strengthen those leg joints due to constant jumping motion. Let me know what you think about this workout in the comment section and if you have any questions. ​

Benefits

How to Perform

Starting Position:

Stand in shallow water with feet shoulder-width apart. Put your hands by your sides. The water level should be about chest deep. 

Action:

Jump to the right side as you sweep your left arm across, bringing it in front of your right knee in a scooping motion. Land on your right leg and bend it until your chest is submerged. Elevate your left leg behind you. Repeat the same on the other side. Start slow, until you get the hang of it, then pick up the pace.​It is easy to execute a big side jump like that on land. But in water, it is much more difficult. That is why you would need to push your legs harder with each jump and follow through after each landing. That rhythm is important in order to control your jumps. 

Breathing:

While performing Speed Skaters continuously without pausing, try to breathe in and out as you would in a run. Do not hold your breath. If you pause after each jump, then you would have more controlled breathing. Simply inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up. If you want to have an effective aerobic workout, then you should do this exercise until your breathing becomes difficult and keep that pace for several minutes. But if you find that too long and boring, combine it with other aerobic movements. For example, you can do jogging intervals whenever you need to take a breath. Of course, you can always adjust the exercise to meet your needs by increasing intensity, duration, or frequency.

Muscles Worked

​​This is an all-over body workout, but it focuses mainly on your legs and core. The major muscle groups are the abs, quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. The arm motion across your body will active your shoulder and back muscles as well.

This aerobic exercise needs some getting used to. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll be surprised by how effective and smooth it is. It burns calories like crazy and increases endurance. Not to mention the muscle groups and areas of the body you can target with this type of workout. I recommend Speed Skaters to anyone who wants to lose weight and tone up. ​

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