Swimming, particularly using a kick board and doing the frog kick. Rowing, doing squats to increase your ability to stand up and climb ladders with the tank on your back. Core strengthening with Pilates or yoga. Swimming and rowing also strengthen the core. Rowing is one of my favorite cardio exercises as its such a full body exercise, it even helps flexibility. i have a water-rower at home and wouldnt ever want to be without it. Yoga is great for improving your SAC and teaching proper breathing. It will also help flexibility of everything, including your shoulders.
Overall weight training will improve muscle strength for lifting gear to prevent injury. If you can tolerate the stairmaster, its great for increasing lower body strength and endurance/cardio.
When I swim, I also do some underwater breath holds, to help my comfort with breath hold. I believe this is important, since GUE has a breath hold swim requirement every time you take a class with them. Which makes me think its a pretty important skill to have. I usually do several lengths of the pool, trying to increase my distance each time.
I'll be building up a fitness program to go from zero to tech training in the next year because I've actually been in a wheelchair since March due to osteonecrosis in my ankles and knees. I just had one knee surgery and will be having another next month. If you keep in touch with me, I can help you with a program for yourself. I have quite a bit of sports training ( I used to be an athletic trainer in college).
I'm starting with bike and swimming, plus light weights. I can't do much yoga,yet, because I'm still non-weight bearing. I'll start some rowing next week as I increase my weight bearing.
I'm going to PT, where I do my weights.
You can PM me if you need specifics.
