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Written by Tania
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Water based exercises such as swimming and aquaerobics increase muscle
stamina and strength and improve cardiovascular fitness. The buoyancy
of water and the support it provides means that the risk of injuring
bones, muscle and joints is extremely low.
Swimming is ideal for people of all ages and almost all levels of
fitness. By using all the major muscle groups, swimming increases
strength, stamina and suppleness, as well as offering great
cardiovascular benefits. Unlike most land-based activities, swimming
uses the arms as well as the legs for propulsion, making it a
particularly effective exercise for strengthening shoulders.
The Benefits OF Water
Water supports your body weight as you swim, reducing the jarring and
pounding that can occur during land-based activities. This makes
swimming and other water-based exercises particularly useful if you
suffer from arthritis, neck and back problems, obesity, or if you are
pregnant. Water also provides more resistance to your movements than
air, promoting better muscular endurance and tone.
Warm water will soothe and warm your muscles as you swim, letting your
joints move through a greater range of motion with less risk of injury
and making you less vulnerable to aches and soreness. It is important
to get the stroke right, however - keeping your head raised in breast
stroke, for instance, can put strain on your neck.
Water And Bone Health
Although very beneficial for your muscles and joints, aquatic exercises
do not place enough of a load on your bones or produce sufficient
impact to improve your bone density significantly. It is worth
including some form of strengthening exercises in your weekly fitness
routine in addition to water-based activities.
If you have osteoporosis or very brittle bones, your doctor may advise
you to avoid weight-bearing exercise. In this case, exercise that takes
your weight off your bones, such as swimming, may be beneficial. You
can work out much harder in water because it cushions you from falls
and knocks during exercise.
Getting Started
Swimming can be performed by anyone at their own pace and level. Most
public baths and health club pools offer lessons for beginners and more
advanced swimmers might enjoy the social element of a club or class.
Take advice and make sure you get the stroke correct to avoid muscle
strain. If you are unfit or out of practice, start by swimming a length
and then rest for half a minute. Gradually over subsequent weeks,
decrease the intervals until you can swim continuously.
Aquaerobics
Water-based aerobics offers an excellent way to improve cardiovascular
conditioning and - because of the consistent resistance from the water
- can increase strength.
Classes generally include a variety of gentle, rhythmic movements,
usually performed standing in waist or chest deep water. This makes
aquaerobics very low impact. A range of special equipment is also
available, including waterproof dumb-bells and webbed resistance
gloves, designed to increase the resistance of the water.
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