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During the summer, a dip in the swimming pool to cool off can be used for a quick, effective and easy-on-the-body workout. Aquarobics can be a fun and effective form of exercise. It is simply an aerobics class in water - following the same format as aerobics, but in a pool.
The water makes exercises far harder as it provides about 12 times the resistance of out of water exercise. It also reduces impact because the water supports you while you are exercising, meaning no jarring or pounding on joints and bones. It can be done by seniors, children and anyone in between, including people with physical limitations. Aquarobics provides a good cardiovascular workout while also helping to tone and define muscles. Additional equipment, such as floats or paddles, may be used in the class to increase resistance. Most exercises can be adapted to water, especially with the help of equipment that adds resistance or helps you float, and they can be done in shallow or deep water. Shallow-water classes use kickboards and buoys for the post-aerobics toning, deep-water classes have AquaJogger belts and hand weights. Water classes often are used as therapy, for people with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue and other ailments.
CREATE YOUR OWN AQUAROBICS WORKOUT
Warm-up and cool-down exercises: Interlock your fingers and stretch your arms up, leaning to both sides. Stretch your neck by looking up, down and to either side. Roll your shoulders forward and backward. Bring each knee up to your chest, flex your foot and rotate your ankle. Do underwater lunges.
Aerobic exercises: Jog (stationary) underwater, bringing your knees high and landing flat-footed. Lift each foot forward, touching it to the opposite hand, and switch back and forth. Repeat "Cross-country skiing" – Take a long stride forward with one leg while pulling the opposite arm back underwater. "Sprints" – Stationary run while pumping your arms in the air, like punching the sky.
Toning exercises: With a board under each arm (shoulders at 90-degree angle with body), place a buoy between your thighs and float with your weight on the boards. Bring knees up and down underwater, flexing your abs. Knees still bent, pull your lower body from side to side through the water. Remove the buoy, make an L at your waist and open and close your straightened legs.
If you are unfit, a poor swimmer or have difficulties climbing in and out of the pool only exercise when someone else is home. If you don't have a pool call in to your local municipal pool, they often organise aquarobics classes and whilst the instructor will speak spanish you simply need to copy what everyone else is doing until you get the gist. Related articles
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