I warm up
Standing with your torso straight to protect your back, raise your left knee to your chest, while punching in front of you with your right arm. Then switch sides. For all exercises, remember to exhale well during the exercise. Repeat until you feel a slight lack of breath and a little heat in the muscles.
For more intensity
Use foam dumbbells or mini fins with foot flex.
Benefits.
A general warm-up of the body, this exercise works the heart and all other muscles, as well as the joints. Strengthens the deltoids (muscles that form the shoulders), triceps and biceps.
Shape my legs and my butt
Standing with your feet together, perform small jumps by spreading your legs and raising your arms to the sides, then turn with your feet together, lowering your arms along your thighs. Do 15 to 30 movements, repeating 4 times, leaving a recovery time of 15 seconds between each set.
For more intensity
Use palmed gloves or dumbbells.
Benefits
This very cardio exercise also strengthens the abductors (muscles on the outside of the thighs), the adductors (inside the thighs) and the gluteus medius.
I strengthen my heart
In a sitting position – the feet should not touch the ground – perform leg kicks at the same time as chest movements with the arms. Hold for 15 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds. Repeat 8 times.
For more intensity
Bring mini-fins and webbed gloves. The more athletic can also pick up the pace.
Benefits
Cardio and very complete, this exercise uses the upper and lower body, as well as the abdominals to maintain balance, especially in the sea where the waves can destabilize.
I improved my posture
Standing, open one leg extended to the side, the tip of the foot flexes inward to preserve the knees. There is no need for force while trying to open the hip, lift the leg until the end of the joint. Then switch sides. To exercise your upper body, keep your arms extended towards the sky, in line with your shoulders. Do 30 alternating right and left leg lifts, then 30 right and 30 left, with a 15-second recovery time between each set.
Benefits
This excellent core work strengthens the deep muscles, also called stabilizing muscles (transversal, dorsal, pelvic-trochanteric muscles, etc.), which protect the ligaments, tendons and joints.
I strengthen my thighs and abs
Standing with your back straight, raise one straight leg in front of you, then the other, keeping your arms on the surface of the water in front of you, the width of the shoulders. Exhale during the effort to better engage the transverse muscle needed to hold the pelvis. Do 4 sets of 20 sets, with a 15-second break between each.
For more intensity
Palmed gloves and mini-fins allow you to engage the transverse muscle even more (which makes your waist slim and your stomach flat!).
Benefits
The straight leg increases the strength of the thighs while requiring more of the abdominals to maintain balance.
I strengthen my abs and triceps
Stand with your arms outstretched in front of you, shoulder width apart, hands flat. Lower your hands into the water to bring them back to either side of your thighs while simultaneously raising your knees toward your chest, then raise your arms to the surface while lowering your knees to return to the starting position. Repeat 30 times.
For more intensity
Wear webbed gloves.
Benefits
It strengthens the abs, the rectus muscles in particular (the famous “chocolate bars”), the thighs and the triceps.