Backyard Pool Workout For Water Polo Players

For who? Swimmers, triathletes, water polo playerss
For what? Functional movement, strength, Endless Pool workouts

In these trying times, many athletes are stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic. They have no access to gyms, pools and in some cases, even their nearby beaches, tracks, fields and parks. But a few lucky athletes - especially those who play water polo or swim competitively - have backyard pools (either in-ground or above ground). They can very effectively and efficiently use 8-12 meter small home pools to maintain their strength, speed and stamina with KAATSU Aqua Bands and elastic bands [see photos on left].

Olympic swim team coach Chris Morgan who also played and coaches water polo developed the following backyard pool drills and workout for those aquatic athletes who are under quarantine at their home. This specific workout is designed for players with a backyard pool and a tether of some sorts similar to the ones shown on left:

Warm-up:
• with water polo ball and “untethered”
[8x]
• hold ball like kickboard / kick against 1 wall for :20 seconds
• switch to holding ball against wall with feet / reverse sculling face down ~:20 seconds until breath
• :20 shallow water eggbeater while juggling ball left to right hand
• :20 seconds rest then repeat 6x

Main-set #1
• tethered pole [8x]
• 20 super slow freestyle cycles (1 left + 1 right = 1 cycle)
• all out flutter kick with face down until breath is needed
• :15 seconds rest

Main-set #2
• tethered pole [8x]
• ~20 seconds all out front sculling with WP ball between knees
• grab water polo ball
• ~20 sec easy breast kick or eggbeater while “resting” on water polo ball

Main-set #3 - more swim specific
• tethered swim
• 5 minutes continuous (:45 second moderate freestyle / :15 second easy sculling)
• 5 minutes continuous (:45 second moderate freestyle / :15 second NO breath flutter kick)
• 5 minutes continuous (:45 second moderate freestyle / :15 head-up long-arm dog paddle)

Cool-down
• untethered with water polo ball
• while standing on bottom of pool, walk around perimeter of pool (~2 feet from wall) and “dribble” against the side
• 2-3 tours clockwise and then 2-3 tours counterclockwise

Upper photo shows Jack Butera in a home pool in Florida. Lower photo shows Annabelle Paterson in New Zealand.

Coach Morgan also incorporates KAATSU the original BFR into his backyard pool workouts.

End Copyright © 2020 by KAATSU Backyard Pool