Pool Potential: Making the Most of Water Fitness

By Lisa Codianne Fowler | January 2022

Of all the wonderful ways we can refresh in our pools, water exercise is one of the most gratifying. But not all aquatic workouts are equal. Sarasota resident Mark Grevelding, a personal training and fitness expert with decades of experience, insists that everyone—no matter what their fitness level, body type, or age—can get a great workout in the pool.

Beyond Swimming

“If you gave up on running and other fitness activities because of joint impact issues, or chronic injuries, I have good news for you,” says Grevelding. “With water fitness, you can run again. Working out in the pool enables you to be athletic and achieve your health and fitness goals.” 

All these health benefits are achieved in the low-impact environment of water where uplifting buoyant forces limit stress on joints. Studies have also found that working out in the water burns an average of 400-600 calories in a one-hour workout, while also burning calories and increasing metabolism for up to 24-hours post-workout. One study showed an average of 9.8 calories being consumed per minute during deep water exercise, which is equivalent to calories burned on a 10-minute walk. 

According to medical studies, water fitness has numerous health benefits, including positive impacts on weight loss, cardiovascular health, core strength, bone density, muscular endurance and strength, flexibility, balance and more. 

Deep water exercise is “zero gravity fitness,” meaning zero impact and zero stress on your body, allowing participants to exercise for a longer period and at a higher intensity level. The “zero gravity fitness” experienced in aquatic exercise cannot be recreated in any other environment or achieved on land, offering an enhanced athletic training fitness regimen. 

At your own pace

Thanks to these powerful health benefits, water aerobic classes have become popular offerings at local fitness and aquatic centers. People who prefer to workout at their own pace, on their own schedule, or in the privacy of their own home pool need another option. 

“One thing that I stress is that it’s really important for people to feel comfortable,” says Grevelding, a native of Rochester, New York, who has trained and certified fitness instructors in more than 40 countries. 

To help people who shy away from group classes or want a more tailored experience, Grevelding developed PoolFit.com, an online resource called that offers more than 100 water workout videos available by phone, table, TV, and web browser. All workouts are led by an Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA) certified trainer and personal training instructor, providing an expertly guided workout experience in the comfort of your own pool. 

“All of the pool workouts are led by an extremely well certified qualified instructor trainers, so that you know you’re getting quality, safe, effective workouts,” he explains.

PoolFit.tv water workouts range from water walking, flexibility, yoga, stretching, light cardio, and arthritis workouts, to High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), kickboxing and full body bootcamps, meeting the full spectrum of fitness levels. 

Whether you are an athlete working to hone and build on your strengths or a health-impaired beginner, following a water workout program can dramatically enhance your level of wellness, says Grevelding, “And people love the variety.”

15-Minute High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Pool Workout

While you can view and follow several water workouts for free at PoolFit.tv, here is a shorthand version of an HIIT workout. The terms used are fairly common, but if you are unsure of how to execute the moves described, visit PoolFit.tv to see them in action.

Work Cycle:  

Perform each exercise for 30 seconds. 

Rest 1 minute.

Repeat two more cycles.

• Jumping jacks with arms sweeping horizontally in and out
• Cross country skis with arms sweeping front to back
• Jump both feet side-to-side
  (ski moguls)
• Jump both feet front to back
• Alternating front kicks
• Alternating rear kicks
  (speed skaters)
• Knee-high jogs/sprints in place
• High heel jogs (leg curls)