As we prepare to welcome springtime here at Westminster Winter Park, the pool is the place to be! We actually have several outdoor pools with lakeshore views, so you can pair your workout with gorgeous Central Florida views — making your splash session a win-win. Plus, our pools are heated, so you can comfortably take a dip even on those mild spring days where you can feel the last bits of cooler temperatures.
While a pool day can be lots of fun, it can also be a rewarding destination for fitness — helping you establish an active routine to feel great about. Wondering how to make your next pool visit even more beneficial? Just read on as we share a few of our favorite activities to enjoy on your next visit to the pool! (Tip: You should always check with your medical team or trusted professional before embarking upon a new fitness routine — but these ideas should provide some exciting brainstorming.)
Swimming
One of our favorite pool activities is, of course, an obvious one: Go swimming! You can practice specific maneuvers or take a free-form approach to gentle kicks that propel you through the water. Either way, you’ll be benefiting from a truly beneficial aerobic workout.
Jog In Place
You don’t need to lace up your tennis shoes for this form of exercise! Jogging in place is a fantastic way to get your legs moving underwater, with the resistance of the water serving as a sort of gentle natural treadmill.
Jumping Jacks
Get your entire body involved with this go-to calisthenic — made extra fun by being in the water! This is another great pool activity because it relies on a motion many of us have been doing since we were little kids on the playground. If you experience joint pain from hitting the ground quickly — like your legs do during jumping jacks — then you’ll be pleased to discover the shock absorption that happens in the H2O.
Knee-Ups
The same goes for knee-ups — which, when you do them in the pool, can help you extend your legs’ range of motion in a less stressful way.
Imaginary Weights
Yes, you can absolutely pick out foam weights that are built specifically for pool use! This can be a handy tool for swimmers who want to take their current in-water workout routine to the next level. However, you can also benefit from doing your favorite on-land strength workouts without weights at all! Move your arms in front of you, for example, as if you were holding your go-to hand weights in front of you. You’ll notice that you still feel the muscle engagement — because the water offers built-in resistance itself!
Enjoy The View
While most of these exercises are all about physical benefits, we think it’s just as worthwhile to take some time and enjoy the blue view of the pool as a mental exercise! Exposure to blue in nature — as you’ll find at our Westminster Winter Park pools and accompanying lakefront views — has been shown in studies to provide positive mental health benefits, such as less stress and an optimistic outlook.
Float Around
Yes, even taking a few minutes to simply float at the end of your pool session can be a great tool for mental health — helping you tune out the hustle and bustle of the world, reflect on your workout, and just be for a moment or two.
The bottom line? There are countless fun ways to spend your pool time and reap serious mind-and-body benefits. So step into Westminster Winter Park’s blue, heated paradise and discover a few of them for yourself! We can’t wait to see what splashing fun you get up to — this spring and all year long.
