Pool Noodle Water Exercises

Tuesday, July 18 2023

The pool noodle’s versatility makes it an incredibly powerful piece of fitness equipment for water workouts. Join Jenni Lynn for Noodle Core & More, a 50-minute shallow water workout. Discover a variety of ways to use the noodle for core, muscular endurance, balance and more.

One of the most popular Poolfit videos is Noodle RX, a pool noodle exercise video with Jenni Lynn that was filmed in 2019. Noodle RX is also one of the most viewed video previews on Poolfit’s YouTube channel. Therefore, we thought it was time to film a follow-up. Noodle Core & More utilizes a medium density noodle and takes viewers through a series of exercises holding the noodle for resistance (tied and untied), placing it under the feet for leg work and balance, as well as seated and behind the back positions for challenging core work. 

NOODLE VERSATILITY
Upper Body Resistance – the noodle can be held in your hands and pushed and pulled against the water’s resistance for upper body muscular strength and endurance training.
Tied – the noodle can also be tied into a knot to increase the surface area as you push and pull in the water’s resistance.
Lower Body Resistance – the noodle can be stepped on with one or both feet and pressed down and up for leg training.
Seated flotation – the noodle can be sat on for lower body and core training.
Reclined flotation – the noodle can be placed behind the back or under the arm pits for some challenging core and leg work. 
Prone flotation – the noodle can be held below the body in a plank position with feet touching for some creative core and leg exercises.  It can also be held in a prone position with feet not touching for even more innovative core training. 
Support – the noodle also provides stability and balance for those who want to exercise, or water walk in the pool, but are concerned about their balance. 

NOODLE SIZE & QUALITY
Similar to foam dumbbells, it is important to choose a noodle that is not overly dense so that you can exercise with good form. The larger the diameter of the noodle, the more the density. Check your local pool store and you will likely see medium-sized noodles and larger ones. Consider having both sizes at the pool because certain exercises work better with one or the other. Standing on the noodle with both feet can be incredibly challenging with a high-density noodle. Caution needs to be utilized as the noodle can explode up due to buoyant forces if you lose your balance. For these standing exercises you should have a medium sized noodle on hand. Noodle quality is also important. Medium-sized noodles purchased at a Dollar or grocery store typically have a hole in the center, which makes them less sturdy.  For fitness activities, consider investing in solid-core noodles, such as the Sprint Noodle that Jenni Lynn used in the video. You can also trim the noodles to take out some of the length if the exercises feel awkward. 
Watch Jenni Lynn talk more about her workout below.


WORKOUT-AT-A-GLANCE
This 50-minute pool workout includes a warm-up, cool down, and five exercise segments.
Segment 1:  Core & Toning
In the first block of this segment, seven exercises are performed holding the noodle in an arched position. The same seven exercises are then performed holding the noodle horizontally on the surface, along with some intensity options. The seven exercise are performed one last time in the “challenge” round in which the participant gets to choose between arched or horizontal. 
Segment 2:  Dynamic Leg Press
Enjoy some lower body training by placing one foot or both feet on the noodle and performing pressing movements and variations. 
Segment 3:  Bring it Back
This segment includes both seated and behind-the-back noodle positions and is all about core training.
Segment 4:  Forearm Plank Series
Held beneath the body in a prone position, the noodle allows for some creative planking exercises in the water’s buoyancy. 
Segment 5:  All Tied Up
The noodle is tied into a knot and used for upper body resistance training in this segment. 

Poolfit extends a big thank you to Jenni Lynn for sharing another pool noodle workout video.
Check out Jenni Lynn’s library of Poolfit videos and stay tuned for more videos from both her and her husband, Chris LaCour.   

Author: Mark Grevelding is the founder of Fitmotivation. He is also a training specialist and consultant with the Aquatic Exercise Association’s (AEA). Mark has been active in the fitness industry for 22 years as a group fitness instructor, personal trainer, international presenter and a continuing education provider for AEA, AFAA & ACE.