Exercising in water is the perfect opportunity to get a full-body workout AND beat the heat this Summer. While we are generally encouraged to get hot and sweaty while working out, it turns out that cooling down can be just as effective – and exercising in water is one of the easiest ways to do so!
Who can benefit from exercising in water?
Whether your water workout skills sit at beginner or Emily-Seebohm levels, exercising in your water is a fun way to get fit quickly.
Studies have found that exercising in your pool can burn an average of 400-600 calories in a one-hour workout, while also resulting in posterior burn – continuing to burn calories and increasing metabolism for up to 24-hours post-workout.
Add in the fact that you’re extremely well supported (think: zero gravity), and it becomes H2o- clear that exercising in water is a safe, low-impact workout which yields seriously high results.
According to Mark Grevelding, US-based water fitness instructor and creator of Poolfit (a global-first fitness streaming service/app which delivers aquatic exercise on-demand), it’s widely accepted that water workouts have numerous health benefits. And the best bit is they extend to all age groups, demographics and fitness levels.
What are some of these benefits?
So what are these benefits we speak of? Mark nominates the following five as his favourite reasons for exercising in your pool.
- Reduced joint impact
Exercising in the deep end is ideal for those looking for a zero-gravity/ zero-impact workout. “Buoyancy, the opposite of gravity, is an uplifting force that reduces or eliminates impact on feet, ankles, knees and hips,” says Mark. This reduced impact allows individuals to participate in more vigorous and athletic exercise programs. “Even joggers who may have given up pounding the pavement can run as hard and as fast as they like in deep water!” he adds.
2. Water’s resistance/muscle balance
Exercising in water provides total-body resistance thanks to the viscosity of water. All movements are resisted in water and this means muscles on both sides of a joint are targeted. Improving muscular balance can reduce chronic pain and decrease the risk of injury. Simply put, the water itself is one of the best types of fitness equipment available.
3. Cross training/injury recovery
According to Mark: “Injury is one of the biggest challenges to maintaining regular exercise as we age.”
The trick? Don’t get frustrated – get in the water! Fitness buffs who jog, cycle or engage in other land fitness activities should explore water exercise for cross-training purposes. Exercising with all-out intensity in the joint-friendly environment of water can help break workout plateaus.
4. Weight loss 
Exercising with reduced impact in water helps to eliminate discomfort and pain during fitness activities – often a deterrent for people trying to participate in strenuous activities to try to lose weight. Exercising in water provides a cooling factor, which reduces sweating and the chance of overheating but it increases the likelihood of participating in activities which will help you lose weight.
5. Move better, feel better, live better
Finally, one of the greatest benefits of exercising in water is the fact water affords you the ability to move your limbs more freely in multiple directions, improving your range of motion and the ability to perform daily activities more efficiently. “People who work out in water can exercise longer and with more intensity – improving muscular endurance and stamina, which helps them move better, feel better and live better,” says Mark.
Apps-olutely no excuse for avoiding a water workout!
Poolfit is designed to guide you through a series of pool exercises so it’s easier than ever to work up a sweat this summer, without actually having to, well, work up a sweat.
Poolfit’s has over 115 water workouts, led by Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA) instructors and they’re geared to all fitness levels. All you need is access to a pool (find a friend’s or use your local indoor pool) and the Internet.
You can choose if your workout is in deep or shallow water. If you’re more advanced in water workouts you can go for all different types including Kick Boxing, Tabata, HIIT, Circuit Training, High-Intensity Interval Training, Full Body Bootcamp and Deep Core Express, among others!
But if you want to improve your fitness with a lower intensity routine, you can choose a workout such as Water Walking, Arthritis Exercise, Yoga, Pilates, Light Cardio or Toning.
For more information on Poolfit you can visit here.
For more from The Carousel on exercise, visit here.
