If the phrase water aerobics calls to mind images of “mommy and me” classes or grannies gently bobbing up and down, we’ve got news for you: This revolutionary water workout routine just came to a pool near you. It combines high-intensity cardio exercises and plyometric power moves with jiggle-proofing resistance bands.

That may sound intimidatingly Olympian, but it’s not. On the contrary, it’s surprisingly easy—and fun. “The buoyancy of water lessens the pull of gravity, making you feel lighter and making balance simple, while also reducing impact on your knees,” says personal trainer and Prevention contributing editor Chris Freytag, who created this routine. “This makes the same moves that would be difficult to do on land feel easier in the pool.” The payoff is powerful: This workout blasts calories, tones trouble spots, and boosts muscle strength—in less than 30 minutes.

We tested our Hydro Belly-Blaster routine on a group of real women wearing heart-rate monitors. On average, the women burned 318 calories in 28 minutes. Katie Kerrigan, 35, torched a whopping 363 calories. “I just had my third baby, and lifting weights in my living room feels too hard,” Kerrigan says. “I really enjoyed this routine. I felt like I could move my body much easier in the water, and it kept me cool.” Do this workout 5 times a week and cut your daily diet by 250 calories, and you’ll be 8 pounds slimmer by the end of summer.

What You’ll Need

A pool where you can stand in chest-deep water
A resistance band; our testers used a SPRI red Xertube ($15; spri.com)
A waterproof watch, timer, or heart-rate monitor to time sets

How To Do It

Start with a 2-minute warm-up of treading water or easy swimming.
Do each Hydro Belly Blaster strength circuit twice.
Between each Hydro Belly-Blaster circuit, do 1 minute each of your Fat-Zapping Cardio Moves.
Cool down with 2 minutes of full-body stretching.
Total workout time: 28 minutes

CIRCUIT 1
HYDRO BELLY BLASTER

1. Tick-Tock With Upright Row
Targets: Legs, shoulders, upper back, abs

Stand on band with both feet, right handle in left hand and left handle in right hand (a). Lift right leg out to side, pulling handles toward shoulders (b). Return to start, and repeat with opposite leg. Continue alternating legs for 1 minute to complete 1 set.

2. Squats To Overhead Shoulder Press
Targets: Legs, butt, shoulders, abs

Stand on band with both feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart, holding one handle in each hand. Squat as though sitting down in an imaginary chair, keeping knees behind toes (a). Pause; stand up, pressing hands overhead (b). Repeat for 1 minute to complete 1 set.

CIRCUIT 2
HYDRO BELLY BLASTER

3. Chest Fly
Targets: Chest, shoulders, abs

Stand with right foot 2 to 3 feet in front of left foot, left foot on top of band, holding handles at chest level with elbows bent (a). Press handles forward, extending arms in front of chest (b). Return to start, and continue for 1 minute to complete 1 set.

4. Overhead Pull With Knee Lift
Targets: Arms, shoulders, back, abs, legs

Start with arms extended overhead, shoulder-width apart, one handle in each hand and band wrapped around hands to reach desired resistance. Lift left knee (a). Lower hands toward water while pulling band out to sides, squeezing shoulder blades together. Simultaneously switch legs, lifting right knee (b). Repeat for 1 minute to complete 1 set.

CIRCUIT 3
HYDRO BELLY BLASTER

5. Knee Tuck
Targets: Abs, butt

Stand 2 feet away from side of pool, feet hip-width apart and hands resting on wall. Draw left knee into chest, rounding back and contracting abs (a). Extend leg behind you, squeezing through glutes (b). Continue for 30 seconds. Switch legs, and repeat for 30 seconds to complete 1 set.

6. Leg Sweep
Targets Legs, butt, abs

Stand with left hand on pool edge, right hand extended overhead. Sweep right leg forward to belly height (a), then sweep it behind you, squeezing glutes (b). Continue for 30 seconds. Switch legs, and repeat for 30 seconds to complete 1 set.

FAT-ZAPPING CARDIO MOVES

Water Run

Keeping abdominals tight, run from one side of pool to the other. Swing arms powerfully through water and lift knees high toward chest. Continue for 1 minute to complete 1 set.

Power Pop-Up

Stand with feet hip-width apart. Lower into a squat, keeping knees behind toes. Then jump, raising arms overhead and lifting feet off pool floor. Land softly in squat position, knees bent. Continue for 1 minute to complete 1 set.

3 Ways To Boost Your Calorie Burn

1. Contract Your Core
Before beginning each move, tighten your abs to keep your balance in the water. Maintain this contraction throughout the exercise, but breathe normally.
2. Watch Your Form
Move quickly to amp up heart rate-the more reps you do in each set, the more calories you’ll burn—but don’t go so fast that you lose control of the movement.
3. Trim With Tunes
Blasting fast-paced pool grooves from your iPod will motivate you to push harder. Keep your iPod safe with water-proof speakers, such as the Eco Extreme Rugged All Terrain Speaker Case ($35, amazon.com).

Check out the whole article with images from the source link below.

Source: www.prevention.com/fitness/fitness-tips/cardio-and-strength-training-water-workout-pool
Image: flickr.com