Water aerobic exercises are a fun way to get a workout in the water. They can be done anywhere and don’t require any special equipment. Water aerobic exercises are also easy on your joints, making them ideal for people with arthritis or other joint problems.
Warm-Up
Warm-Up
It is important to warm up before doing any aerobic exercise. The following are a few stretches you can do:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend forward at the waist, keeping knees slightly bent. Place hands on thighs or in front of body as shown in Figure 1 below. Slowly lift one leg straight out behind you while keeping other knee bent (Figure 2). Hold for 10 seconds and then switch legs, raising opposite arm as well – this will stretch chest muscles on opposite sides of body (Figure 3). Repeat 5 times per side.*
Scissor Kicks
Scissor kicks are great for increasing your heart rate and getting your lungs working. You can do them on land or in the water, but they are a bit more challenging with resistance bands attached to your ankles while doing them on dry land. If you want to try this exercise with a band, here’s how:
- Attach a resistance band around each ankle (or just one if you’re adventurous).
- Stand up straight with feet hip-width apart and arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height with palms facing down.
- Push off from one foot as if jumping over an imaginary hurdle or object in front of you, then bring that same leg back down quickly under the other leg so that both legs are scissoring together (which means “cutting through” air). Repeat this motion until failure sets in!
Torso Twists
Sit up straight, legs crossed.
Bend the left knee and bring it toward the chest, keeping your left elbow resting on top of your right thigh.
Keep your eyes focused on a spot in front of you as you twist from side to side for 20 repetitions (or 1 minute), then switch sides and repeat.
Leg Circles
Leg circles are a great way to get your muscles warm before you start your workout. Start by standing with your feet together and then move your legs in a circular motion, making sure not to lift them off the ground or cross them. Repeat this for 1 minute
Arm Circles
- Lie on your back in a pool with your arms at your sides.
- Raise both arms up and out to the sides, keeping them relaxed and at shoulder height.
- Bring them back down to their original position. Repeat this motion five times.
Diagonal Kick with Recovery
Diagonal Kick with Recovery
This exercise works your lower body and can be done while standing or sitting in the water. Start with your arms out to the side, then kick your legs diagonally. Recover them back to the starting position and repeat for 2 minutes.
Count Backwards Exercise
Counting backwards is a great way to get used to focusing on your breathing while doing an aerobic exercise.
The following steps will help you complete this water aerobic exercise:
- Start by standing in waist-deep water with your feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent and arms at your sides (or resting on the edge of the pool).
- Begin by inhale deeply through your nose for four seconds, then exhale through pursed lips for eight seconds. Repeat this process six times total before moving onto step 3 below!
Water aerobic exercises can be easy to do.
Water aerobic exercises can be easy to do.
It’s true that water aerobic exercises are not as intense as land-based workouts and therefore may not provide the same level of physical exertion or cardiovascular benefits, but they’re still a great way to exercise your body and mind. Water aerobic exercises can help improve your balance, coordination and flexibility while also increasing strength in the lower body muscles (legs). They’re also good for people who have joint problems because there is less stress on the joints when performing these types of movements compared with land-based workouts like jogging or cycling which put more pressure on them by running on hard surfaces such as concrete sidewalks or bike paths made out of asphalt.
Water aerobic exercises are a great way to get in shape and stay healthy. They can be done almost anywhere and don’t require any equipment other than your body. If you want more information on how to do water aerobic exercises, check out our blog post on the topic!
