The Benefits of Aquatic Exercise

by Jyl Johnson Pattee on July 14th, 2010 | 3 Comments »

Aquatic exercise has recently become one of the more popular ways to get in shape, because it allows you tone and strengthen muscles without putting excessive strain on your joints. It can also help you to lose weight, convert fat to muscle, and give you a cardiovascular workout at the same time. People are finding that there are particular benefits to aquatic exercise that you don’t get when working out at the gym or going on a run. There is a greater resistance to the exercises or movements in the water, because you have to exert energy to push and pull against the water, yet the impact is less on your body.
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Aquatic exercise can take place in a pool, lake, or the ocean, and can range from swimming, water aerobics, physical therapy, strength training, and more. When starting out, I would recommend that you enroll in aquatic water classes, so you can learn the different exercises and related movements under the guidance of a qualified instructor. Later, you can work out on your own, or move on to advanced classes that give you the opportunity to improve your techniques. Local community centers and YMCAs have water exercise and aquatic programs available for you to consider.

Many doctors and physical therapists recommend aquatic exercise since it provides specific cardiovascular and muscle resistance benefits. They also recommend aquatic exercise and water physical therapy for people who are not able to perform even the most basic exercises due to age, injury to their back, knees, or hips, or because they have a medical condition that prevents participation in land-based exercise programs. The buoyancy of the water lessens pain, and increases flexibility and balance.

So aquatic exercise is an activity that allows anyone to exercise in the water, and get a low or high impact workout, depending on what kind of outcome that is desired. I have included some detailed points on the top benefits of aquatic exercise for your reference.

1. Cardiovascular Workout

Aquatic exercise is a great way to get a cardiovascular workout. You can swim, jog, do aerobics and strength building exercises. The water provides resistance that makes aquatic exercise particularly good for elevating your heart rate. So rather than visiting the gym and getting on the treadmill or stair climber, you can go in the pool, ocean, or lake and take a swim or do other water related activities that will give your heart a great workout. And you may not feel as tired, as the water provides support when you are exercising.

2. Less Stress On Joints

One of the major benefits of aquatic exercise is that the water buoyancy allows you to move your body around with much less stress on your joints, because you are working out with less than 100% of your full body weight . In fact, water physical therapy has gained a major following with the baby boomers, the athletic generation, since anyone that has an injury or had to reduce their exercise intensity can still get a workout in the water. Pregnant women have found that being in a pool, or water in general, gives them relief on their joints from the weight of carrying the baby. Senior citizens can really benefit from water aerobics and exercise programs: the water workout can less strenuous, and provide a good social outlet at the same time.

3. Relaxes Your Mind/Release Your Stress

It is understood that the human body has a particular response when it comes in contact with water. Many people have found that just floating in a pool, lake, or ocean gives them a sense of relief or of general relaxation. So if you have had a stressful day, and want a good workout, head down to your local community center or public pool and swim, take a walk or jog, or just float around in the water. You should find that much of your pent up stress will be gone, and you’ll be getting stronger – both in mind and body.

So get in, get wet, and get in shape!

About the Author

Jane Warren is an avid outdoor water enthusiast who enjoys swimming, scuba diving, boating, tubing, and other types of water sports. She and her husband spend 4-6 months of the year in Grand Cayman or other beach locations. They have a boat, and enjoy going out on the water, either just cruising around, or being active in water sport activities.

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Several years ago, Jane suffered an injury that caused her to resort to water aerobic exercises for recovery and rehabilitation. She knew how to swim, but have never considered using the pool and ocean for any other type of workout. Now, water exercises are a part of her weekly exercise program, and she also participates in swimming competitions. Last year she swam in the Flowers 1 mile Sea Swim in Grand Cayman; this year she is competing in a Ironman Sprint relay – and she is starting her team's relay with the swim leg of the race!

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Because of her interest in water sports, Jane started the website www.towabletubesdirect.com, where she provides information and reviews on towable tubes, and other water sports equipment, including kayaks, wakeboards, water trampolines, and related sport accessories. One of the popular towable ski tubes on the site is the SuperSlice. Kwik Tek owns Airhead towables, which is the manufacturer of that towable tube, and many other water sport products.

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Jyl Johnson Pattee

An active part of the Mom It Forward team, Jyl primarily writes about parenting, social good, and all things travel related. In a past life, Jyl was an award-winning copywriter and designer of corporate training programs for Fortune 100 companies. Offline, Jyl is married to @TroyPattee; a mom to two teen boys and a beagle named #Hashtag; loves large amounts of cheese, dancing, and traveling; and lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Topping her bucket list is the goal to visit 50 countries by the time she's 50.