Workout Underwater | The Benefits of Water Exercise

A touch on my backstory. Why am I in the profession I love, how do I encourage people daily to live a healthy life, and, most importantly, how do I turn it around now? It began with my father, who had Polio. However, you would have never known this man had a crippling disease as he rode his bike daily, played golf, swam and did 50-100 push-ups a day.

To me, I never saw my father as someone who was bearing this terrible disease but more as a superhero. That man defined my future in fitness because I felt like anyone with good working arms and legs should have no excuse not to exercise. With that, I adopted the phrase, “Exercise is not a chore; it’s a privilege.”

Most of my clients are “active agers” in the 50-80 age range. My primary objective is to keep them moving by helping them build and maintain muscle and bone density.

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I also work with clients in the water, as water exercise is beneficial for any age, has properties that provide eccentric and concentric movements, and can assist with more mobility than some land activities.

Water exercise is becoming the “Wave of the Future” in workout programming among fitness enthusiasts. Research dictates that the water’s buoyancy effect eliminates shock and trauma to the joints and surrounding tissues.

The hydrostatic pressure reduces swelling, and the cooling effect of the water keeps body temperatures lower for a longer duration, which ultimately affects caloric expenditure. It is also believed that the workload placed on the body can be twelve times greater in the water than on land due to the constant resistance placed on the muscles or double concentric contractions.

Water exercise benefits all types of needs, ranging from pre-postnatal to injury prevention and recovery to arthritis. It helps those who suffer from MS or other limitations that may prevent them from participating in “on-land” exercise programs. It is also beneficial as a vehicle for seasoned athletes.

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Water exercise improves cardiovascular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, range of motion and balance. By focusing on the strong structural center, referred to as the core, we can engage the stomach muscles for the duration of the exercises, which, in turn, will strengthen the back.

The water pressure on the lungs encourages deeper breathing, improved lung capacity and a more efficient cardiorespiratory system. Breathing should be continuous and rhythmic during all phases of an exercise routine.

I encourage you to find your fitness passion; there is always time to start living longer.