Staying fit is a challenge at any age. Finding the right exercise routine for your body can be a challenge, too. Balance, strength, endurance, and flexibility are key components to a good exercise program. Dealing with balance issues, osteoarthritis, and knee and hip issues can make exercising difficult. A solution may be right down the hall… Water Aerobics. Here are five good reasons to join the water aerobics classes:
- Low impact: Water places an upward force on a person. This principle known as ‘buoyancy’ means that you can experience as much as 90 percent less weight when in the water. This makes water exercises an ideal activity for a low impact water workout. Water aerobics allows you to perform exercises while placing very little weight on the joints opening up a new opportunity for people of all ages, and varying levels of fitness. (One of the ladies in our classes was in terrible back pain and now is recovered thanks to water aerobics.)
- Improves physical and mental health: The natural resistance of water increases strength while keeping you cool and comfortable. Just 150 minutes of a pool workout per week can help decrease your risk of chronic illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Water aerobics can improve your cardiovascular and respiratory system in the same ways as cycling or running. Water is about 800 times denser than air, so it provides about 12 times more resistance. That means the moves you do in the pool can work your entire body, particularly your arms, legs, shoulders, and core. (Two of the gentlemen in the Men’s Only Class were faced with shoulder issues that the doctor wanted to do surgery to repair. They both now have almost full range of motion in their shoulder that they contribute to water aerobics.)
- Boost confidence: Pool exercise can boost your confidence if you are intimidated by conventional exercise routines. In the water, you are mostly submerged, so no one can see if you get the moves wrong. If you are a beginner, you can build a level of fitness that you can then carry over to feel more confident when exercising on land. Water is naturally supportive. If you lose your footing on land, gravity will take over and you will most likely fall and injure yourself. In water there is no need to worry about falling, water will not allow you to, and it will support you throughout all your exercises.
- Increase calorie burn: Water also has greater resistance than air, which means walking in water requires more effort and ultimately burns more calories than walking on land. Expect to burn between 400 and 500 calories per hour in a water aerobics class, according to the Aquatic Exercise Association.
- It’s a FUN way to exercise: Being in a pool is always splashy fun. Participating in a water aerobics class not only makes you happier and healthier, it is also a great social experience where new friends are made. The forgiving water environment is effective for exercising and enjoyable. You won’t get your hair or face wet. People are friendly (I love watching the big smile on Jane Kinney’s face as she exercises with us).
Check our schedule for classes Monday through Thursday and the pool is open form 7am-7pm for water walking.
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