Water Aerobics

A special type of aerobics, water aerobics is ideal for people with joint problems, back pain, frail bones due to illness of age, obese people who want to get in shape without stressing their bodies, or people who get overheated easily.

Water aerobics is based on the same principle as dry-land aerobics: the goal is to get the heart rate up and keep it up, for somewhere between twenty minutes and an hour or more. However, the benefits to working out in a swimming pool are increased, as there is no impact on joints or bones, the water provides resistance which helps strengthen muscles. The gentle qualities of water aerobics are great for people who want a workout that won’t stress their joints, and pregnant women are often advised to do water aerobics.

The advantages of working out in water are more than caloric: the mere sensation of being in water (providing its temperature is comfortable) can soothe pain and give you a different, more pleasurable sense of your body. You don’t have to swim to take part in water aerobics: routines are usually designed to take place in water that’s waist-deep.

Instructors use choreographed moves to music, and some may also use kickboards or weights that fasten around your wrist for added resistance. Water aerobics is a great way to burn calories, melt fat and build muscle doing what you loved to do as a kid: jumping around in a pool.