Swimming Equipment for Deep Water Exercises

Using swimming equipment while performing deep water exercises just sounds dangerous. It seems that free hands and shallow water provide the most ideal conditions for underwater conditioning. Athletes and physical therapists, however, find that swimming is not enough and employ specialized equipment designed for greater muscle toning and cardiovascular output.

  1. Upper-Body Resistance

    • Wave webs, hand buoys and delta bells provide resistance for upper-body strengthening. Wave webs look like webbed gloves. Change hand positions in them to both change the surface area of surrounding water and move more fluidly vertically, horizontally, front to back and in circular motions. Hand buoys look like dumbbells. Force exerted in the water with hand buoys changes resistance and assists with flotation. Delta bells are also hand-held devices but resistance is governed by either angling the bells so either the edge or flat side leads movements. Always hold the wrists straight when handling hand buoys and delta bells.

    Abdominal Toning

    • Flotation equipment supports low-impact exercise and allows users to stay on the surface of the water without treading. They also support abdominal toning when used while remaining in a vertical position. The "noodle" looks like its name and is flexible. You can engage core muscles by wrapping it around your upper back and under your armpits, sitting on it and bending it up like a swing, or straddling it. Buoyancy belts are another device that keeps the body afloat in deep water when wrapped around the waist. Maintaining a vertical stance and keeping your feet from touching the sea or pool bottom engages the core.

    Lower-Body Resistance

    • Buoyancy cuffs can be wrapped around the foot above the ankles while wading in deep water for both abdominal and lower-body strengthening. The entire cuff should fit with the buckle facing outward and the ankle strap tucked beneath the feet arches. The cuff positioned above the ankle helps the wearer maintain balance. It is important to maintain proper posture to keep your balance and prevent injuries. If you lose balance, you can inadvertently float onto your back or end up prone in the water.

    Safety

    • Do not mistake deep water exercise equipment for flotation devices. Non-swimmers, especially, must wear a flotation device. Deep water swimming equipment adds weight to routines, and you do not want to drown. For this reason, it is important not to jump into water while wearing belts or cuffs or hand devices without having stable control of them. If you lose balance while wearing buoyancy cuffs, do not panic. From a supine or prone position, pull your knees to your chin. Pull your heels to your bottom and scoop your hand forward to roll forward and drop a leg down.