Water Aerobics

The advantages of working out under water

Water aerobics exercise is a great way for senior citizens to stay fit without putting too much stress on their bodies. The water displaces most of your weight, so water aerobics is easier for people with arthritis, back problems or other joint issues. The pool’s water also creates resistance, pushing back against your body during each movement. A good water aerobics routine is generally about 30 to 45 minutes. Many classes include an instructor and music, but you can also create a personal water aerobics exercise program and do it on your own. Be sure to warm up and cool down the same as you would for regular land exercise.

Advantages

Almost anyone can safely participate in a water aerobics exercise routine. It is a great fitness choice for senior citizens and others who cannot handle high-impact activities. A typical water aerobics workout will burn around 400 to 500 calories in 45 minutes. Another advantage of water aerobics over regular land exercise is that the water can cool the body during the workout. This is especially important for seniors who have to be careful about heat exhaustion.

Challenges

The one drawback to water aerobics exercise is that you obviously need a pool. This is no problem if you have your own, but may become a hassle if you have to constantly use a friend’s pool. Gyms seniors’ centers or community centers often have pool access for a fee. Many gyms are even offering water aerobics classes, so it may be worth the membership fee to have a group to exercise with. Gyms and community centers may require footwear, so be sure you have some quality water aerobics shoes before attending classes.

Increase the Intensity

As you progress, you may feel that your water aerobics routine is not challenging enough. The farther underwater you are, the less work your body has to do. This means you will also burn fewer calories than you would by exercising on dry ground. To add intensity to water aerobics exercises, simply step up into shallower water so that more of your body is out of the water. This reduces the amount of work done by the water and forces your body to do more. However, this will put more strain on your joints and back, so be careful when increasing the intensity. Proceed slowly, moving into shallower water as your body adjusts to the previous depth. If you feel pain, move back into deeper water to perform your water aerobics routine.