Dive Into Exercise

Summer is here and that means water -- swimming pools and ocean shores! Cool and refreshing for your body and spirit, water workouts are joint friendly, fun, and incredibly efficient workouts that don't feel like exercise at all!

Water exercise possibilities include lap swimming, deep or shallow aerobics, resistance training, stretching, and even yoga. If your facility does not have organized activities, try deep water running on your own or try some of the movements from your land classes in the water. You'll notice that the buoyancy provided by water makes some movements easier but others impossible. Plus, be prepared to move more slowly in the water!

By working out in chest deep water, you support only a fraction of your actual body weight so your joints do not get the pounding they do on land. An easy, consistent way to monitor effort in the water is exertion level. Aim for an intensity that is difficult but allows conversation. Even during hard interval training, keep your effort level below an all-out sprint that leaves you wiped out after one set.

A myriad of equipment exists for making water workouts easier or more challenging, safe, and fun. Flotation belts stabilize your body in the water and make upright exercises like running, jumping jacks, and/or cross-country skiing easier to perform. Tools like webbed gloves, kickboards, and water dumbbells with resistance blades increase the intensity of workouts by increasing surface area and 'drag'.

The size and speed of your movements dictates how much energy you use: the bigger and/or faster the movements, the harder the workout. In water, small increases in speed increase resistance dramatically. Lever length also influences the challenge. For instance, jumping jacks performed with bent elbows and knees are much easier than with straight arms and legs. Finally, a webbed glove or an open hand can increase intensity while 'knifing' hands through water will help decrease the amount of upper body work.

Water is a very safe workout environment, but some safety issues do exist. Most obvious and important is that you need to feel comfortable in water, especially before venturing into deep water. Some people may mistakenly view flotation belts as safety devices. These tools are ONLY for stabilization, not a life preserver! It is essential to maintain strong, working abdominal muscles to protect the lower back from stress. Ankles, knees and shoulders can suffer overuse injuries in the water. To help prevent injury, keep feet slightly flexed to decrease ankle stress; keep knees slightly bent to prevent 'locking' from the force of the water; and use no resistance tools until you increase your shoulder strength (3-4 weeks).

If you're looking for a low to no-impact workout, a way to get out of the heat, or just something different and fun, then water is the answer.