Ever heard of aquabiking? Discover this fitness trend
What's the story
Aquabiking, a hybrid of aquatic exercise and cycling, has gained popularity as a fun and efficient way to stay fit, thanks to its low-impact, high-resistance workouts.
By harnessing the natural resistance of water, aquabiking not only provides an excellent cardiovascular workout but also significantly reduces the risk of injury.
This article presents five water resistance exercises to supercharge your aquabiking performance, focusing on building strength, endurance, and overall performance.
Leg strength
Boost your pedal power
To supercharge your pedal power in aquabiking, incorporate squats into your water workout.
Water squats provide extra resistance compared to land-based exercises, amplifying strength gains.
Begin with three sets of 10 repetitions and progressively increase as your strength improves.
This exercise focuses on the quadriceps and hamstrings, crucial muscles for powerful pedaling.
Core work
Enhance core stability
A strong core is essential for maintaining good posture and balance on the aquabike.
Water planks are a great exercise for strengthening your core by utilizing the resistance of water.
To do a water plank, lean forward in the pool until your body forms a 45-degree angle. Extend your arms straight ahead.
Hold this position for 30 seconds to one minute.
Try to do three sets during each workout.
Arm strength
Improve upper body endurance
Although your legs are the primary movers in aquabiking, strong arms are beneficial for maintaining balance and exerting control over the bike.
Water push-ups provide a low-impact way to strengthen your upper body without stressing your joints.
Use the pool edge or a floating device for stability as you perform push-ups in the water. Aim for two sets of 12 reps each.
Stretching
Increase flexibility and range of motion
Flexibility is crucial for optimizing performance and minimizing injuries in aquabiking.
By doing dynamic stretches like leg swings and arm circles before jumping on the bike, you'll ensure that your muscles are adequately warmed up.
Plus, doing these stretches in water adds a bit of resistance, which improves flexibility even more over time.
Stamina building
Boost cardiovascular endurance
Building cardiovascular endurance is key to lasting longer and pushing harder in your aquabiking workouts.
Water interval training is your secret weapon! By alternating between high-intensity sprints and low-intensity recovery periods, you'll build stamina like a champ.
Start with 30-second sprints followed by one minute of easy pedaling. Aim for five rounds to start, then add more as your endurance improves.