Benefits of Exercising Underwater

Exercise is a key component of a healthy lifestyle. It is shown to help weight loss, increase energy levels, and even make you feel happier. There are many forms of exercise, but one great option during the warm summer months is underwater exercise. Water activities can provide an excellent boost to your health and offer several benefits that ground exercises just don’t give.

Exercising Underwater allows Minimal Impact

While running is an outstanding aerobic exercise, it can be difficult on your joints, especially as you get older or if you have pre-existing conditions. The buoyancy of water reduces this harmful impact, allowing you to get your heart rate up with a far lower risk of injury. Swimming is an especially useful exercise for those that are recovering from joint or muscle injuries that prevent them from running or jumping.

Increased Resistance

In addition to reducing the impact on your joints, swimming can actually help you burn more calories than other intense cardio workouts. This is thanks to the extra resistance that is provided by the water. In this regard, swimming can double as a cardio workout and a weight training exercise, as the resistance can promote a significant amount of muscle growth. The best part is that you can adjust the resistance by using different strokes or positions, letting you customize your workout without using several sets of weights.

Improved Mobility

Whether you are suffering from limited mobility due to age or previous injuries, swimming can provide you with the therapy you need to become more agile. With each session, your joints will become stronger and your ability to move will continually improve. This will translate to other areas of life, and you will likely notice that you have far greater mobility both in the water and on land.

Naturally Cooling

Because the water temperature is lower than that of your body, you’ll remain nice and cool while you work out. Working up a sweat while running can be exhausting and may take a long time to recover from. When you get tired while swimming, you are already in cool water and won’t need to take as many breaks between laps.

Better Balance

Water helps to support your weaker muscles, as you improve your ability to stabilize yourself. It also helps strengthen your core, which translates to better overall balance whether swimming or standing on solid ground.

Whole Body Workout

One of the best parts of swimming is that it strengthens your entire body. Your legs, arms, back, and core will all be getting a significant workout when you start doing laps in the pool. No matter what motions you are performing, you are getting some level of resistance from the water, promoting muscle growth and oxygenation. This helps you to not only lose weight but to gain tone, mass, and definition in muscles across your entire body. Swimming is truly one of the greatest whole-body workouts, and all it requires is access to a pool or other body of water!

To learn more about minimal impact exercises and how to properly take care of your joints, contact Pathway To Wellness today!