9 Easiest Pool Exercises for Seniors to Stay Active and Healthy

Published June 15, 2023

Staying active can be challenging, but swimming exercises can make it easier and more enjoyable. Not only do pool exercises provide a refreshing way to keep fit, but they also offer benefits for seniors.

In this article, we will explore 9 of the easiest pool exercises for seniors. This will help them maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.

9 pool exercises for seniors

1. Flutter Kicks

Feel like a synchronized swimmer with this exercise! Flutter kicks are a fun and effective way to propel yourself forward using your legs.

You can use a kickboard to travel across the pool or hold onto the sides and kick while staying in place. It’s an excellent exercise for strengthening your lower body and improving cardiovascular endurance.

2. Chest Fly

Hold your arms out before your chest, palms facing each other. Push your arms through the water, open them out to your side, and bring them back together in front of you.

For an added challenge, consider using water weights to increase water resistance. This exercise targets your chest muscles and can help improve posture.

3. Leg Swings

Get ready to swing those legs! Stand by the pool’s edge, facing sideways, and hold on for support. Bring your outside leg forward, hold for a few seconds, then swing it backward and hold again.

Once you’ve reached a comfortable level of fatigue, turn around. Then repeat the movement with the other leg. This exercise helps improve flexibility, balance, and coordination.

4. Water Walking

Water walking exercises for seniors are low-impact. They can increase the heart rate without straining the joints. Walk across the pool or march in place, aiming for a pace that challenges you but remains comfortable.

5. Leg Lifts

Stand in place and lift one leg straight out to the side, then bring it back down. Repeat until you feel fatigued, then switch to the other leg.

This exercise targets your leg and hip muscles and your core. It’s a simple but effective way to improve lower body strength and stability.

6. Arm Curls

Get those water weights ready! Stand in the pool with your arms down, palms facing out. Bend your arms and curl the water weights up, feeling the resistance of the water.

Arm curls help strengthen your upper body, including your biceps and shoulders.

7. Standing Push-ups

No need for a gym here! Strengthen your upper body without straining your joints by performing standing push-ups.

Stand by the pool’s edge, gripping it with your arms straight. Bend your elbows and lean toward the wall, then push out and straighten your arms.

This exercise targets your arms, shoulders, and chest. It will provide a great workout without putting excessive stress on your joints.

8. Arm Circles

Move to deeper water or squat down until the water reaches your shoulders. Lift your arms straight out to the sides, palms facing down. Begin making circular motions with your arms. Move them forward for 10 to 20 seconds, then reverse direction.

This exercise engages your arms and shoulders, helping to improve mobility and flexibility.

9. Calf Raises

Hold onto the pool’s edge, shift your weight to the balls of your feet, and lift your heels off the ground. Hold for a moment, then lower your heels back down.

This exercise strengthens your calf muscles, which are crucial for balance and stability.