I suppose it’s a little late in the season to be sharing this oh-so-inspirational fitness thought with you, and truly, it’s not like you probably haven’t already thought of it yourself. In fact you’ve likely been doing it all summer. But I’ll just share my recent experience with you anyway.
Jen (from Getting Fit With Jen) and I have been walking, doing specialized resistance training circuits, and lifting weights regularly now for eight months. I absolutely love it and continue to feel so much healthier.
Recently though, I’ve been getting a different form of exercise and it is so great! During the past three weeks, we’ve been going to our friend’s swimming pool where Jen has been giving our kids and another friend’s kids swimming lessons. (Yes, she is multi-talented.) :) It’s been awesome! The kids have all come so far and have loved being in the water. That’s saying a lot for our younger boys.
And what have I been doing while the younger kids have learned the fine art of going under water without sucking water into their lungs, and the older kids have been learning to dive? I’ve been getting a water workout!
Water definitely provides a different variety of “resistance training” than what I’ve been doing otherwise. Plus, being in the water has felt incredible during the crazy heat wave we have had. I didn’t even think I liked to swim! But I guess I just proved myself wrong. (Of course, no one is allowed to watch me as I have completely improper form…)
I’ve made it a point to just “keep moving” in the water for a good 30-45 minutes each time we’re there. I swim up and back and up and back in the pool over and over. I tread water. I swim up and back again. I do “standing crunches” in the water. It all feels sooooo good!
Anyhoo…just wanted to encourage you, if you’re taking your kids to the pool anyway, to try to get a little exercise in while you’re there. It’s the perfect opportunity!
You sure won’t be seeing pictures of me showing you how it’s done, but my boys were happy to show you some of their new skills!
Malachi is getting ready to go underwater without holding his nose…
Looks like Asa and Justus were finished with their “lesson” for the day and were just goofing off at this point.
And then there’s Elias. He’s our most timid and hesitant boy. Now he can float on his back and his tummy, and swim underwater all the way from one side to the next. So proud!
Are you a swimmer? Have you found yourself getting some exercise in at the pool this summer? What’s your favorite thing to do at the pool?
I LOVE THE WATER. I grew up in Southern California, so even though we had a small backyard, it had a pool. My grandparents had a pool, too, so I grew up swimming and learning to dive at a young age. I’ve heard people talk about “getting in the zone” when they run, and something about how it “centers” them. I would rather have a swim in the afternoon to get me through the day instead of a cup of coffee. We have a really affordable membership to the YMCA ($16 a month with a scholarship and our insurance for our family!), and we swim every other day. It challenges me physically without making me miserable. I have just started to teach my son (21 months) to love and respect the water, and it makes me remember the time my grandpa and mom spent in the pool with me. So happy that you all are experiencing the joy of swimming!
yes!! We have a community pool nearby and we’re there every day, especially with the 110 degree California heat we’ve had. My little 20 mo old is a fish now!
I am not the fastest of swimmers and I am sure my strokes are not accurate in form but I find swimming such a relaxing workout. It is a great time of solitude and quiet. It is also very easy on the joints. I find however it makes me really really hungry! I train for and run marathons so sometimes I run up to 20 miles on a Saturday, but still I have greater hunger after an hour of swimming than a 3 hour run! I don’t understand why.
Swimming is wonderful! I was always in the water years ago. Unfortunately I got fat and won’t put a bathing suit on! :( Too bad. I miss out.
I’m not really good swimmer myself. And we’ve only done the pool a couple times this summer b/c we don’t own a pool. But I do love that I get a good workout if I’m in the pool for a while :)
I was doing a lot of walking/running and exercise videos (P90X, Insanity, etc), until in April, when I had back surgery. A month after surgery I injured my ankle! I have put on 10 pounds since surgery, I believe because of lack of exercise/activity!
We recently joined the YMCA and I have started swimming because the doctors have told me to stay away from high impact exercise for a while. It’s a great workout, but I am INTIMATED by the environment. Everyone there at the time I go has their professional-type swimming gear on, has impeccable form (so it seems to me), and they all leave me in the dust! I’ve really had to get over it and just know that I am getting a good workout and strengthening my muscles, but it still gets to me sometimes, especially when I have to share a lane with one of the good swimmers. :/
This water filter is beautiful!
I “liked” More Than Alive on Facebook.
Grew up swimming on swim team and in our backyard pool in Florida!!! Love it…my fav season is summer b/c of all the swimming…I taught my 4 and 3 year old to swim last summer and its a beautiful thing!! Yay…so glad you have been swimming and that your boys are doing well!
Would love to own this water filter!
Would love to have this water filter, sounds better than what I use now.
I would love one of these filters…Thank you
This former Florida girl loves swimming, too. Not only is it a great workout, but I love how sleek and slender I feel in the water – especially when I’m not so sleek or slender. But what an incentive to keep swimming so that I someday will feel sleek and slender even out of the pool.
What a great give-away! Thanks for the opportunity.
I used to avoid the water. It was too cold, I didn’t like being in a bathing suit..you name it and I’d find an excuse not to go swimming!! However, this year has been different. I had to get in our community pool w/my 4yr old for swim class. It was cold, no doubt, even in our HOT So Cal heat, yet I learned to love it. Then we took the kiddos to Papa’s house to swim in his above ground pool to practice their skills. THEN, we started taking our boat out to the lake (really COLD water) and I jumped right in!!! What great excercise. Plus, it has been super hot out, that makes it easier. This summer has been a turning point for me, like you! I now love the water again. Oh, and finding a more modest swim suit has helped. I am very petite and don’t like being looked at by anyone other than my hubby ;)
We follow a organic lifestyle. This would be wonderful benefit. Would love to use!!!
We don’t have a water filter. This one looks awesome!
Get some water barbells and the workout gets even MORE fun! There are so many things you can do with water barbells to create a GREAT water workout.
I joined a local gym largely for the pool. My mom and I both try to go twice a week and spend a couple of hours there. We don’t do lots of laps most of the time but we chat and tread water, use some pool weights they have and things like that. It’s a lot better than sitting and chatting. :)
Is no one concerned about soaking-up the chemicals in the pool(chlorine etc)…
That’s the beauty of the pool where my family has been blessed to go. It is our friend’s private pool and they don’t use chlorine! Instead they use some other cleaning system (ionization????) that I couldn’t explain if I tried. Chlorine was one of the biggest reasons I’d avoided taking my kids to the pool and/or doing swimming lessons. I’m so thankful I instead had this option!