Whether your water workouts have your body horizontal as when you swim or your body vertical as with water fitness workouts like Aqua Boot Camp and Water Running the benefits are many. Before I get to the fitness benefits you should know about the advantages of training in the salt-water pools at Pinnacle.
Working out in a salt-water swimming pool is gentler on your eyes and less drying to your skin, along with having a silkier feel. The pools are naturally chlorinated by the salt-water system. No more bleached swimsuits, yellow hair and strong chemical odors.
Water is about 800 times denser than air, so it provides about 12 times more resistance. The moves you do in the pool can work your arms, legs, shoulders, and core. With water workouts you gain flexibility, balance as well as muscle symmetry because you are always work the opposing muscle immediately
Some other benefits:
- Reduce stress on joints, bones, and muscles because of the buoyancy of water and option of flotation devices for those who can’t exercise comfortably on land
- Minimizes risk of injury because water provides resistance in multiple directions, which helps build balance and muscle strength
- Achieve muscle tone faster through the ability to work two opposing muscle groups with each rep by the resistance provided from the water during both the lengthening and shortening of the muscle belly
- Increase your exercise workload and burn more calories because it takes more muscle energy to push your body through water than through air
Example Strength and Cardio Set:
Split-jump lunges with biceps curls
(Targets: biceps, Triceps, back, hips, glutes, quads)
With an aqua hand paddle in each hand, arms at your sides, step your right foot back into a lunge. Jump up to switch sides and do a biceps curl, keeping arms submerged. (You can alternate arms or curl both arms at the same time.) Continue for 60 seconds.
Athletes with injuries or people recovering from hip or knee replacements will benefit from our warm water pool. The hydrostatic pressure of the warm water decreases joint and soft tissue swelling that can result after injury or with arthritic conditions or disorders. Warm water also relaxes muscles and vasodilates vessels, increasing blood flood to injured areas, helping those with muscle spasms, back pain and fibromyalgia.
My name is Heidi Meyer-Spidell and I am the Aquatics director at Pinnacle. I am a Master Aquatic Trainer certified by the Aquatic Exercise Association, Midwest Aquatic Association, American Council on Exercise and the Arthritis Foundation.
Please click here for offers in our AQUATICS DEPARTMENT or click here to learn more about me.