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For years, people have known that if they want a good, low-impact workout, they should hop in the pool. But for some reason, the spa gets ignored.
Although most people use their hot tubs for relaxation and socialization, spas can also be a great way to incorporate fitness into your daily routine. If you don’t have a full-size pool in your backyard—but you do have a hot tub—you can still get the exercise you need for a fun and fit summer.
“Aquatic therapy has become very popular and allows you to move more efficiently with better technique due to the warmth, buoyancy of the water and low impact on the joints,” says Monique Hollowell, certified personal trainer, fitness expert and CEO of Lafemme Mobile Gym in Sacramento, Calif. “The key is to utilize your space well and conduct movements that give you a good amount of exercise without taking up a lot of space.”
With summer (i.e., bathing suit season) just around the corner, Hollowell says hot tub owners can target every body part and improve their health with daily spa workouts. Just heat up the water, throw on a bathing suit and try the following exercises—you can enhance your overall health and get fit just in time for swim season.
Here are four great things spa workouts can do for you:
1. Relax muscles and increase flexibility
Tight muscles, orthopedic pain and joint inflammation can make it difficult to exercise on a regular, flat surface. That’s why the hot tub is a great alternative.
“One of the main benefits of exercising in warm water is that it helps relax the muscles and decrease tightness,” says ACE-certified personal trainer Jason Boyer of Healthtrack Sports Wellness in Glen Ellyn, Ill. Warm water dilates the blood vessels and heats the muscles, making movement easier and much less rigid.
“When heat is applied to the muscle, the joint is able to move more freely and have a better range of motion,” Hollowell says.
Hot Tub Exercises: Hollowell says that to help decrease muscle tightness and increase flexibility, perform standing calf raises, neck circles and shoulder shrugs for 10 seconds. Repeat each exercise three times.
2. Increase weight loss
Exercising in warm water lessens the impact on your body and relaxes the muscles around the joints. That means people are able to perform more vigorous movements they wouldn’t otherwise be able to do. “Higher-impact exercises are more intense, increasing heart rate and burning more calories,” Hollowell says.
Hot Tub Exercises: Hollowell says to try modified standing jumps, seated squats, and step-ups using the spa seat to increase heart rate and burn more calories.
3. Alleviate arthritis pain
As a former Arthritis Foundation aquatic instructor, Hollowell discovered that individuals with arthritis move more easily in water than on land. “The warm water helps increase blood flow to the muscles, which supports the joints and allows for better movement and less pain,” she says.
Boyer agrees. “When a person is buoyant, impact and joint stress become less of a factor.”
Hot Tub Exercises: Start with a simple stretching routine, and then try balancing on one leg, side bends and the standing arm swim, Hollowell says.
4. Improve muscle tone and decrease cellulite
When you exercise in a hot tub, your body temperature rises, which causes blood vessels to dilate and promotes better circulation, Boyer says. Furthermore, improving circulation and toning body tissues can diminish signs of cellulite, prepping you for an entire summer of pool and spa fun.
Hot Tub Exercises: To burn more calories and improve muscle tone, try standing calf raises, marching in place and push-ups on the ledge of the spa.
NOTE: The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only. The content is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Before starting this or any exercise activities, consult your physician. Do not engage in exercise activities if your physician advises against it.
