Water

April 5, 2011

Water! It was the water that introduced me to the world of exercise. I dabbled a little here and there with classes and walking but nothing ever stuck. Then I did my first Aqua Fit class and I became hooked.

The Aqua Fit class challenged my muscles, my core and my stamina. The water protected me from bone jarring moves and I didn’t have to be coordinated. It supported my body in way that I had never felt on land plus it was fun!

Two physical properties that one can only experience in the water is buoyancy and hydro- static pressure of water.

Buoyancy creates the lightness. This property decreases the impact of body weight. It is an excellent environment for rehabilitating the knees, back, hips as well as bone fractures. It is a wonderful place to exercise for the overweight person, and /or those with arthritis, fibromyalgia, or the unconditioned. Also it allows a land exerciser to maintain their stamina and give their skeletal system a much needed rest.

The hydrostatic pressure of the water against the body encourages deeper breathing which in turn improves one’s ability to breathe more effectively. This pressure also enhances the cardiovascular system by placing pressure against the heart and blood vessels. Cardiac muscle becomes stronger, blood vessels constrict more profoundly, improving circulation. Water provides natural cooling therefore the circulation of the blood is not diverted to the surface to cool but can reach vital organs improving their health.

East Hills and The MAC have a variety of water exercise classes, terrific swim instructors or maybe just work out on your own.

If you need guidance or ideas on what to do I’d be very happy to help. It has been 15 years since that first water class and I still love water and all that it has to offer.

Theresa