If the treadmill or elliptical doesn’t appeal to you, you can don your swimsuit and try water aerobics. The pool-based exercises are particularly beneficial for older adults and others who don’t want to put a lot of stress on their joints.
Water aerobics classes usually use music to make workouts fun, and instructors might stand up on deck to demonstrate moves or join you in the water. Deep-water aerobics may require special flotation belts to provide stability and buoyancy.
“There are actually multiple types of water aerobics classes,” says Angel Ruest, a group fitness instructor at Life Time Fitness in Westminster, Colorado.
Classes may focus on cardio or strength training, Ruest says. Class types may include Aqua Zumba, water yoga, or deep aqua walking or jogging.
No matter which type of aquatic exercise program appeals to you, water aerobics can offer some universal benefits to people of all ages.
Benefits of Water Aerobics
1. It’s Low Impact
Ruest says that the top benefit of water aerobics is that it is easy on the joints.
Because your body becomes more buoyant in water, there’s less impact on joints, bones, and muscles. The water’s resistance also slows down your movements and keeps them fluid, meaning there’s less jerkiness or risk of injury.One research review found that water aerobics helped people with osteoarthritis and people who are overweight find relief from stress on their joints, lowered the intensity of their pain, and improved their quality of life.And because the low-impact nature of water aerobics can make it more comfortable to exercise, you might be able to work out for longer.
2. Water Aerobics Builds Community
Ruest frequently sees how water aerobics helps to build community and gets older adults out of their home and into interactive social situations. And research suggests that socializing may improve older adults’ cognitive function in daily life.Water aerobics classes can be a fantastic opportunity to get out of the house and meet some new friends and members of the local community. Plus, exercising with friends may make it more fun, which could help you stay engaged and more consistent with your workouts.
3. Your Brain Gets Benefits
Not only is water aerobics a physical workout, it also works out your brain.
A meta-analysis of 10 studies found that physical exercise improved the cognitive function of older adults.
Plus, aquatic exercises improve blood flow, which has also been shown to benefit your memory and cognition.
4. You Get a Full-Body Workout
“Depending on the type of class and water depth, water aerobics really is a full-body workout,” Ruest says.
Aqua fitness targets your heart and muscles at the same time.You may aqua jog or walk as part of the workout, using your legs and core for stability. Water weights or above-water hand motions are likely to be part of the workout routine, as well.This gives you a workout focused on both strength and cardio, since the water adds resistance to your movements.
5. You Build Cardiovascular Fitness
Water aerobics is a highly cardiovascular activity. Though it may not raise your heart rate as much as exercise on land, it still gets your heart pumping and your lungs working. And improved cardiovascular fitness can help you in daily life, with climbing stairs, walks, bike riding, or gardening.Plus, just being in the water benefits your heart by helping it move oxygen more efficiently to the muscles you’re using during exercise. So even if you have a heart-related health condition, you might be able to enjoy water aerobics without worry about your heart working too hard.That said, before starting any aquatic exercise, ensure that your vital signs are stable and your doctor has given you the go-ahead. Water exercise is therapeutic and fun, but it may overload your heart if you have a condition that’s not being properly treated.
