Planning the tropical vacation of your dreams?

Are you about to buy that beachfront house you’ve always desired?

Or, as early as today, are you already crafting your itinerary for this summer?

Here are 5 water-based fitness exercises you can pursue even when you’re out of town for some needed R&R. You’d be surprised to discover that these aqua workouts can be just as fun as other, more laid back activities.

1. Swimming. What’s a trip to the beach without swimming? Many experts claim that swimming is the best fitness exercise ever invented. It gives each and every muscle of your body a great workout, yet, it’s not as extraneous as other physical activities because the water’s buoyancy provides more than ample support for your joints. The water’s buoyancy also provides sufficient challenge for the level of exertion your body will invest. Swimming is one exercise routine where the subject can control how mild or how intense he wants his workout to be, as the aforementioned level is dependent on how slow or how fast he’d decide to swim.

2. Aqua aerobics. Think of aerobic exercises, only with the support as well as the resistance provided by a buoyant environment. You don’t have to know how to swim. You can do some aqua aerobic exercises on chest-deep water.

3. Rowing. That rowing is merely a workout for the lower body is a common misconception. The fact is, rowing provides a total body workout – it’s just as extraneous for the legs as it is for arms. You can row a kayak by yourself or with a partner. Or you can opt for a team experience and try dragon boat rowing and move in unison to the beat of a gong (or a drum in some cases). You can even try dragon boat racing from some truly exciting and exhilarating experience.

4. Scuba diving. Think of swimming, only, without the necessity of going back to the surface for air and with the most marvelous views you’d be able to experience in your entire life. They say that scuba diving is the most addictive hobby/activity in the world. Try it once and you’ll never live life the same way again.

5. Underwater hockey. Underwater hockey is exactly what its name implies – hockey played underwater. Yes, you will need strong lungs and you will need to be physically and mentally fit to excel in this game. Nevertheless, underwater hockey will prove to be one of the most satisfying aqua sports you’ll ever get to try.

With the hottest months of the year just around the corner, many people are ready to enter “vacation mode.” But the days spent at a resort or by the beach don’t have to be all rest and relaxation.

Your fitness routines don’t have to take a vacation with you.