Carrying extra weight can make you feel uncomfortable in your swimsuit or hesitant to enjoy water activities. You might avoid pool parties or feel self-conscious about exercising in public. The good news is that swimming offers the perfect solution for gentle, effective weight loss.
Water supports your body while providing natural resistance for every movement. When you swim, you burn calories without putting stress on your joints. The gentle nature of water exercise makes it perfect for women of all fitness levels, ages, and body types.
Today, we will show you 12 low-impact swimming workouts that will help you shed pounds and build lean muscle. These exercises work your entire body while being kind to your joints. You can do them at any pool, from your local community center to your backyard oasis.
The best part about swimming for weight loss is that it never feels like punishment. The water keeps you cool and comfortable while you burn calories. You will start feeling stronger and more confident within just a few weeks of regular swimming workouts.
1. Water Walking
Water walking is the perfect starting point for your swimming weight loss journey. The water’s resistance makes every step more challenging than walking on land, but your joints stay protected. This gentle exercise burns calories while building strength in your legs and core.
Start in chest-deep water and walk normally across the pool. Pump your arms naturally as you walk and keep your core engaged. The water will make every movement more difficult, which means you are burning more calories with each step.
Walk for 5-10 minutes to start and gradually increase your time. You should feel this working in your legs, glutes, and core. As you get stronger, you can add arm movements or increase your walking speed for an extra challenge.
2. Flutter Kick with Kickboard
Flutter kicks target your core and leg muscles while giving you an excellent cardio workout. Using a kickboard allows you to focus purely on your kicking technique while keeping your upper body relaxed. This exercise is fantastic for toning your legs and burning belly fat.
Hold a kickboard with both hands and extend your arms in front of you. Keep your face in the water and breathe to the side when needed. Kick from your hips with straight legs, making small, quick movements. Your toes should barely break the surface of the water.
Start with 2-3 lengths of the pool and work up to longer distances. You will feel this burning in your core and thighs. This exercise is excellent for building the endurance you need for other swimming workouts.
3. Arm Circles in Water
Standing arm circles in water provide incredible resistance training for your arms and shoulders. The water makes your muscles work harder than air resistance, helping you build lean muscle while burning calories. This exercise is perfect for toning the areas where many women store stubborn fat.
Stand in shoulder-deep water with your feet hip-width apart. Extend your arms out to your sides at shoulder height. Make large circles with your arms, first going forward for 30 seconds, then backward for 30 seconds. Keep your core engaged throughout.
The water resistance will make your muscles work much harder than regular arm circles. You should feel this in your shoulders, arms, and upper back. Start with smaller circles if you are new to water exercise, then progress to larger movements.
4. Treading Water
Treading water is an amazing full-body workout that burns calories while building strength and endurance. This exercise engages your entire body as you work to stay afloat. It is like doing a vertical workout that targets every major muscle group.
Move to deeper water where your feet cannot touch the bottom. Use a combination of arm and leg movements to stay afloat. Move your arms in a figure-eight pattern while doing an eggbeater kick with your legs. Keep your head above water and breathe normally.
Start by treading water for 30-60 seconds, then rest by moving to shallow water. Work up to treading for several minutes at a time. This exercise will improve your cardiovascular fitness while building strength throughout your entire body.
5. Pool Plank
The pool plank adds instability to the classic plank exercise, making your core work even harder. The water provides support while still challenging your balance and strength. This exercise is perfect for building the strong core that supports all your other activities.
Place your hands on the pool edge with your body floating behind you in plank position. Keep your body straight from head to heels and engage your core muscles. The water will want to move your body around, so you have to work to maintain your position.
Hold for 20-30 seconds to start and work up to a full minute. You will feel this intensely in your core, shoulders, and back. This exercise will help you develop the core strength that makes all your other workouts more effective.
6. Water Jogging
Water jogging gives you all the benefits of running without any impact on your joints. The water provides resistance that makes your muscles work harder while protecting your knees, hips, and ankles. This exercise is perfect for women who love running but need a gentler option.
Move to deeper water and maintain a running motion without touching the bottom. Pump your arms and lift your knees as you would when jogging on land. Keep your core engaged and maintain good posture throughout the movement.
Start with 5-10 minutes of water jogging and gradually increase your time. You can vary your speed and add intervals for extra challenge. This exercise will improve your cardiovascular fitness while being completely gentle on your body.
7. Scissor Kicks
Scissor kicks work your core, legs, and glutes while providing excellent cardiovascular exercise. This movement targets the lower abdominal muscles that can be hard to reach with other exercises. The water resistance makes every movement more effective for burning calories.
Hold onto the pool edge with both hands and let your body float horizontally behind you. Keep your legs straight and alternate kicking them up and down like scissors. Engage your core to keep your body position stable.
Perform scissor kicks for 30-60 seconds, then rest. You should feel this working in your core and legs. This exercise is excellent for building the lean muscle that helps your body burn more calories all day long.
8. Water Push-Ups
Water push-ups are much easier on your wrists and shoulders than regular push-ups, but they still provide excellent upper body strengthening. The water supports some of your body weight while still providing resistance for your muscles to work against.
Stand in shallow water and place your hands on the pool edge. Position your body at an angle and perform push-ups against the pool wall. The deeper the water, the easier the exercise becomes, so you can adjust the difficulty to your fitness level.
Start with 8-10 push-ups and work up to 15-20 or more. You will feel this in your chest, shoulders, and arms. As you get stronger, you can move to shallower water to make the exercise more challenging.
9. Leg Swings
Leg swings work your core while also targeting your inner and outer thighs. This exercise helps improve your balance and coordination while burning calories. The water resistance makes these movements much more effective than doing them on land.
Hold onto the pool edge with one hand for support. Stand on one leg and swing the other leg forward and back, then side to side. Keep your core engaged and your standing leg slightly bent. The water will provide resistance in all directions.
Do 10-15 swings in each direction, then switch legs. You should feel this working in your core, glutes, and the muscles around your hips. This exercise helps create the lean, toned legs that look beautiful in any outfit.
10. Water Mountain Climbers
Mountain climbers in water provide an intense core and cardio workout while being gentle on your joints. This exercise gets your heart rate up quickly while working multiple muscle groups at once. The water support makes this challenging move accessible to everyone.
Place your hands on the pool edge and float your body behind you in plank position. Alternate bringing your knees toward your chest in a running motion. Keep your core tight and maintain your plank position throughout the movement.
Start with 30 seconds of water mountain climbers and work up to longer intervals. This exercise will get your heart pumping while building strength in your core and legs. You will love how empowered this full-body movement makes you feel.
11. Backstroke Arms
Backstroke arm movements provide excellent upper body exercise while being very gentle on your shoulders and neck. This exercise works the muscles in your back that help improve your posture. You can do this standing in shallow water or floating on your back.
Stand in shoulder-deep water or float on your back with support. Alternate reaching your arms overhead and pulling them down through the water in backstroke motion. Focus on engaging your back muscles as you pull through each stroke.
Continue for 2-3 minutes or until you feel fatigue in your arms and back. This exercise helps counteract all the forward hunching we do during daily activities. Your posture will improve with regular practice of this gentle but effective movement.
12. Water Squats
Water squats give you all the benefits of regular squats with added resistance and support. The water makes the movement more challenging while protecting your knees and back. This exercise is perfect for building strong, toned legs and glutes.
Stand in waist-deep water with your feet hip-width apart. Lower into a squat position as you would on land, keeping your knees behind your toes. The water will provide resistance as you lower down and support as you rise back up.
Start with 10-12 water squats and work up to 20 or more. You can hold the pool edge for extra support if needed. You will feel this working in your glutes, thighs, and core. Strong leg muscles help your body burn more calories throughout the day.
Conclusion
These 12 swimming workouts will help you achieve the weight loss results you have always wanted while being completely gentle on your body. You do not need to be a strong swimmer or have access to an Olympic-sized pool. Any pool where you can stand comfortably will work perfectly.
The key to losing weight with swimming is consistency and gradually increasing your intensity. Start with 2-3 of these exercises and do them 3-4 times per week. As you build strength and endurance, add more exercises and increase your workout time.
Swimming for weight loss will change more than just the number on your scale. You will feel stronger, more confident, and more comfortable in your own skin. Your joints will thank you for choosing such a gentle form of exercise, and you will love how refreshed you feel after each workout.
Start with your favorite exercise from this list and try it today. Choose movements that feel good to you and that you can do with proper form. The water is waiting to support your weight loss journey in the most gentle, effective way possible.
Your swimming transformation starts right now. Step into the water with confidence knowing that every movement is working toward your goals. The strong, healthy woman you want to become is just one swim session away.
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