The Best Swimming Exercises You Can Do That Aren't Laps

Targets shoulders, arms, abs, and hips

• Standing in shallow end, simultaneously sit back into water, treading with hands out to sides, and lift both legs together so that you fold at hips to create a wide V shape, with head and toes just above surface.
• Quickly bring knees to chest — or bring legs as straight as you can toward chest to make V less wide—then extend legs to return to V position.
• Do 15 to 20 reps. Continue treading with hands for 1 minute.

Make this swimming exercise easier: Skip knee tuck and simply hold V position for 1 minute. (Related: Try This Crazy-Creative Pool Float Workout Next)

Targets abs, obliques, hips, and legs

• In deep end, hold on to edge of pool with right hand so that body is perpendicular to edge; tuck knees into chest to place both feet flat (right stacked above left) against side wall of pool as high as possible.
• Maintaining hand grip throughout the water aerobics exercise, jump feet off wall and extend legs as you engage abs to bring body as parallel to surface as possible in a side-plank position (left hip now stacked above right).
• Return to tuck and continue for 1 minute. Switch sides and repeat for 1 minute. (See how to do a burpee—the right way.)

Targets back, shoulders, arms, chest, and abs

• Sit on kickboard with knees together, legs dangling or skimming bottom of pool.
• Extend arms in front of you, palms facing away from each other, then sweep arms out to sides (as if doing a breaststroke).
• Continue stroking across pool for 30 seconds, then switch stroke to go in opposite direction: Bring arms out to sides with palms facing forward, elbows slightly bent, then sweep arms together in front of you.
• Continue for 30 seconds, squeezing shoulder blades throughout the swimming exercise as you push forward and back.

Targets back, arms, abs, butt, and legs

• With your back to edge of pool, hold kickboard with both hands so that it's vertical (rounded edge up) and half of it is below surface of water.
• Push off wall with feet, holding kickboard in tombstone position, and kick as hard as you can toward opposite side of pool.
• Continue for 1 minute.

Make this water aerobics exercise harder: Hold kickboard horizontally and completely submerged. (Related: You Can Do This No-Swimming Pool Workout on Dry Land, Too)

Targets abs and legs

• Tread water in deep end of pool, arms out to sides and legs extended beneath you.
• Engaging abs, squeeze legs together and sweep them backward, bending knees slightly, then quickly extend them forward (like a dolphin's tail); counterbalance motion by sweeping arms through water in opposite direction of legs.
• Continue for 1 minute.

Swimming exercise tip: Your whole body should crack like a whip; initiate the movement from your core, not your legs.

Targets back, shoulders, arms, and abs

• In rib-deep or waist-deep water, stand with feet wide, grasping each end of kickboard with thumbs on top; hinge forward from hips 45 degrees with back flat and elbows bent by sides so that board is in front of chest.
• Push kickboard diagonally down under water, extending arms and squeezing abs, then bend elbows to scoop board back up to chest like a biceps curl.
• Continue for 1 minute.

Swimming exercise tip: Splash as little as possible to ensure you're focusing on your core and arms. (Related: Cool New Water Workouts That Have Nothing to Do With Swimming)

Targets abs, butt, hips, and inner thighs

• Treading water in deep end, grasp each end of kickboard and hold it above your head.
• Extend legs below you.
• Flexing feet, bend knees to bring heels toward butt and quickly press legs down and diagonally outward to thrust body out of water a bit, toes pointed.
• Extend legs below you; repeat for 1 minute.

Make this water aerobics exercise easier: If holding kickboard overhead is too difficult, just raise hands above head or let them float by sides.

Targets triceps, abs, and obliques

• Begin with your back facing side wall of pool and place palms on edge behind you, fingertips facing forward; bend left knee to place left foot flat against wall and raise straight right leg to hip height in front of you.
• Straighten arms to lift out of water (similar to a land-based triceps dip); lower to start.
• Do 10 reps; switch legs and repeat.

Make this water aerobics exercise easier: Keep both knees bent and both feet flat on wall. (If booty scrapes the edge, you can also do this in corner of pool.)