Yes, hot tubs are great for relaxing and healing, but did you know they can also be used as workout tools? The naturally hot and steamy environment provided by a spa accelerates your heart rate and increases your range of motion, according to Livestrong.com, so adding these exercises to your workout routine to a tub soak may be a great way to improve your health.
Jogging In Place
Cardiovascular exercise is a wonderful way to tone your body and keep your heart in shape, but it is also one of the toughest forms of exercise to get back into when you’ve taken a break. It’s hard on joints and muscles, but that can be countered by the support the water offers. Begin by doing simple workouts like jogging in place or jumping up and down.
Strength Training
Because of the much lower impact of water exercise, the hot tub is a good place to begin strength training. Simple tools-free motions like squats or lunges will provide muscles with a workout without the accompanying load on parts of your body you’re not targeting.
Resistance Workouts
Floating weights are easily purchased at health gyms or online, and a pair of them can vastly improve your muscle tone if you use them in the hot tub regularly. They are constructed to provide resistance when pushed down and pulled up through the water. You can also find resistance by pushing against the jets of the hot tub with hands or feet.
If you already have your own hot tub and would like to increase your physical activity, the spa is a great place to start. Not only does it offer a range of activity, working out in water lowers stress on joints and muscles, which is especially good for those who have not worked out in a while. But with all of these exercises, be sure to monitor your heart rate and your physical well being constantly. If you feel faint or nauseous, or your heart begins to beat faster than feels comfortable, stop the activity and climb out of the tub.
Happy Tubbing!
Ethel Elliott
