Water Exercises - Deep Water Obliques

Susan Foster: Hi! I am Susan Foster, Founder of New Attitude Exercise. Now let's talk about how to do deep water oblique work. The deep water is fabulous for doing all abdominal work because there is no ground to secure against. That means your core is working extra. So let's talk with ski moguls in the deep end. Put on your belt.

Now think about swinging both legs ankles clued together out directly to your side. Good, now swing the knees back to the center of the body and then swing both legs directly out to the side. It's a little hard to do it up on land but in the water it's very smooth and fluid.

Think about kicking your legs all the way up to the surface of the water, good. And your hands will end up being light and lifted as you kick side-to-side. Think about working with the oblique muscle, the love handle, right above the hip area. For the obliques, called the side bike. It looks like you're on a bike but you're laying sideways in the water.

Bring the legs up to the surface of the water, imagine that you're pedaling a bike. Now the pivot point is around the hip. You will go on a complete circle, leave the feet up at the surface of the water and reach both arms long, keep reaching towards the feet.

And as you do this you'll be getting a lot of good cardio work and working the love handles. The deep end is fabulous for working your abs isometrically that means creating a strong, snug core and working through the waves. Try this one, it's called the side flutter up.

Get down to the deep end, do small scissor legs, or ski legs, as we call them. They're quick, they're fluttering. Good, now leave the hands out to the side and if you can imagine your feet are going to flutter up to that hand. Everything is going to happen using the oblique muscles, as your legs flutter up to the surface of the water. Try not to use your hands, pull the feet back down to vertical. And then go again on the other side. Quick flutter ups, strong work on the love handles and pulling-in using isometric contractions in the abdominal area.

Excellent work. Now we're going to go to deep water work, abdominal curls and crunches.