SWIMMING AND AQUA AEROBICS

SWIMMING AND AQUA AEROBICS

·         Water is the softest medium to work out in, without any fear of injury or impact.

·         Even the most difficult exercises on land seem easy to perform in water.

·         You weigh only 10% of your body weight in water, so it helps you strengthen your joints and cut out any impact while exercising.

·         The water acts as a cushion, thereby preventing any form of injury.

·         Water also offers 13 times more resistance than air, which makes you work harder and burn more calories.

·         An hour of aqua aerobics can burn up to 700 calories.

·         Moreover, these exercises can be done at any age, with only the intensity varying.

1. Specialised workout instruments

·         Due to the buoyancy effect of water, specialized workout instruments are used.

·         These include aqua dumbbells, aqua noodles, rolling pins, aqua gloves (for kick boxing in water), aqua mitts, resistance tubing, aqua discs, floatation balls and bar bells among others.

·         These tools are made of ethafoam, which are specialized lightweight synthetic foam that can load up to 350 pounds (160 kg) when submerged in water.

·         Exercising with these equipments is as much fun as it is effective.

·         The latest trend is the boot camp, where a mix of various forms like tai chi, pilates, yoga and cross-training etc. is provided.

·         The idea is to challenge the body from all angles and increase neuro-muscular coordination.

2. Aqua aerobics and diseases

·         These exercises are known to benefit people suffering from various diseases like arthritis, high blood pressure and obesity, besides maintaining health during pregnancy and post-surgery rehabilitation.

·         Since you weigh only 10% of your total body weight, your joints are unloaded and you can exercise without any pain.

·         In water, because of the buoyancy, the heart can pump blood easier without too much pressure, which can help normalize your BP levels.

·         Moreover, the heat generated in the exercises gets dissipated in water so you feel less tired.

·         You can easily do exercises in water that you find difficult to perform on land.

·         Since you lose more calories due to the intensity of the workouts in water, the weight loss is quite pronounced.

·         These exercises also help in strengthening the back muscles which get weak during pregnancy.

·         There is more flexibility in hip joints which helps during delivery.

·         Water aerobics not only reduces the amount of pain-killing medication women request during labour but also makes it easier for them to give birth.

·         Often after surgeries, movements become stiff, and aqua exercises can help in increasing the flexibility of the muscles and joints.

3. Contra-indications

·         While aqua exercises are recommended for everyone, people suffering from any kind of skin infection, asthma, bronchitis, urinary infection or gynaecological problems should refrain from doing them till they heal completely.

·         Moreover, these exercises too make you sweat, so ensure that you constantly drink water to keep yourself hydrated.

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