Phoenix Health and Wellness: Swimming Pool Yoga

Next time you’re looking for an at-home workout, try out these swimming pool yoga poses in your Shasta pool!

One of the hottest fitness crazes to hit gyms across the nation is swimming pool yoga.  The reason:  you burn more calories and get more resistance while taking the pressure off of your bones, muscles and joints.  The best part is, if you have a pool in your backyard, then you can start enjoying these benefits today. Start out with these three poses, and then check out this tutorial from Natural Health for more water yoga ideas.

The Water Cobra

What’s great about performing this yoga move in the water is that you can stretch further than you would be able to with traditional yoga since there’s no floor in front of you.  To do this move:

• Stand 2 feet or so away from the wall of the pool.
• Place both your forearms and your hands against the wall, wrapping your fingers around the rim of the pool.
• Without moving your feet, look up, lean back and increase the natural curve in your back so that your abs are stretched out.
• Rise up so that you are on your toes, and hold for five breaths.

The Water Stork

Performing the stork in the water allows yogis to balance better, so you’ll get a better, deeper stretch than if you were to perform traditional yoga.  To perform this move.

• While standing, lift up your right leg so that it is straight yet with the knee bent.  Your toes should stay pointed.
• With your left heel pressed into the pool’s floor, reach forward towards the big toe on your right foot with your right hand.  Slowly straighten out your right leg so that your entire leg is parallel to the bottom of the pool, and push your foot against your fingers for a deeper stretch.  Hold this for a few breaths.
• Switch to your left leg, repeating the procedure above.

The Water Backbend

The natural buoyancy of the water makes performing the backbend in the pool easier than on land.  The result:  you’ll get a better stretch through your chest and your abs.  Here’s how you can perform this move:

• Position yourself 2 to 3 feet away from the wall of the pool, facing away from the wall.
• Look up and slowly arch your back backwards.  Raise your arms and reach out behind you.
• Grab the wall and breath, making sure to hold the stretch.
• Shuffle your feet backwards a few inches and then hold for a few breaths.

Shasta Pools is a Phoenix pool builder who provides a variety of services including swimming pool remodeling, commercial pool building, and pool service and repair. Since its establishment in 1967, Shasta has helped over 80,000 families realize their dream of pool ownership. By providing exceptional value, quality craftsmanship and superior customer service, the Shasta team continues to fulfill the corporate mission of astonishing and delighting their customers and exceeding expectations. You can learn more about Shasta Pools & Spas by visiting them online, or by connecting with them on Facebook or Twitter.