Summer fitness with Cendrine

MIXING BUSINESS WITH PLEASURE

My name is Cendrine Browne, and I'm a cross-country skiing Olympian. I’m also a Formica Ambassador! With the summer holidays in full swing and kids having fun swimming, why not make the most of time spent in the pool to do some exercise too!

This month, I suggest you use your pool to get back in shape. I’ll show you a few exercises that can be done in any pool – or even in a river or lake if, like me, you don't have a pool!

Warm up by holding on to the edge of the pool with your hands and kicking your feet. This cardiovascular exercise will prepare you for the rest of the exercises! Keep your feet in the water for optimal resistance. Do this 3 times for 2 minutes.

Let's begin our session with upper body exercises! Start with the “Get out of the water” exercise, which will strengthen your triceps. Stand at the edge of the pool and pretend you want to get out of the water. Then, using only your arms (don’t give yourself any momentum with your legs), lift your body up until your arms are fully extended, then lower yourself back into the water. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

The next exercise is the “Butterfly.” Stand in the pool and bring your arms in front of you in the water as if to tap them together and then bring them back behind you. This move will challenge your shoulders. The more open your hands are, the more resistance you’ll create and the harder the exercise will be. If you want to take things up a notch, try passing a small weight from one hand to the other as you bring them together. Do this exercise 10 times.

Now let’s work the lower body with an abdominal and glute exercise. Place your hands on the edge of the pool. Position your body at an angle to the edge. Bring your knee towards you, then, without arching your back, push your heel towards the opposite side of the pool while contracting your buttocks. Do 10 repetitions per leg.

Now stand with your back to the edge of the pool. Grab the edge, and make “V” shapes with your body: lift your legs by contracting your abdominal muscles and push your legs back down to the bottom of the pool. Repeat this exercise 10 times.

Finally, it’s time for some jumping! Have fun jumping as high as possible, bringing your knees as high as possible. Depending on the depth of the pool, this exercise will be different. Jump 10 times if you can!

Have fun!
See you soon with more exercises/tips

Cendrine