Don’t wait to get into the water until after you reach your fitness goals, use aquatic fitness to reach them!
1. Baby Boomers
Be kind to your joints and still get an amazing workout. Well, that goes for all ages, really, but it gets more and more important as you get older.Boomers did all the jumping and step aerobics and boxing and kickboxing (thanks Rocky and Van Damme) and that was enough jumping. If we want to jump now, the safest place is warm water.2. Arthritis
Warm baths have been recommended for years to help us feel better, and that guidance is correct, especially for chronic pain.“Water is a safe, ideal environment for relieving arthritis pain and stiffness.” Arthritis FoundationFor arthritis, fibromyalgia, lower back pain, and more, research shows warm water therapy works wonders for many of these musculoskeletal complaints.“The research shows our ancestors got it right. It makes you feel better. It makes the joints looser. It reduces pain and it seems to have a somewhat prolonged effect that goes beyond the period of immersion,” says Bruce E. Becker, MD, director of the National Aquatics & Sports Medicine Institute at Washington State University in Spokane.Warm water is a non-drug, non-narcotic pain reliever! Ask your doctor if warm water is right for you.
3. Injury Recovery
The hydrostatic pressure of the water increases circulation, which is not only beneficial to diabetics or at-risk diabetics, but also those recovering from injury. Ask an orthopedic doctor or surgeon for more information about the benefits of warm water recovery.4. $$$$$ Financial
Your pool is the biggest exercise equipment investment you have. Many pay to maintain it and never use it. Use your pool and hire someone to help you!5. It’s Not Your Grandmama’s Workout*
Unless your granny is a Coast Guard member or professional swimmer, chances are your water workout can be quite different than a senior or arthritis workout. Remember Navy Seals and water polo teams train in the pool too. The world is ready for more variety and higher intensity water classes. Support aquatic fitness at your facility today!*(Don’t underestimate the strength and endurance of any regular water fitness person—they become strong as heck! Retirees who spend their time at the gym are often the fittest folks in town!)6. Cross Training
Aquatic fitness is excellent cross training for all strength and endurance sports, including triathlons, marathons, and endurance cycling. Aquatic Fitness is not swimming, so it can be an alternative to triathlon training. Run long today, deep water run tomorrow.7. All Planes of Resistance
Weights with gravity (on land) only work one side of the muscle. When the water surrounds your muscle and you move, you are working all sides (planes) of that muscle, even without a weight, because the water has inherent resistance. You are maximizing your workout time and benefits just by moving inside the water.Don’t wait till you’ve met your goals to enter the water. Give these a try!
