July Workout: Swim and Strength

By Andy Brown, Personal Trainer

Escape the heat and not your workout with this month’s swim and strength routine. This total-body metabolic workout has you getting in (and out) of the pool for a dry land/swim combo guaranteed to tone your muscles and burn lots of calories. It requires minimum equipment and maximum effort, and people of any fitness and swim level (beginner through advanced) can soak up the cardio and strength benefits that this workout yields.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

• Kick board
• Pair of light or moderate dumbbells

THE WORKOUT

1.

Using a kick board, kick two lengths of the pool (50 yds). Remain in the pool and do 12-15 body weight wall push-ups. Repeat four times.

2.

Swim two lengths of the pool (50 yds) freestyle. Hop out of the pool and do 20 squat thrusts with dumbbells. Repeat three times.

3.

Swim four lengths of the pool — two lengths (50 yds) kicking with the kick board and two lengths (50 yds) freestyle. Hop out of the pool and do 25 jumping jacks. Repeat two times.

4.

Swim four lengths of the pool — three lengths (75 yds) kicking with the kick board and one length (25 yds) freestyle. Hop out of the pool and do 30 split-stance stationary lunges with the dumbbells (15 per leg).

A Personal Trainer at Renaissance ClubSport Walnut Creek, Andy Brown has a passion for personal training and instructing and enjoys motivating his clients to the fullest. Andy's athletic background includes his participation in collegiate swimming at the competitive NCAA level, where he learned goal setting for successful achievements. This philosophy carried through participation in local masters swimming where he medaled at the Masters World Games in 2006.