If you’re brand new to working out, and are looking for a no-impact way to work your entire body, or if you’ve tried other activities and have experienced joint, knee or back pain while doing them, give water aerobics a try. More and more people are taking their workouts to the water. Not only does water aerobics provide exceptional benefits for your health and joints, but it also allows people of all ages to participate in low-intensity workouts.
Getting started with water aerobics is easy. First, you need to find a pool. Usually your local swim clubs, public pools or YMCAs have designated times and allocated lane space for water aerobics classes. Fitness clubs with pools may also offer water aerobics. Classes are designed with pre-set workouts that change constantly to help target different muscles during every workout.
If you’re looking to start a new fitness routine that gets you in the water, has healthy benefits and is never mundane, water aerobics is for you!
The Benefits of Water Aerobics
Taking your workout to the water has countless benefits that are great for your health, mind and body. Some of the biggest benefits you’ll see are:
- Increase cardiovascular fitness in a low-intensity way
- Burn calories
- Strengthen muscles
- Increase mobility
- Relieve stress
Your joints will celebrate the lightweight feeling you’ll experience during water aerobics. For example, aqua jogging is much easier on your knees than running on a treadmill, and still gives you a cardio workout that burns calories.
Great for senior citizens, those brand new to exercise, and those with minor injuries, the water provides exceptional buoyancy, unlike land-based activities. This helps increase mobility and strengthen muscles in a fun and less-threatening environment compared to other types of exercises you could perform in a gym. Water workouts are great for the muscles, and working up a sweat in the water increases circulation while relieving stress and tension. With water aerobics, you get a full-body workout; the water provides natural resistance against every movement, kick and jab.
Water Aerobics Gear
Besides a swimsuit, water aerobics uses other fitness equipment during classes to ramp up the intensity, or isolate strength training using different muscles. Here’s a quick rundown of what you might see:
- Fitness Gloves: This specific type of glove is designed to increase upper-body strength without injuring the shoulder muscles. Usually fingerless, the glove helps tone muscle during your workout, whether it’s water aerobics or lap swimming.
- Resistance Dumbbells: Super lightweight and soft, the resistance dumbbell increases the effectiveness of your upper-body workout.
- Aquatic Jog Belt: The jog belt helps you maintain vertical balance and neutral buoyancy in the water. In addition to supporting and strengthening your lower back, this belt can help tone your abdominal muscles while you maintain correct posture.
I have never come across anyone who has tried water aerobics and not enjoyed it, so giving it a try is really the first big step. At SwimOutlet.com, water aerobics gear is one of our fastest-growing segments, so that says a lot about the activity’s increasing popularity.