Why water workouts are a winning exercise

Exercising in water is not only one of the most refreshing and invigorating workouts you can do but also an effective workout for the health benefits you’ll achieve.  And for those who suffer from arthritic joints or who need rehabilitation from an injury, it can be a lifesaver for remaining physically active in an exercise program.

Even if you don’t know how to swim, water aerobics can be done by most anyone and is perfect for increasing strength, flexibility, and endurance while reducing stress on joints.  What makes working out in water so effective for people with arthritis is the way in which stress is reduced from the joints - when supported by shoulder-depth water your body loses 90 percent of its weight – in waist-high water, about 50 percent.  That’s a huge relief on stiff joints making it an ideal form of exercise.

Working out in water also creates resistance making it just as intense as some types of exercises on land.

Here are some of the top benefits a person can achieve by participating in water aerobics or water workouts:

·      Increases muscle strength – Water is constantly flowing and changing directions making resistance in a pool a challenging workout for the body’s muscles.  People who work out regularly in water can make significant gains in strength, flexibility, and agility.

·      Builds endurance – Unlike traditional weights which require the body to push and pull against the weight plus gravity, water resistance is a more natural resistance requiring the body to strain through the water rather than against it.

·      Increases flexibility – Being in water requires movement in different directions while adjusting to the push and pull of water.  This forces the joints to increase their range of motion adjusting to the motion helping to increase flexibility.

·      It’s a low impact exercise relieving pressure on joints– When in water our body is not subject to gravity.  The buoyancy of water helps take off some of the impact we tend to place on our body due to our own weight.  For example, jogging, places a lot of impact on joints due to the pounding of our body against a hard surface.  Anyone with joint conditions such as arthritis can greatly benefit exercising in water reducing impact of more wear-and-tear activities.  This is why water aerobics is one of the leading forms of therapy for anyone suffering from joint problems.

·      Relieves stress and decreases anxiety – There’s a reason why so many people find being around water relaxing - simply watching water in motion can be one of the most soothing activities helping to relieve stress.  This is often why vacations to beaches and island paradises are such popular getaways.  Just the act of being in water is soothing, relaxing, and can provide significant reductions in anxiety while improving mood and feelings of peace.

·      Burns calories – The combination of strength and cardio workouts mixed with water resistance in aquatic exercise ensures the body is getting a full workout.    Depending on the vigorousness of the workout, a person’s body weight, and water temperature, a person can burn up to 8 to 12 calories a minute.  A 45 minute workout in water would potentially burn up to at least 300 to 500 calories.

·      Reduces blood pressure – The pressure of being in water actually can work with your blood to help enable blood flow to circulate more effectively in the body which in turn, can help reduce blood pressure and resting heart rate.

An excellent water workout is to walk or run in knee-deep water going forwards, backwards, and sideways.  Walking at a steady pace for an hour in water could burn as much as 500 calories. 

Water temperature makes a difference – it it’s too cold (78 degrees or less) then that could aggravate arthritis.  If the temperature is above 88 degrees, your heart rate may increase and it is harder to dissipate heat.  A temperature zone between 83 to 88 degrees is considered ideal when exercising in water.

The nice thing about a water workout is it doesn’t require much special equipment.  Simply wear a swimsuit, or a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.  If the water is chilly, a wetsuit or unitard might be a good investment as it provides additional warmth.  Nonskid, cushioned soles or “aqua” sandals of rubberized material, is a good idea if the bottom surface of the pool is rough or slick.  If exercising in deep water, a flotation belt or vest is also a wise investment.  This will help keep your head above water and free your body for constant motion. 

Unless you have your own private pool, consider joining a gym, health club, or the Y.  Ask your doctor or physical therapist for the most convenient location offering water aerobics in the area you live.