How to Use Weights With Water Aerobics

Using weights with water aerobics will have you strutting your stuff back to the locker room with confidence. For one thing, you're bound to get an excellent workout. However, the best part about using water weights is what they won't do for you. Unlike conventional weight lifting sessions on dry land, you will emerge from your water weight conditioning session without smelling of sweat and looking like a wet rag. Follow these steps to learn more.

Things You'll Need

  • Towel for drying off
  • Water weights
  • Bathing suit
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Instructions

  1. Learn How to Use Weights with Water Aerobics

    • 1

      Expect to lose weight when you use weights with water aerobics. Using weights in the water for roughly 45 minutes to an hour leads to burning off an average of 450 to 700 calories--about two-thirds more than if you were lifting weights outside of the pool.

    • 2

      Know that muscle strength training is more effective when you use weights with water aerobics due to the fact that the water is denser than air and you're not working against gravity as you would on land.

    • 3

      Work off pounds and inches during your water aerobics jogging exercises when you use a weighted belt. You can even add a "runner hitch" to keep you in one spot as you run in place.

    • 4

      Add more resistance to your fluid movements when you use weights on your wrists or ankles. Unlike some hand-held weights, these weights are usually filled with sand.

    • 5

      Practice your curls with water dumbbells. Water dumbbells are typically made from a dense polyethylene foam that makes them waterproof and buoyant. Sizes range from light, medium and heavy (about 9 lbs. submerged). They also come in longer lengths.

    • 6

      Explore the various weights available to use with water aerobics online from Fitness1st (see Resources below).

    • 7

      Consider using a combination of weights on different parts of your body at the same time for an effective total body workout. (Note that this may require a fair amount of strength conditioning with water weights and may not be suitable for the uninitiated).