Many people avoid exercise because they assume that they are too out of shape to get started or fear that they will get injured or their muscles will ache after workouts. Sound familiar?
If so, water exercise could be your solution. It involves much more than swimming. A good water workout may include jogging, pushing and pulling — all in the water.*
Key advantage: The buoyancy of water reduces your “weight” by 90% to 100% (depending on the depth of the water), so there’s far less stress on your joints and muscles.
This makes water exercise an excellent option for people with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or back problems. It’s also ideal for those with peripheral arterial disease (reduced blood flow to the extremities) or other circulatory problems — the force of water against your body stimulates blood circulation.
Don’t assume that you can’t get a good workout from water exercises. When done properly, this form of exercise can boost your cardiovascular fitness.
Water exercise also improves muscular strength, endurance and flexibility — all of which help with daily activities ranging from grocery shopping to gardening.
Water exercise is safe and comfortable. Water’s natural buoyancy — it resists downward movement and assists upward movement — allows you to virtually eliminate any jarring physical impact on your lower body, especially your hips, knees and ankles.
The gravity-defying effects of water also eliminate any risk of falling during your workout. In addition, water’s natural resistance — currents push and pull against the body — strengthen your “core” muscles (the abdominals and back) to improve your posture, promote better balance and reduce low back pain.
The following workout, which is a good introduction to water exercises, is best performed in a water depth slightly above the navel. Perform the workout at least twice weekly — ideally, in addition to exercises on land, such as walking.
JOG AND SCULL boosts heart health. What to do: Begin by moving your hands across the water’s surface as if smoothing sand. This movement, called sculling, helps promote balance. While keeping your ears, shoulders and hips in a straight line, jog up and down with your knees raised high, as if marching, and continue to scull with your hands just beneath the water’s surface.
Jog up and down the lanes of a lap pool. (If the pool ranges from shallow to deep, run side to side across the shallow end.) Continue for three to five minutes, increasing to 10 minutes or more as you build stamina. In addition, aim to gradually increase your speed and the height of your knees as you jog.
TANDEM STAND promotes balance and reduces your risk of falling on land. What to do: Stand with one foot in front of the other as if walking on a line. Move your arms so that you alternate with one arm in front and the other one behind the hips. As you move your arms, the water currents will challenge your balance and strengthen your core. Continue for 30 seconds to one minute, then switch feet front to back. Repeat three to four times.
ROCK FORWARD, ROCK BACK improves posture and back strength. What to do: While standing on one leg, tilt your upper body forward with your other leg bent at the knee and your hands held flat in front of you for balance.
Then rock back and pull your arms slightly back, while squeezing your shoulder blades together and keeping your hands turned so that your thumbs are pointed upward. Switch legs and repeat. Perform one to three sets (eight to 15 repetitions each).
You don’t need your own backyard swimming pool to perform water exercise. Nonprofit organizations, such as the YMCA/YWCA and Jewish Community Centers, operate approximately 4,000 swimming pools across the US. Memberships, which range from $30 to $90 monthly depending on location, are often less expensive than those at for-profit health clubs. Municipal pools also are common in the US. Many do not charge admission, and some offer water exercise classes.
*Check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program. Water exercise may not be recommended if you have a skin condition, such as psoriasis, or have recently undergone surgery.
