5 Important Benefits of Water Exercise
We’re all aware of the need for healthy exercise in our daily lives. Some of us walk or jog, play active sports or maybe we enjoy cycling. Some enjoy setting goals for big athletic events such as marathons or runs. All of that is fine if you’re fit and healthy, but for many of us jogging or extreme sports place too much impact on painful joints and muscles. If this is true for you, take a look at adding water exercise to your schedule. Be sure to become aware of safety issues with any new form of exercise including water exercise. There are many benefits of water exercise. Here are five of them.
Increased fitness: Water exercise is well-known for increasing over-all fitness. It is excellent for increasing cardio-vascular endurance and health. It increases muscular strength, flexibility and agility. It also is beneficial in maintaining balance. Water exercise provides a good work-out for the entire body without over-taxing.
Therapeutic Value: For those regaining strength after illnesses or surgeries water exercise offers low-impact yet challenging exercise. It’s important to set reasonable goals for the water exercise to avoid overdoing as your body returns to health. Water exercise is a great choice for those with chronic illness such as fibromyalgia, diabetes and arthritis.
Stress Release: People of all ages need stress relief from our fast-paced lives. Young children love the soothing effects of water play and adults benefit from it as well. Movement in water adds just enough resistance to feel good without over-tiring. It is a relaxing way to exercise all parts of the body.
Social Interaction: While swimming and water exercise can be done alone, it’s easy to find classes or groups to join and make the activity a social one. When in a group of people exercising together the activity becomes a social event for all involved. Music or a leader’s encouragement often add to the fun. It’s a great time to laugh and enjoy the experience.
Comfort and Fun: Water exercise is relatively safe. It also feels good to be in a warm or cool body of water. Whether you’re inside or out, water provides a level of comfort that floor exercise does not. And there is the fun factor. We need to place ourselves in environments that feel like play. Water exercise is terrific for achieving a high level of enjoyment.
As you can see, water exercise is not only beneficial to your physical health; it’s also wonderful for your mental health. Look into local health clubs and spas. Seniors are often eligible for free or reduced fees through their healthcare packages. Join a water exercise class or take some swimming lessons. Learn a new swim stroke or get jumping with a class that is accompanied with good, rhythmic tunes. Laugh with friends and relieve sore muscles and joints. Let water exercise become a regular part of your active lifestyle.
