If you thought workouts were all about a jog around the neighborhood and lifting a few dumbbells in your basement, think again. There are plenty of choices in exercise programs today, with a huge variety of mediums that you can work in. One type of workout that has gained popularity is the aqua fitness workout that combines cardiovascular exercise with strength training all in the cool comfort of your neighborhood swimming pool. If you like water and you love exercising, why not combine the best of both worlds to create an effective water workout that will benefit every part of your body.

Benefits of Water Workouts

The advantages to working out in the water are many indeed. First, consider the fact that water will give you around 12 times more resistance than air can. This means that your water workout will provide sufficient strength training as well as cardio benefits in less time than it takes you to workout on land. The other positive about exercising in the water is that if you have a physical condition that gets in the way of getting a good workout, such as arthritis or chronic back pain, the water will provide sufficient buoyancy to protect those tender joints and muscles from additional injury. There are plenty of good reasons for diving in and getting fit. Now how do you get started?

The How To’s

The great thing about aqua fitness is that you can participate in these workouts if you are a seasoned swimmer or if you’ve never swum a stroke. Many of these workouts are done completely in the shallow end of the pool, and often use noodles, kickboards and other aids to complete the workout without submerging yourself in the pool entirely. If you are primarily looking to work your legs, you can head to waist deep water. For a full body workout, you will probably want to be in a depth up to your neck. Swimmers can add moves in deep water if they prefer as well. There is definitely something for everyone in an aqua fitness program.

One of the newest crazes in aqua fitness is a stationary bicycle that is submerged in the pool to give you the maximum workout as you ride. The resistance that comes into play with these bikes will promise you a maximum workout benefit in the fraction of the time. You can participate even if you cannot swim, and the workouts are completely adjustable to your fitness level. You can also find aqua jogging classes that come with their own equipment and exercises. You will get an intense cardio workout while toning your body from the waist down.

Water workouts have become the rage for many fitness buffs for good reason. You can enjoy maximum benefits of these exercise programs with minimum sweat potential. Get wet and look great.

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