Exercises to try in the pool right now

Pools are ideal spots for playing, cooling, and relaxing, and they're also great for exercising. Water resistance makes the heart and muscles work hard. Our buoyancy in water takes pressure off the joints, making movement less painful than it might be on land. And exercising in water always provides a soft landing if you lose your balance. Many people swim laps to take advantage of these benefits. You can also do a series of exercises as you would in a home workout routine.

We've provided some exercises to help get you started on a water workout. You'll find even more in the Harvard Special Health Report Aqua Fitness (/af).

Like any workout, you'll need to do a warm-up beforehand (such as walking in the water), and some stretches afterward (on land).

Keep these tips in mind for the pool exercises in between.

To make an exercise easier: "Go into slightly deeper water, where there's more buoyancy and support," says Jessica Hildebrandt, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital, and former competitive swimmer and water polo player.

To make an exercise harder: "Create more resistance: move faster or keep your fingers together like paddles. Or while water walking, hold a kickboard vertically in front of you to create resistance," Hildebrandt says.

To jog without touching the pool bottom: Wear a pool belt in deep water. The belt is a floatation device that lets you move your arms and cycle your feet as if you're jogging through the water.

To avoid soreness: Take it easy at first. "The water supports you, so you feel good and can do more than you're used to. But you can overdo it without realizing it," Hildebrandt says. "Start with easier exercises and shorter durations, or do less than you feel up to. If you're not sore the next day, you'll know it was the right amount of exercise for you. From there you can gradually increase the intensity."

Jumping jacks

Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Jump, separating your feet as you raise your arms out to the sides. Keep your hands below the surface. Jump, bringing your feet back together and your arms down to your sides. Repeat as many times as you can in 60 seconds.

Pendulum

Stand on your right leg with your left leg lifted out to the side. Extend your arms diagonally down and to the right. Jump off your right foot, swing it out to the side, and land on your left foot, while swinging your arms to the left. Repeat, swinging your arms and legs to the opposite sides. Continue jumping and alternating directions for 60 seconds.

Double kickbacks

Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. Jump up and bend your knees, bringing both feet toward your buttocks. Lower your feet back to the pool bottom. Let your arms swing naturally as you jump. Repeat as many times as you can in 60 seconds.

Twists

Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Jump, while twisting your upper body to the right and your lower body to the left. Land with your knees, feet, and hips pointing diagonally to the left and your arms, shoulders, and chest pointing diagonally to the right. Jump again, twisting the other way to reverse your landing position. Continue jumping and twisting in alternate directions for 60 seconds.

Exercise illustrations by Alayna Paquette