Water,
It's Not Just for Swimming Anymore
The
Benefits of Water Aerobics
Sandy Sakwa, Water Aerobics
Instructor
Fresh Air, water,
friends and music---sound like fun? You bet, but it's more
than that. It's a great way to stay fit in both body and spirit.
Recent
research has shown that water aerobics provides three of the benefits
that exercisers want most. It provides a significant cardiovascular
workout, helps you lose body fat and gain strength. Research in
both shallow and deep water indicates that training in water can
significantly improve cardiovascular endurance. The result? Healthier
heart and lungs. And lets not ignore the role cardiovascular
exercise plays in the increased metabolism of calories.
What
about strength? Moving through water is like"lifting
liquid weight--the more force you use, the higher the resistance
forces that act against youî. This means that stronger you get,
the harder you work. Water provides you with a workout that
is customized to your abilities. It also means that you get
out of it what you put into it.
How
does water aerobics work to strengthen abdominal muscles? This might
surprise you. When you think of abdominal exercise, you probably
think of those abdominal crunches that are so popular in gyms and
TV commercials. Vertical water exercise allows you to strengthen
muscles in a functional, upright position. Every vertical exercise
we do in the water utilizes the core muscles as stabilizers and
this is accentuated when we walk or run through the water, adding
increased resistance against those stabilizers. Do you remember
when you first began to exercise in water? If you think back,
you will realize that your ability to ìcontrolî the water has increased
significantly. This is a sign that you have increased the
strength of the core stabilizers , the abdominal and back muscles.
If
youíve been coming to water aerobics for a while, youíve probably
also gained cardiovascular endurance, the ability to increase heart
and respiration rate and keep it elevated for longer periods of
time. Studies show that intensity levels vary with the exercisers
skill level and motivation. Motivated, more highly skilled exercisers
are able to achieve higher heart rates than non-skilled participants.
If you are a beginner, be patient and give yourself time to adapt
to the water environment and learn the skills.
Like
most things in life, what you put into your water aerobics exercise
session will affect how much you benefit. The hour you spend
in the pool is your time to focus on achieving the benefits of health
and fitness. On those beautiful sunny days, try to resist
the temptation to turn the hour into a social hour. But if
you find yourself caught up in conversation, remember to respect
the needs of your fellow students and take your conversation to
a distant corner of the pool.So add a little water to your workout.
Last but not least, your effort will result in decreasing stress.
You will get stronger, healthier and of course, have fun!
See you in the pool.
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