Safe and Effective Pool Exercises for Pregnant Women

Water workouts are one of the safest ways to stay active during pregnancy. While water provides natural resistance and challenges your muscles, it also supports your body. Moreover, underwater exercise can also help relieve some common pregnancy discomforts, such as aching joints and swollen feet.

So, if you’re looking to stay consistent with your fitness routine throughout pregnancy, pool aerobics at your favorite fitness center in Vacaville can offer a gentle and effective option to keep you moving and feeling your best. Keep reading to discover different exercises you can incorporate into your routine to support both you and your growing baby.

What exercises can pregnant women do in the water?

From walking to light aerobic movements, the following exercises help improve your circulation, strengthen muscles, relieve joint pressure, and are safe to do during any stage of pregnancy. However, do make sure you consult your healthcare provider, just like you would before starting any exercise program.

Warm up

Make sure you warm up for about 5 to 10 minutes before proceeding to cardio. With all standing exercises, ensure the water reaches chest level. This depth provides enough resistance to challenge your muscles while keeping your movements effective and low impact:

Squats warm up your hips and legs. Stand with your feet in a wide stance and keep your torso and knees straight over the toes. Start bending your knees to lower your body into the water, moving toward a seating position. Go as low as feels comfortable while maintaining good posture and balance.
Knee-up warms your arms, hips, and core. Start with your feet wider than hip width. Lift your knee toward your chest, slightly to the side. Swoosh your arms side to side in the water. Alternate legs and repeat.
Back leg curls also warm up your arms, hips, and core. Position your feet slightly wider than hip-width and extend your arms forward in the water, palms down. Bend your right knee, bringing your heel to the buttocks. As you do this, push the water backward with your hands in a rowing motion. Switch legs and repeat.

Cardio

Many of these exercises require a pool with a deep end:

Flutter kick

Boost your heart rate and engage your core by using a flutter board or pool noodle. Flutter-kick to the deep end, flip onto your back without using your arms, and kick back to the shallow end. For an extra challenge, hold the pool edge in the deep end, kick vigorously for a minute, then slow down and repeat.

Treading water

Tread the water in the deep end using only your legs. Hold a water weight in each hand, alternating between raising each arm. To target your upper body, remove the weights and tread with one leg, switching legs to increase the difficulty.

Muscle resistance

These moves will help you target key muscle groups:

Extended leg lift

Boost strength in your quads, hamstrings, and core by standing with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Lift your right leg forward, keeping it as high as comfortable, with a slight bend in the standing leg for support. Keep your toes relaxed to avoid cramps. Hold onto a pool noodle for extra stability, then switch legs and repeat.

Side leg lift

Strengthen your inner thighs by standing in the same position. Lift your left leg sideways, keeping your foot flexed to increase water resistance. Lower your leg back down through the water and repeat with the right leg.

Water push-down

To strengthen your chest, shoulders, and triceps, float on your stomach in the deep end. Hold a water weight in each hand, shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms and push the weights downward, mimicking a land push-up. Alternatively, you can press a pool noodle down with both hands.

Where can I take up pool aerobics in Vacaville?

If you’re looking to get the most out of your aerobics routine, you’re interested in the benefits of swimming for kids, or want to know what happens to your body when you do water aerobics, Maximum Fitness is the team you can rely on. With years of experience and a highly trained and dedicated crew, we’re here to address any questions or concerns you may have and help you on your way to a healthier lifestyle. Whether you live near the Nut Tree or in another area, visit us and experience all the benefits of working with our experts. Call today!