Water-based exercises aren’t just for beach fun and summer holidays. This guide will help you understand the many benefits of water-based exercises for your body as compared to working out in the gym or even running. So dive right in (pun intended!)
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Exercising in the water is one of the most relaxing activities. Aquatic aerobics improves aerobic capacity, strength and resistance, is joint-friendly, and takes place in a comfortable environment.
Benefits Of Water Based Exercises
Strengthens Muscles:
Water is a moving, constantly changing natural product that surprises you. Because water flows in different directions, the drag in the pool is more than that of the drag in the air (because water is much denser), which is a challenging workout for the muscles. Water-based exercises dramatically increase an individual’s agility, flexibility, etc.
Rather than forcing water against the human body, water resistance causes water to pass through. On the other hand, traditional weights force the human body to push and pull against weight and Gravity.
Exercising in the water improves your flexibility.
The body reacts to the pressure and pulls of water in aquatics, exposing it to water resistance and requiring movement in several directions. This naturally increases the range of motion of your joints. Research shows that aquatic exercises improve flexibility in the hip and knee joints in elderly persons.
Water-based exercise is a Low-impact exercise:
As you may not know, the normal force on the joints during “land training” can be tiring. In aquatics, the buoyancy of the water helps reduce the effects of the weight of water on the body. In layman’s terms, our bodies are not affected by Gravity.
Our joints are subject to different stresses when jogging in water and when jogging on land. This is of particular interest to people with joint problems such as arthritis.
Studies show that water-based activities like aquatics can reduce the stress on joints caused by normal wear and tear and arthritis. Hydrotherapy is the most effective treatment for people with joint pain.
Low-impact aquatic exercise helps to ease tension on your bones, joints, and muscles. Water also provides natural resistance, which may help you build your muscles.
Water-based exercises relax and reduce anxiety.
Observing a moving body of water is one of the most relaxing activities you can do to reduce stress. That’s why beach vacations and island paradise vacations are trendy. On the other hand, swimming can also help you calm down!
Studies show that aquatic exercises can reduce stress and anxiety levels and decrease oxidative stress in elderly people.
Water-based activities help to train the entire body.
Water is more resistive than land, allowing for more rigorous training. When done underwater, the simplest of workouts burn more calories than even walking and jogging. Secondly, the water helps you exercise the entire body, instead of you having to work on different areas of the body one by one, like usual fitness training.
Swimming strokes like freestyle, breaststroke, and backstroke give total-body workouts simultaneously for all major muscle groups.
Water exercise is beneficial for blood pressure.
It is well known that simply being in the water relaxes the blood vessels and allows more blood to flow through them. This lessens cardiac resistance and helps to decrease blood pressure while also providing buoyancy to renew muscles.
Water pressure, in reality, alters blood flow, allowing it to circulate more effectively throughout the body, lowering blood pressure and, over time, lowering the resting heart rate. This benefit implies that the heart continues to function even when stress levels are low.
And don’t forget it’s fun! Swim with your family, lap a few laps or try a free aqua course with membership. Even walking in the water burns more calories than mere walking. Water exercises and other low-impact workouts are ideal for people who suffer from joint pain or other degenerative body conditions.
Regular aqua aerobics helps you enhance your heart health and fitness.
Water pressure acts as a buddy in the pool, allowing blood to flow more effectively throughout the body. Your heart beats with less effort and strain over time, significantly lowering your risk of heart disease. Aquatic exercise has been demonstrated to benefit heart health.
When the pressure is low, Gravity is not always our friend, especially when exercising. High-impact land training can stress our body and make us tired faster.
The natural buoyancy of water contributes to the fact that it feels almost weightless during underwater movement. And it reduces some of the stress that our bodies and joints experience with a more traditional style of exercise than usual.
The finest cool-down exercises are those that include water.
As the temperature warms and summer approaches, the urge to exercise in the searing sun fades, and the allure of a cool body of water grows. Aquatics can satisfy your need to unwind while exercising in hot weather. It’s chilled, chewy, and delicious. The biggest reason is that I no longer sweat. Water Benefit Exercises are Beneficial for a Variety of Reasons:
Underwater aerobics is a popular workout that individuals of all ages and abilities can do. As a result, aquaponics is one of the most popular things to undertake with friends and family. People of all ages love this pastime, and while the younger generation likes the pool, the older generation recognizes the need to maintain adequate physical condition.
It’s no secret that pools aren’t just for kids’ fun. Aquatics has long been recognized as a practical option for recovering from injuries or simply confusing routines, and science has consistently proven its effectiveness.
Water-based exercises help reduce weight.
Water-based exercises are low-intensity exercises. Buoyancy is an upward force that relieves joint tension. By converting typical movements into gentler movements, the effects of regular activities are reduced. It also helps maintain a healthy weight by reducing body fat in people of all sizes.
Water exercises are safer and have a lower fall risk.
Underwater training is less risky than land training, especially for older adults. On land, you can easily get injured by falling after trying to lift a weight that is too heavy. CDC reports that there are approximately 36mn fall-related incidents for seniors every year.
The Water Workout helps you find a balance in rural life and increase your flexibility. Our joints tend to increase their range of motion when in the water naturally.
Water Exercises help in Toning muscles and burning calories.
Exercising in the water is a great way to burn calories and better tone your muscles. Because water is thicker than air and thus more resistant, our bodies and muscles must work harder—ensuring more round and fuller workouts.
Water-based exercises develop awareness and improve health in chronic patients.
Water exercises are well-known for their therapeutic properties. According to a study done for people with Parkinson’s disease, “the water-resistance also develops body awareness, which can help with maintaining proper posture and a feeling of movement within space during activities.”
Furthermore, water rehabilitation treatment can speed up recovery, is almost pain-free, and helps disabled people move more effortlessly.
According to Westby MD’s research, those with arthritis or chronic diseases who incorporated water-based exercise into their routine had more use of their affected joints without worsening their symptoms.
The depth should be between the waist and the chest when swimming, especially if balance is an issue. But, in the end, there’s no need to worry about hitting the ground since water will keep you from doing so and will support you throughout your movements.
How Many Calories Do You Burn While Swimming?
On average, an individual can burn around 250 calories while Swimming in half an hour if they are moving fast.
Water training burns calories and gives the body a comprehensive workout by combining strength and aerobic activity with water resistance.
Depending on heart rate, weight (including additional weight such as dumbbells and weight belts), water temperature, volume, and buoyancy, a person of approx 150 pounds of weight may burn 400-500 calories in an hour of aquatic exercise.
Aquatic exercise may result in improved heart health, less stress, and greater physical endurance and strength. Water exercise may be a fun way to incorporate some fitness into your day. It might also be an excellent way for seniors to stay active.
You can engage in water fitness even if you don’t know how to swim. Aquatic exercise can help you improve joint function and reduce pain if you have osteoarthritis.
How Can You Burn More Calories Swimming?
Your metabolism is the pace at which your body burns calories for energy. Your metabolism speeds up when you workout.
The extent to which this affects you and how long it lasts is determined by several factors, including your gender, body composition, and the activity you’re participating in.
The number of calories burned when swimming is determined by a variety of factors, including:
- Duration
- Intensity
- Strokes in the water
- Weight
- Efficiency in swimming
- Starting at the beginning
- Begin with swimming for 10 to 30 minutes once or twice a week.
- Each week, add 5 minutes to your swim time.
Beginner’s Guide To Aquatic Exercises
Start Slow
It’s critical to learn the best practices for keeping your training routine safe and productive before starting any fitness program. Tread gently at first.
Frequency, length, and pace are all factors to consider.
Exercise speed/distance, duration, and frequency all influence calorie expenditure.
Breaststroke is easier to maintain and may burn more calories than a few laps of freestyle since it may be done for more extended periods.
When you begin, gradually improve your swimming skill. Even though swimming is a low-impact activity, you risk injury if you do too much too quickly.
Each week, begin with one to three 10- to 30-minute swims. Each week, increase the time by 5 minutes.
How To Lose Weight By Swimming
Remember that no activity can compensate for a poor diet when picking the optimal swimming stroke for weight reduction. Now that that’s out of the way, we can move on to the fact that swimming lowers stress levels in the body.
This is due to the buoyancy of the water. The advantages it provides in terms of calories burned vary depending on the stroke you choose. So, here’s a rundown of the different strokes and which one is best for weight reduction.
What is the Best Swimming Stroke for Losing Weight?
You burn more calories when you swim faster and cover more distance. The fastest stroke, the butterfly, has the most capacity to burn calories minute-to-minute. This does not, however, imply that you should always pick the butterfly while entering the water.
The number of calories you burn is determined by the length and frequency of your workout. If you prefer the breaststroke over the freestyle stroke, you may be able to swim for longer. If you’re more consistent, you could be able to burn more calories.
Breaststroke
Breaststroke is a calorie-burning, high-intensity activity that takes a long time to complete. In reality, it is the calorie-burning stroke with the least efficiency.
The average calorie expenditure for 30 minutes of backstroke is around 200 calories. Breaststroke is significantly more effective than the other strokes in terms of cardiovascular workout.
It strengthens the heart and lungs while toning the thighs, upper back, triceps, hamstrings, and lower legs. It facilitates chest muscle workout and toning.
Backstroke
Backstroke burns the fewest calories after swimming breaststroke. Nonetheless, it is one of the most effective exercises for improving posture. Swimming the backstroke for 30 minutes burns around 250 calories.
Keeping a straight posture may help lengthen your spine in the water, making you seem taller and less stooped. The backstroke tones the stomach, legs, arms, shoulders, and buttocks.
It’s fantastic for improving hip flexibility. It’s perfect for office workers.
Freestyle.
The fastest of all the strokes, freestyle, ranks second in terms of calorie-burning potential.
For 30 minutes of freestyle swimming, the average calorie expenditure is roughly 300 calories. Freestyle swimming tones your stomach, buttocks, and shoulders. Freestyle is thought to have the most impact on toning back muscles of all four strokes.
Butterfly
The Butterfly is the hardest to perfect and is not recommended for beginners, but it burns the most calories. The average calorie expenditure for 30 minutes of the butterfly is around 450 calories.
It’s the most efficient all-around stroke for toning and growing muscles. It strengthens your chest, stomach, arms (particularly your triceps), and back muscles in your upper body.
It helps to enhance posture by enhancing body flexibility, suppleness, and stretching.
Wrap Up
That brings an end to our ode to some of the amazing benefits of water-based exercises for seniors. Whether it be swimming in the water or aquatic sports, arthritic pain or blood pressure, water backstroke, or freestyle, everything you do in the water is beneficial to the aging body!
We hope you found the content inspirational enough to try it for yourself. And if you did enjoy our article, make sure to give us a shout-out to those of your friends and family who are searching for similar content on the internet.
If you have further queries and questions about aquatic sports, do drop us your doubts in the comments section and we will make it a point to get back to you at the earliest.