Guest Post from Kaitlin Gardner of An Apple Per Day

Today, we have a great guest post from Kaitlin Gardner of An Apple Per Day all about the benefits oad misconceptions of aqua aerobics. On her blog she features eco-friendly, healthy living articles. You can check out her blog here. Make sure you read her bio at the end of this post to learn more about her….

Since I added aqua aerobics to my exercise routine, I’ve fallen in love with it. A water exercise routine has a lot going for it, and has managed to convert a die-hard runner like me. There are a lot of benefits to working out in the water, and some interesting misconceptions. I’ll address both here.

The Benefits

Great cardio work. I have gone to some water exercise classes which leave me breathing hard like I’ve been on a running trail. It took a bit for me to figure out why. It’s just one word – resistance. If I’m doing a leg raise in the water, my leg has to push all that water aside to perform the exercise. I add an additional component to the workout, just because of the resistance.

The low impact part. After running for years, my knees have been feeling the effects. Being in the water provides buoyancy that takes pressure off my tired muscles and joints, and it feels wonderful. I can do a whole hour workout, and when I walk out of the gym, my knees feel fine.

An excellent stress reliever. If I’m keyed up after a hard day at work, I can get in a workout – sometimes just using our back yard pool and my husband can tell the difference. “Honey, you’re just more relaxed.” I love hearing that. I think the water plays a part in that relaxation. After all, our bodies are 60 percent water, so something about working out in the water has the feel of being in a natural element.

A real plus during hot weather. I don’t exercise outdoors when it’s really hot – I just don’t tolerate the heat well. It’s a great thing to be able to work out indoors during the summer, and not only escape the heat, but enjoy the cool, pleasant environment of the pool.

Tremendous variety. If I’m in a vigorous mood, I can go to an aqua kick boxing or Zumba class. If I need to calm down, aqua tai chi or yoga are great in the water. For a super cardio workout, I go to the gym and do aqua jogging up and down the lap lanes. There are a lot of ways to put “aerobic” into my workouts in the water, and I like having those choices.

Here are some articles with more details:

The Misconceptions

1) You have to know how to swim. I have gone through a whole hour water workout class and only gotten the tips of my shoulder length hair wet. The majority of exercises are performed in water that is waist to chest deep, with your feet firmly planted on the ground.

2) Aqua aerobics is only for seniors. I know some runners who are training for marathons, who use aqua aerobics regularly. These are serious young runners, who can go at a 7 minute mile pace for long distances. They rave about water work – it’s a great way to let their legs recover after a long run, or to heal from an injury. Aqua workouts can provide a solid workout option for people of all ages.

3) Water workouts aren’t very substantial exercise. If you want to test this idea, just go to your community pool when the lap lanes are open, and begin moving up and down the lane in a brisk running motion. The first time I tried it the expectation was that I could easily run for a couple of miles. I breathing hard after a relatively short distance, because of the resistance. Aqua aerobics can provide a serious workout.

I’ve gotten really into aqua aerobics, and enjoy it every time I work out. Try it – I suspect you’ll like it too!

Kaitlin Gardner started AnApplePerDay.com to further her passion for a family friendly, green living lifestyle. She is married to her college sweetheart and lives in Pennsylvania. She and her husband enjoy going for long hikes, to get out and enjoy nature. She is working on her first book about ways to live an eco-friendly, healthy, natural life.