In pool, a good workout with no ‘wham !’

In my last column, I wrote about swimming and the often comedic effort involved in doing things like changing in and out of my suit and maneuvering into the pool. It has been an adventure, but a worthwhile one, for the most part.

I will continue to swim, because my foot is still healing after surgery to repair a broken bone and the doctor has advised me not to risk the impact associated with so many land-based workouts. But my particular brand of flopping around in the water probably hasn’t been the best workout. I realize I need to do organized moves that will work different muscles.

With that in mind, I contacted Liz Caldwell, one of the media folks at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She put me in touch with Kellie Coleman, fitness coordinator in the University Therapy and Fitness Department, and I asked her for information on the benefits of water workouts and for ideas of movements to do while exercising in the pool.

SWIM GYM

Coleman says that moving or traveling in the water creates resistance and makes a workout very effective. The water can be thought of as a multidimensional gym where movements can be performed in many directions.

There is the added benefit of improving the lungs. The pressure of the water against the chest causes the intercostal muscles of the rib cage to strengthen. (I did look up the word intercostal and basically it means “between the ribs.”)

The heart becomes more efficient as the person spends time in the water. The stroke volume increases, which means that more blood is pumped out into the vessels with each beat of the heart. That is due, Coleman says, to some of the properties of water. The pressure of the water on the skin works like compression hose, encouraging better blood flow. And, most importantly, this effect helps the blood flow back up to the heart from the feet and ankles.

The buoyancy effect is great for cross-training too. When you’re jogging on land, the quadriceps work to bring the legs up against gravity. In the water, the hamstrings have to work harder, and that makes for great muscle balance.

Coleman says that at waist depth, we weigh half of what we weigh on land, and at chest level we weigh 20 percent of what we weigh on land. So as I become able put more weight on my right foot, I can go into shallower and shallower water for different exercises at different intensity.

HANGING ON

When I’m in the pool and want to do leg exercises, I lean back against the edge of the pool and stretch my arms out against the rim for stability. It’s hard to stay upright on one foot when working against the water pressure.

Coleman says a quick flutter kick would probably put too much pressure on the top of my healing foot, but bicycling my legs would not. Let pain be your guide, she says, and choose moves you can do for a while without hurting. Ideas for the legs include:

Knee tucks.

Crossing ankles.

Wide leg bicycling.

Opening and closing the legs in a V shape.

I also hold on to the edge and twist my legs one way and my torso the other, to work my midsection.

Aquatic dumbbells, or hand buoys, can be used to create more resistance. The ones at the Harmon Recreational Center in Sherwood are made of foam with plastic handles; they are easy to hold and they refuse to stay under the water, so they work very well. Coleman says the dumbbells can be used in shallower water, while you’re standing or leaning against the wall as I do. Most moves that are performed with them work the arms, shoulders, abdominal and back muscles. Ideas include:

Curls, which work the triceps and biceps.

Punches.

Circles with the arms, like doing the breaststroke.

Lateral raises with fairly straight arms. Or you can hold your arms at your sides and bend them so the elbows go up and back down.

Leaning side to side and lowering the dumbbells into the water, which works the oblique abdominal muscles.

Leaning forward and pushing the dumbbells under water for a standing crunch.

If you’re able to stand on both feet, try movements like the cross country ski, wide jogs or even a steady walk across the pool. Traveling adds intensity to the movements.

I could go on forever, but you get the idea. A little creativity and a few exercise aids can give most of us a great low-impact workout with amazing benefits. Thanks,. Kellie!

THANKS, MOM

I will return to the doctor in mid-May for X-rays, and I hope finally to be free of my walking boot. I’m looking forward to driving again. Not being able to get out and about on a whim gets really old after a while.

I am eternally grateful to my mother, who has been so instrumental in my recovery. I can only imagine how hard it would all have been without her help and encouragement. She’s my swim partner, confidant and often my moral compass, and I will never be able to thank her enough. As she said, “We’re family, it’s what we do.” E-mail me at

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