Best Pool Exercise Equipment for Strength Training
Not all pool exercise equipment is built for strength. Foam and plastic devices give great cardio, but they lack the load bearing you need to get stronger. If strength training in water is your goal, look for equipment that gives you real weight you can add to over time.
New to training in water? Our Aquatic Fitness Guide covers the basics. Here, we'll walk through the main types of pool exercise equipment and what each one really does for strength.
What to look for in pool strength equipment
Strength comes from working against real load, and adding a little more as you get stronger. So the best pool exercise equipment for strength should give you weight you can feel, and a simple way to change it.
It also helps if it's low tech and portable. Gear you can pack for hotel pools, gyms and anywhere is gear you'll actually use.
Foam and plastic buoyancy devices
Foam dumbbells, noodles and plastic floats are the most common pool gear around. They're fun, and they give great cardio.
The catch is that they float. Instead of pulling down like a weight, they push up against you, and most of the resistance comes from drag as you move them. That's a good workout, but foam and plastic devices lack the load bearing needed for strength training.
Drag resistance devices
Paddles, webbed gloves and similar gear add surface area, so the water pushes back harder as you move. The faster you go, the more you feel.
That's great for keeping your heart rate up. But drag fades the moment you slow down, and it's hard to measure or add to in steady steps. For a deeper look, read Water Weight vs. Drag Resistance.
Water weight: AquaBLAST
AquaBLAST is a bag you fill with pool water. Below the surface it is weightless, so it's easy to get into position before each lift. When you lift it above the water, gravity kicks in and you feel every pound you put in.
Even underwater, it's still working. A full bag is a 45 or 55 pound mass you have to push, pull and control through the water, so you get water weight and drag together. It's unlike anything else out there.
Water weighs about 8 pounds per gallon, so you choose your load by how much water you add. The AquaBLAST 20 Liter holds up to about 45 pounds, and the AquaBLAST 25 Liter holds up to about 55 pounds.
AquaBLAST has two basic setups. Completely filled with water, it's your underwater bag for step-ups, kettlebells, bowling and more, and you can take it from below the water to above it. With an air and water combination, the bag becomes more buoyant the more air you add, which limits the types of exercises you can do. Most underwater exercises won't work, but it opens up others. At 1/2 to 1/3 full, try the wave machine, chest roll and push-pull. On the wave machine you get buoyant resistance, drag and weight all in one. At 1/4 full, or about 10 pounds, the bag floats tipped to one side. That's great for most above-water lifting and for buoyancy resistance exercises like mountain climbers and planks.
The empty bag weighs about 3 pounds. To make it lighter, replace water with air. Open the zipper and squeeze the sides of the bag or tip it to drain some water. Then slightly lift the bag up to the waterline by the finger pull with one hand and pull the zipper closed with the other. That traps air inside. For more air, open the air valve and blow some in.
A lighter bag has a bonus for core moves like mountain climbers and planks. Fill the bag 1/4 full, or about 10 pounds. The air inside makes the bag difficult to push below the water. Hold both handles. If you are centered above the bag, your weight will push the bag underwater with a lot of upward buoyant force, but you can get into a great mountain climber or plank position in any level of water. Then, as you get stronger, add water and move into lifts.
Every bag includes a kickboxing harness and waterproof Workout Cards. Want to anchor it for kickboxing? The ClingFish Effect suction tether is a separate optional add-on that can hold up to 50 pounds of force. It easily holds the bag in place to create a kickboxing platform in 3 to 5 feet of water.
Comparison table
| Type | How it works | Best for | Load for strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foam and plastic | Floats and pushes up; resistance from drag | Great cardio | Little |
| Drag devices | Resistance from moving through water | Cardio and some resistance | Depends on how fast you move |
| AquaBLAST | Real water weight plus drag from a heavy mass | Strength training, plus cardio | Up to about 55 pounds |
Our pick for strength
If strength training in water is your goal, real water weight is the way to go. I invented and patented AquaBLAST after a softball shoulder injury, when foam and plastic pool gear gave me cardio but not the real weight I needed to rebuild muscle.
AquaBLAST works best in water 3½ to 5 feet deep, but our deep water warriors can use it at any water level. In fact, if you remove the buoyant foam ring and fill the bag with water, it will sink to the bottom of the pool, so you can use it for retrieval exercises in lifesaving training. Try the moves on our AquaBLAST Workouts page, and check our FAQ for more answers. AquaBLAST is sold at aquablastfit.com and amazon.com/aquablast.
FAQ
What is the best pool exercise equipment for strength?
Equipment that gives you real load you can add to over time. AquaBLAST gives you water weight from about 10 pounds up to about 55 pounds, plus drag from moving that mass through the water.
Are foam dumbbells good for building strength?
Foam dumbbells give great cardio, but they float and push up against you. They lack the load bearing needed for strength training.
What size AquaBLAST should I get?
The 20 Liter holds up to about 45 pounds of water, and the 25 Liter holds up to about 55 pounds. Pick the 25 Liter if you want the most room to grow.
Strength in Water.