Cardio 101: Water Exercises
How Performing Water Exercises Can Melt The Pounds Away
There are considerable benefits to performing water exercises as part of your daily fitness regimen. If you have sworn off the treadmill or stair climber, you just might have found your match-in the water! Water exercises can provide you with all the cardiovascular benefits you need with little or none of the risks associated with high-impact aerobic activities.
And You Thought H20 Was Just For Drinking!
Water exercises are beneficial not only for the cardiovascular benefits they offer, but also for the reduced risk of injury that accompanies them. Activities such as water aerobics involve little risk due to the protective quality of the surrounding water. It is quite easy to injure yourself on uneven pavements while running. It is much more difficult to sustain injury in the water. Exercising in the water also improves flexibility and strength because of the water’s resistance.
An Alternative To High-Impact Exercise
Water exercises can also provide a safe means to relieve pain and stiffness. This is particularly beneficial for individuals, such as those suffering from arthritis, who often have difficulty with more traditional forms of exercise. If you suffer from arthritis and dread exercise, try the water!
Water exercises provide a way for individuals to engage in cardiovascular activities without some of the negative side effects associated with other high-impact forms of exercise such as running. Water exercises can be performed by individuals who have difficulty engaging in other forms of exercise. Overweight or obese individuals or athletes recovering from injuries can all benefit from exercising in the water.
If you have had less than favorable experiences with other forms of exercise or if you just find running on a treadmill too boring, you should try working out in the water. Face it- step aerobics can get boring at times, walking is difficult in bad weather, and stationary machines at the gym can get tedious too. Water exercises can be the missing component in a well-rounded fitness routine.
Comments
Nearly 5 years ago I was in a major car accident, and my doctor ordered aquatic therapy for me. That's right, exercising in the water. In no time, I was up to 2 hours of workout time (including treading water for 45 minutes), three times a week. Within 2 1/2 months, not only did I lose over 25 pounds, but everything in my cholesterol panel DROPPED except for my HDL, which went up a bit. It was a total improvement inside and out!!! I looked better, felt better, and was more agile than I'd been for many years. This is THE way to go!!!
Posted by: Susan | August 23, 2006 5:26 AM
I would like to see the article on "motivational or "teens" however, I could not get a link to work............could you pls send this specific article to me?
Thank You, Dianna Hansen
Posted by: Dianna | August 23, 2006 11:11 AM