When it comes to water fitness, more and more people are getting into the pool. The well-known image of seniors splashing around with foam noodles is getting lots of company as new converts of every age are jumping in.
All types of exercise burn fat and water aerobics is no exception. Working out in water enables you to burn more calories in a shorter time frame than you would on land. The resistance provided by the water means that every movement, even the simplest ones like walking, helps to burn more fat than it does on land. And today’s pool workouts go way beyond walking.
Shanna Benson, an ACE-certified fitness instructor at Vero Fitness, says now that baby boomers are getting into water exercise, they want classes that are more energetic, similar to the Zumba and Jazzercise that they’ve enjoyed over the years. “Don’t let the water deceive you,” says Benson. “You don’t have to move slowly!”
A recent article in Everyday Health quotes Dan Daly, a New York City-based competitive swimmer and performance coach of elite and professional athletes, as saying, “In my opinion, all athletes and exercise enthusiasts could benefit from cross-training in the water.”
Benson concurs, adding “Runners can get a great cardio workout without stressing their joints.”
Kimberly Baptiste-Mbadiwe, a physical therapist at the prestigious Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, says water aerobics is an excellent choice for people with knee pain. “Not only is water aerobics one of the best forms of aerobic exercise that works the entire body, but the water also takes weight off the joints. People with knee pain can tolerate many exercises in the water that they wouldn’t normally be able to perform on land, things like squats, leg raises and lunges that over time can build up the muscles around the knee and reduce pain,” she says.
Benson says you don’t even have to know how to swim to enjoy the benefits of the exercise.
“Some classes are taught in waist-high water,” she says, “and the optimum depth that we use when teaching is armpit-deep.”
One of the reasons that people who try it tend to stick with water aerobics is that it’s fun. The camaraderie is great and the variety of exercises that can be done – no matter your age or fitness level – is a long one. You can even do most of them in your home pool.
According to Everyday Health, they include:
- Running – Staying in the shallow end of the pool, run from one edge to the other. Lean forward from the ankles, pump your arms and bring your legs into a high-knee position before extending them back down to move forward.
- Pool-Edge Push-Ups – Place your hands on the edge of the pool, just over shoulder-width apart. Brace your core, shift your weight into your upper body so that your toes lift from the floor of the pool and raise your torso out of the pool until your arms are fully extended. Pause, then slowly lower your body back to start and repeat.
- Squat Jumps – Stand in the shallow end of the pool with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes turned slightly out. Squat down by sitting back into your hips and heels with flat feet, then straighten your hips, knees, and ankles to drive through the balls of your feet and jump up as high as possible into the air. The water should be shallow enough that squatting does not bring your head underwater.
- Side Shuffling – Stand in the shallow end of the pool and side shuffle from one edge of the pool to the other. Focus on keeping your core engaged and toes pointing in front of you.
- Prone Scissor Kick – Start in deep enough water that your feet are not touching the ground. Hold onto the edge of the pool and lift your legs so your body is in a horizontal position; keep your spine neutral from the back of your head to your tailbone. Keep your knee soft and kick from your hip, whipping or flicking out through the toes. Repeat using the other leg.
- Press to Row – Stand, holding a kickboard against your torso and lower into a squat position so that your chest is submerged in the pool. Brace your core, and extend your arms and the kickboard forward against the water, then immediately pull your arms and the kickboard back toward your chest.
- Jumping Jacks – Stand in the pool with your head above water, feet together, and arms at your sides. Jump your legs out to both sides as you raise your arms straight overhead, then reverse the motion, jumping your feet back in together and bringing arms back down to your sides.
Benson says that for some people, water aerobics is the only exercise that they can do, and a knowledgeable instructor can help tweak your routine so that the stress on your body is minimized and the results are maximized. And, she says, some classes are no impact at all.
Bonnie Ollinger, one of Benson’s students at Vero Fitness, says water aerobics has made a huge change in her life. “Not only do I have osteoporosis, but when I first started, I had terrible sciatica and walked bent over like an old woman,” says Ollinger. “Now that’s gone and because I’m in the pool and not on the ground, even if I do happen to trip, I’m not going to hurt myself.
“I’m 73-years-old and I feel young and happy – it’s amazing to be out in the sunshine first thing in the morning. It’s been a lifesaver for me.”
It’s important to remember some basics that are true for virtually every form of exercise, cautions Benson. “You definitely need to stretch before you start working out. Your core must be warmed up. And you should stretch again after exercising. It’s actually more important to stretch when you’re finished than before.
“You may forget to hydrate because you’re probably not sweating profusely,” she says. “But it’s so important that I actually schedule breaks during my classes. Plain water is best, but coconut water is good, too. And if you’re opting for a sports drink, make sure to dilute it half and half with water.”
Shanna Benson is certified as an Advanced Physical Fitness Specialist by the Kenneth Cooper Institute of Aerobic Research, Dallas and by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) as a Group Exercise Instructor. She is Group Fitness Manager at Vero Fitness, 1060 6th Ave., Vero Beach. For more information, visit verofitness.fit or call 772-567-1400.