Benefits of Water Aerobics

What Is Water Aerobics?

Those looking for a low-impact workout that still provides all the benefits of an aerobics class should try water aerobics. This version of aerobics brings your regular aerobics class to a pool, alleviating all the stress that the gravity on land puts on your joints and muscles.

A typical water aerobics class will include a warmup, followed by cardio or strength training exercises, and end the class with a cooldown — all in the pool. Some classes may include special water equipment like weights, kickboards and more that will help with strength conditioning and cardio in the water. And don't think you'll be treading water or swimming laps, as classes happen in the shallow part of the pool.

These classes are both challenging, fun and a great way to socialize with others. Many people prefer water aerobics over traditional aerobics workouts because it's easier on their bodies and the water keeps them cool during workouts.

What Is Regular Aerobics?

If you've taken a cardio group fitness class, enjoy going for a run or walk or use cardio equipment, you're familiar with regular aerobic exercise. Plenty of group fitness classes guide you through aerobic exercises using dance, bodyweight exercises and more.

These workouts are beneficial to your health and are a key component to reaching health goals like maintaining a healthy weight or toning muscles. It's possible to perform these workouts for an extended amount of time, unlike anaerobic workouts, which consist of short bursts of energy and high-intensity moves that can only contain quick intervals.

Water Aerobics Benefits

Including exercise in your routine is a great way to maintain a healthy lifestyle and take care of your body. That said, you might love some workouts more than others because of your physical abilities, how the workouts make you feel and your personal preferences. Everyone has their favorite type of exercise. If you're looking for a new one to try, water aerobics classes offer various benefits that make it a top choice for people of various abilities and ages.

How often should you do water aerobics to enjoy its benefits? The CDC recommends that healthy adults should complete at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise. Whether you take one water aerobics class a week or participate multiple times a week, it's an excellent way to work out and contribute to your weekly exercise routine.

Check out the benefits of taking this type of cardio class and see why many people enjoy working out in the water:

1. Reduces Pressure on Joints

Traditional workouts can cause a lot of stress on our joints, muscles, bones and other parts of our bodies. That's OK for some participants — but for others, it's hard to endure the large amounts of stress on their bodies. Even if you're able to handle the stress on your body, it's beneficial to find low-impact workouts that engage your muscles and allow you to move your joints with ease.

Because of the buoyancy of the water, water aerobics is a wonderful low-impact exercise. Being in the water allows you to reduce the majority of the pressure that other workouts would place on your body. This benefit is especially helpful for people who have joint conditions or are completing physical rehabilitation treatments that necessitate low-impact activity.

2. Lessens Strain on Heart

The buoyancy you experience in water also impacts your blood circulation and reduces the strain on your heart. As a result, water aerobics is beneficial for people who have hypertension or high blood pressure. With less strain on your heart, your body can circulate blood more efficiently throughout your body. This process can help lower blood pressure and decrease your resting heart rate over time.

Overall, aerobic workouts are great for your heart health, and water aerobics specifically allows you to enjoy physical activity with less strain than traditional aerobic exercise.

3. Builds Strength

Additionally, water aerobics can tone your body just like other types of cardio exercise. Participating in water aerobics classes offers a high potential of strengthening and toning your muscles because of the resistance of the water. Since water applies resistance in both directions, each movement you complete in the water targets multiple muscles.

Therefore, your muscles will work hard in the water when you complete cardio moves or utilize special water equipment like water weights or water resistance equipment. This type of aerobics is helpful for individuals who lack muscle tone and want to build strength in a low-impact activity. Whether you need to tone your muscles or want to complete exercises in a comfortable space, water aerobics is a terrific choice.

4. Helps Prevent Overheating

It's no secret that cardio workouts always lead to breaking a sweat. After all, you're working hard to increase your heart rate and burn calories, which make you start to feel warm. That's why a cardio workout may not sound appealing on a hot day.

If you're looking for the perfect combination of cardio and cooling off, water aerobics is an excellent choice. Exercising in the pool can help keep you cool while still providing a productive workout.

Alternatively, if you're exercising when it's cold outside, you can do so in an indoor environment with a warm pool. As a result, you get a fun way to exercise no matter the season.

5. Beneficial for Mental Health

Similar to other forms of exercise, water aerobics can help improve areas of mental health. In particular, group exercise is beneficial because you get to socialize with others and form friendships based on a common interest. Exercising also releases different chemicals in the brain that can make you happier — workouts, like water aerobics, have helped people alleviate symptoms of anxiety or depression and are a great way to reduce built-up stress.

6. Increases Flexibility

Improving your flexibility through exercise should be an essential part of your workout routine. As you age, your muscle will begin to weaken and lose elasticity. This process reduces your range of motion in crucial parts of your body like your hips, arms and spine. Taking water aerobics classes is helpful in improving flexibility and maintaining that range of motion in various areas of your body.

In the water, your body will encounter resistance when you start accomplishing the different exercises during the water aerobics class. This resistance helps your joints strengthen so you can increase your range of motion over time. This benefit is helpful for older adults or individuals who prefer low-impact workouts who want to work on their flexibility.

7. Less Chance of Injury

Exercising on land carries the possibility of falling if you lose your balance. A perk of working out in the water for a water aerobics class is not having to worry about falling or losing your footing because you'll find your center in the water. Some water aerobics classes use equipment like kickboards or noodles, which can help you find more balance in the water. Plus, since the class takes place in the shallow end of the pool, you don't have to worry about treading water.

8. Burns Calories

Because water aerobics is a mixture of cardio and strength workouts, you can enjoy the best of each exercise regimen. Both of these types of workouts combined with the resistance of the water will give you an efficient and productive workout. Once you start training your heart rate and moving your body, you'll be burning calories during your water aerobics class.

This specific workout has the potential to help you burn a significant amount of calories throughout an hour-long class. Considering the type of cardio moves you accomplish, whether you use weights or other water equipment, the temperature of the water and the effort you put into the class, you can torch calories and work toward achieving your fitness goals.

9. Builds Endurance

Like traditional aerobic exercises, water aerobics helps you strengthen your heart and lungs. As a result, the more you complete water aerobic exercises, the more efficient your heart and lungs become over time. This process refers to building endurance or stamina.

As you continue to accomplish water aerobics classes, you'll notice that the workouts begin to take less of a toll on you and you can accomplish them more easily than when you first started. Having strong endurance is helpful in achieving fitness goals and allows you to challenge yourself with more intense workouts.

10. Works for All Skill Levels

One of the best parts of water aerobics is that it's open to nearly all people regardless of their age or skill level. This version of aerobics is popular because it's a unique and fun way to get in the exercise you need to take care of your body. It's great for people who want workouts that are easy on their joints, for people who love to be in the water and people looking to switch up their traditional workout routine with an enjoyable group fitness class.

Ultimately, water aerobics offers a way to work out no matter your experience and will contribute to the improvement of your overall health.

Aqua Zumba® Benefits

Some popular fitness programs have adapted their traditional classes to water aerobics. One water aerobics class people can't get enough of is Aqua Zumba®. Aqua Zumba® is the perfect class for Zumba® lovers and water aerobics enthusiasts who want to dance to upbeat music while enjoying a low-impact workout.

If you're looking for a pool party that gets your blood pumping, Aqua Zumba® is the right class for you. With the same Latin-inspired rhythms found in traditional Zumba® classes, you'll follow along with the instructor as you complete the choreography in the water. During Aqua Zumba®, you can expect bigger and exaggerated dance moves because you'll be moving against the resistance of the water, and you'll make slower hip circles and shoulder rolls to follow the slower tempo of the music.

Aqua Zumba® provides health benefits similar to water aerobics, including:

• Improves your heart and lung health
• Increases your endurance
• Helps you lower your blood pressure
• Helps you maintain a healthy weight or lose weight
• Boosts your mood and other aspects of mental health
• Gives you a fun space to socialize with participants and develop new relationships
• Improves your coordination and balance
• Helps tone and strengthen muscles
• Provides an easy workout for your joints, muscles and other parts of your body

If you're considering trying a water aerobics class and want to include the fun of dance, Aqua Zumba® is perfect. This fun twist on water aerobics will challenge you, help you burn calories and introduce you to the welcoming and supportive Zumba® community.