Water Workouts
When I was a kid, I was definitely no athlete. That didn’t keep me from being dragooned into my high school’s swim team, however. My older sister – who graduated just before I showed up – had been a star, and I was expected to uphold the Pratt family honor.
Not!
Ok, I wasn’t a total boat anchor, but let’s just say Vanessa’s swimming fins were a little too big for me to fill. Nonetheless, the team practices dramatically improved my cardiovascular fitness…although I didn’t realize just how much until the semester fitness tests were given in gym class. I surprised myself (and probably everyone else – including the teachers) by finishing waaay ahead of the rest of the class in the dreaded “6 minute run” (I was a non-runner, yet finished only 1/4 lap shy of completing a full mile in the allotted time – without actually trying very hard).
So yes, swimming can get you into awesome condition…but don’t take my word for it – just ask Dara Torres.
Nonetheless, it’s not necessary to perform all those grueling, and seemingly endless laps to get the benefits of working out in the water – which this LA Times article affirms.
Aqua aerobics, or aquatic fitness, is no longer the domain of people recovering from injuries, trying to exercise despite limited abilities or struggling with chronic conditions such as arthritis.
Pool workouts are hot, especially group exercise classes. The latest ones incorporate Pilates, kickboxing and strength training, targeting all muscle groups and building endurance.
“Working out in the water is excellent cross-training,” says Julie Seamster, an aquatic fitness instructor at California Family Fitness in Sacramento. “On land you’re using gravity, but in water you’re using the water’s properties — it’s heavier than air, and you have resistance in all directions.”
Water also provides bones and joints with a break from constant pounding — a big boon for those who run or play sports such as soccer, volleyball and basketball. “You can exercise at a high intensity with zero impact,” says Niecia Staggs, a masters swim coach at Equinox.
Read the whole thing: there are some great workout tips from 4 different aquatic trainers; which you can use to devise a whole body water workout without breaking a sweat…or having to endure a stuffy, crowded gym. The workouts look like a lot more fun than those old swim team practices, too.
