Workout in the Water

If you're interested in getting your family fit, but can't find an activity that suits everyone's needs, why not consider water aerobics? There are many benefits to this aerobic exercise, and very few other forms of workout cover as much ground and do it as thoroughly.

No matter what physical shape your family is in, water aerobics has a speed for them. Just by virtue of being in the water and working against its resistance, you're burning calories and working your muscles. As a matter of fact, when participating in water aerobics, you are exercising virtually all of your muscles constantly. The resistance of the water is a gentle, always present factor, one that you learn to adjust to but still manages to give you benefits.

Water aerobics are quite gentle and thus effective for a wide range of fitness levels and expertise. A beginner can hop in and learn the basics and someone with a bit more experience pump up the pace by speeding things up or adding more repetitions. A typical class starts out with a gentle stretching and warm-up and moves from shallow water to deep water. Ideally, a session starts in water that waist-deep and then you move to an area where the water comes up to your mid-chest.

Due the buoyancy provided by the water, this workout is very good for people with joint issues, a problem that can strike regardless of age or weight. The water supports your weight rather than your legs and allows muscles that were previously tightened in use to relax and work.

You will be surprised by the sheer variety of activity that is available in water aerobics and the health benefits they can provide. Walking, running and jogging are all possible -if done more slowly than on land – and the added resistance of the water can aid in preventing heart disease while working the legs and glutes. For people already comfortable with the resistance of the water, arm and ankle weighs can be added to make things more interesting. There's also a lot of fun that can be had with water aerobics. Games can range from Marco Polo for younger participants and water polo for a more advanced class.

This activity can be a lot of fun for the whole family; it takes place in a pool and there's always the promise of getting to swim and play after class. If you have older children who take part in other sports, water aerobics can really complement them. Water aerobics is often used for rehabilitation after sports injuries and as maintenance for other sports as well. This variety of cross training is extremely valuable to both athletes and amateurs as it can prevent repetitive stress issues for various parts of the body and keep the body as whole functioning well.

Water aerobics is an activity that can greatly benefit your family, whether you're just looking for some fun, or you're looking to build up some serious strength and endurance.

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