2023-08-06 10:00:12
When Kelly Amerson López discovered aquatic exercise, it was not quite what she expected. She was in her late 30s and a fitness buff who had run half marathons in New York’s Central Park. One day, at the gym, she bumped into a group of people using the pool. They were running in place and spinning in chest-deep water, the instructor looking more like a sergeant than an aqua aerobics teacher.
“It looked like they were working out really well,” he said.
Lopez began taking aquatic exercise classes and discovered that running in deep water helped her develop more upper-body strength than running on land. Since then, at age 68, she has incorporated pool exercises into his exercise routine.
Pool exercises are often associated with older people or those recovering from injuries, but they can also be a different, lower-impact form of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) than it is done on land. For example, it’s easier to balance on one foot without falling over or to do explosive jumps where your knees come up to your chest.
Plus, “it’s 360 degrees of resistance in every direction,” said Laurie Denomme, a fitness instructor from Bradenton, Florida, who has taught these aquatic routines for 30 years. “Whether you’re moving up, down, left, right, in circles, you’re always working against resistance.”
Why exercise in the water?
Aquatic exercise refers to any type of training that is done in a body of water that does not consist of swimming. It’s typically done in chest-deep water, so you can push off hard from the bottom or jog in place while benefiting from the resistance your entire body must exert.
Exercising in the water doesn’t make your heart beat as fast as it does on land because of the hydrostatic pressure of the water, which pushes blood back to the heart. Although you may not feel like you’re getting a good workout, there’s reason to believe that you are: Studies have shown similar improvements in fitness (both aerobic and anaerobic) between aquatic exercises and treadmill workouts on land.
Aquatic exercise is especially beneficial for those who cannot perform high-impact activities on land. In the water, even people with reconstructed knees They can run and jump.
You don’t face the same kind of ground reaction forces than on land,” said Elizabeth Nagle, an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh who has spent her career studying aquatic exercise. “So it’s much easier on the joints.”
How to start
All you need to start an aquatic exercise program is a swimming pool and a bathing suit (or a shorty wetsuit, if you prefer). Ideally, according to Denomme, the water temperature should be between 28 and 30 degrees Celsius, because it’s warm enough that the body doesn’t have to adapt, but cool enough to prevent overheating.
He suggests starting without any type of equipment to learn to use the resistance of the water and optimize training. Moving slowly through the water, such as jogging in place or doing leg exercises, is good for mobility and balance. Faster movements, such as jumping jacks, provide strength and cardiovascular benefits, Denomme explained.
When working out without equipment starts to feel easy, Denomme recommends using a pair of webbed gloves because they increase resistance and help strengthen your upper body and core. He suggests using nylon gloves, like those from H2O Wear and Hydro Fit, instead of neoprene (which offers too much resistance). Aquatic gloves cost between $10 and $20 a pair.
Most people exercise in the shallow end of the pool, although some end up moving to the deep end, using a flotation belt, to make the routine even more demanding in terms of balance and stability. Many community pools and gyms offer aquatic exercise classes. If you’re looking for workouts you can listen to with waterproof headphones, try Water Exercise Coach on YouTube or the website PoolFit.
To get started on your own, try doing the following routine in a chest-deep pool, which will take about 20 minutes total. Add or subtract time or repetitions to make it easier or harder. Hydration is still important with aquatic exercise, especially on a hot day, so be sure to drink water after your workout.
The warm-up
Before you start, warm up for about five minutes. Spend a minute jogging on the spot in each of the foot positions below to allow the various muscles to stretch and strengthen, Denomme explained. Move directly from one position to another, with no rest in between, at a moderate pace.
Feet slightly apart more than shoulder width apart.
Feet together, one next to the other.
Right foot slightly in front of the left.
Left foot slightly in front of the right.
The toes point out diagonally, like a duck.
The exercise routine
This full-body routine includes high-intensity intervals interrupted by active recovery and can be performed with or without webbed gloves. If you feel unsteady during any of the movements, hold on to the edge of the pool.
The faster, more intense exercises in this workout should be done at 80 percent capacity, when you feel comfortable with them. Try to do the entire routine without breaks, using the slower exercises to catch your breath. If you find it too difficult, pause between movements or slow them down.
Stir the water, one minute in each direction: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and swirl the water around with both hands as if you were stirring a giant pot of soup. Move both arms at the same time or alternate one arm at a time. Circle clockwise and then counterclockwise.
Hilary Achauer is a freelance writer focused on fitness, health, wellness, and parenting.
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