The pool noodle might just be the most underrated piece of equipment for water exercise. This simple foam tool transforms how your muscles work by adding buoyancy and resistance, offering a surprising challenge that can lead to impressive strength gains, bone strengthening, and even cardio benefits.
But that’s not all: because it floats, a pool noodle also doubles as a support for deeper stretches or to assist with balance in the ever-moving aquatic environment. It’s a versatile companion in the water, whether you’re looking to build strength or find stability.
Using a pool noodle for resistance training
Similar to the (incredible) benefits of wearing webbed gloves in your pool workouts, using a pool noodle can give you serious benefits. Buoyant tools like the pool noodle introduce eccentric muscle work similar to lifting weights on land. On land, gravity pulls down, so when you do an arm curl, your biceps work both on the lift and the lowering of the weights. In the water, buoyancy pushes up, meaning any downward movement with buoyant equipment, like a noodle, works your muscles in a unique way.
Try an arm curl with a pool noodle, and you’ll feel it in your triceps—there’s no mistaking the difference. The pool noodle adds versatility to your strength training by engaging your muscles in ways you wouldn’t experience with land-based workouts.
5 ways to use a pool noodle in your water exercise routines
1. Upper Body Resistance
Grab a noodle and push and pull against the water to instantly feel your chest, back, and shoulders working harder. Upper body strengthening is especially important as we age, particularly if walking or biking is your primary form of exercise.
2. Core Work
My favorite way to target the core with a pool noodle is by changing body positions. Sit, kneel, float face-up, side-lying, or even face-down in a plank position for a truly dynamic core workout.
3. Lower Body Resistance
Place the noodle under your foot, and you’ve got yourself an aquatic leg press with added resistance each time you push your foot toward the pool floor.
4. Stretching
The pool noodle can help deepen your stretches. My go-to hip stretch involves placing a noodle under the front thigh while in a lunge, letting the knee float to the surface—it’s a wonderfully gentle way to loosen tight hips.
5. Balance
Use a pool noodle for stability when you’re just starting or finding it difficult to stay grounded in the water’s turbulence. As you get stronger, challenge your balance by leaning to the side or trying different off-axis positions—great for practicing fall prevention.
Try this upper body pool noodle circuit
This upper body workout circuit focuses on building shoulder strength and stability through a series of dynamic movements.
Starting in a plank position, you’ll engage your scapula and alternate arm movements while incorporating head turns. The session progresses to push-ups on a noodle, with options for single-arm variations. It concludes with standing exercises that emphasize shoulder engagement and a brief jog to finish. Perfect for enhancing upper body strength and coordination!
- Scapula Plank
- Push-Ups
- Reach and Pull Exercise
- Jogging
The takeaway
Whether you’re looking to build strength, improve balance, or simply enjoy a new challenge, the pool noodle is your go-to tool for a versatile and effective water workout. So grab one and dive into your next aquatic exercise session!
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