Great Summer Workouts - Just Add Water!
With warm weather season now in full gear, exercisers want to take their workouts outside and breakout of theirindoor fitness ruts. But, when temperatures reach recordhighs and humidity levels soar, traditional outdoorworkouts become less appealing. So how can you stay coolwhile still enjoying outdoor physical activity? One word- water. Water exercises are the perfect way to workoutunder the sun without overheating. You can get a totalbody workout without even breaking a sweat!
And don't worry if you aren't a veteran swimmer. Aquaticworkouts aren't limited to just swimming. There are manyother forms of pool exercises. You don't even have to be aregular exerciser to try aquatic fitness. One of the greatthings about working out in the water is that even fitnessnovices can easily perform many of the moves.
It's also an excellent fitness choice for all ages, fromthe very young to seniors. Water exercise is a very goodway to burn calories, improve your strength andflexibility, tone-up, improve your cardiovascular system,and just get more fit overall. And, the types of workoutsare practically endless. Most land exercises can bemodified and re-created in water. Other benefits include:
- lower injury risk
- less sweating
- works your entire body
- challenges your body in a very different way then it is accustomed to
- refreshing way to workout
- water provides natural resistance so no equipment is needed
- can increase/decrease intensity (difficulty) simply by alternating between shallow and deep areas
- good low-impact exercise choice for pregnant women
- reduces joint compression and downward gravity pull (in other words ~ easier on the joints)
- even people who can't exercise on land can often exercise in the water
- excellent rehabilitation exercise for people
- recovering from an injury
- less stress on bones and muscles
- great option for people with arthritis
Plus, water workouts also provide a fun and more sociallyinteractive exercise option. For example, parents can enjoytime at the pool with their children while also fitting insome of their weekly workout sessions. Aquatic aerobicclasses also provide a social, group-setting alternative.
Still not convinced that an aquatic workout will challengeyour body as well as some of the more common workouts likewalking or jogging. Well, try some of the sample exercisebelow and you'll probably quickly change your mind. But,don't judge the workout solely on how high your heart rategets. Keep in mind that swimmers generate a slightly lowerheart rate when compared to cyclists and runners. This doesnot imply that they aren't working as hard. Experts equatethe lower heart rate partially to the effect of immersionin a relatively cool environment. So, keep this in mindwhen determining your target heart rate, which may be 10beats per minute lower when in the water. Also, don't makethe mistake of assuming you are well hydrated just becauseyour body is submerged in water. You still need to drinkabout - a cup of water about every 20 minutes of exercise.
Swim/Walk interval laps: Swim 1-2 laps (use any swim formyou prefer: crawl, backstroke, etc). Walk 1-2 laps in thepool. Repeat sequence 4-6 times.
Water Squats: Stand in the water with feet about hip-widthapart. Bend your knees slightly as you push your hips backas if you are sitting on a chair. Keep your knees behindyour toes. Return to start position and repeat. The waterprovides extra resistance and makes this move morechallenging.
Wave Jumps (for those with access to the ocean or a wave-simulator): Stand in knee-deep or less water. Each time a wave comes attempt to jump over it. Note: this is a moreadvanced move that requires good balance and strongswimming skills. Do not attempt this move unless you haveexperience swimming in waves.
Water Jogging: Can be done with the use of flotation devices where your feet don't touch the ground or thetraditional way of actually jogging in the water.
Remember, you should always consult your physician beforetrying any new exercise programs.