When you’re trying to lose weight, finding an exercise routine that you enjoy is key. Most people think that joining a gym or spending hours on a treadmill are their only options, but this isn’t true. Water aerobics are a great way to exercise with many health benefits.
Lower Risk of Heart Disease
Like any type of aerobic exercise, water aerobics is a great way to strengthen your heart and improve cardiovascular health. Water aerobics has added benefits compared to other exercises, though. The water pressure of the pool helps to more efficiently circulate blood. Water exercise has been shown to lower high blood pressure, and participating in water aerobics can lower your risk of heart disease.
Reduce Impact
Whether you have injuries or feel stress on your joints when you first start exercising to lose weight, many types of exercise can be difficult due to high impact. Exercising in the water reduces this impact, because buoyancy makes you feel nearly weightless and reduces pressure on your joints. If you’ve had difficulty getting through a workout on land, you might find that water aerobics relieves unnecessary pain.
Burn Calories and Build Muscle
While you might feel nearly weightless in water, increased resistance as you move through the water vs. air means that your muscles must work harder during your workout. This means that you’ll build muscle while you burn calories during a water aerobics exercise routine. Increasing your strength and building toned muscles is crucial for weight loss, because people with more muscle mass burn more calories while at rest. As you build strength, you’ll also be able to complete increasingly difficult workouts both in and out of the pool.
Cool Down
During the hottest days of the summer, it’s difficult to feel motivated to complete a sweaty exercise routine. Most of us look forward to days at the pool to cool off anyway, so water aerobics are a great way to beat the heat and get a workout in at once.
What You Need to Get Started
If you’re interested in trying water aerobics, there are a few things to do to get ready. First, of course, you should find a class to join at a local fitness or community center, like the YMCA. When you’re ready to head to your first class, all you’ll need is a comfortable swimsuit, a towel, and dry clothes to change into when your workout is done. Be sure to arrive to the class early so you have plenty of time to stretch and warm up before you get in the water.
Schedule an Appointment
If you think you may be a candidate for bariatric surgery to help you lose weight, schedule an appointment with Dr. Louis Balsama in Sewell or Stratford, New Jersey. Call (856) 245-5876 or request an appointment online.
