Deep Water Fitness Routines

Exercising in the water is beneficial for you, primarily in your joints and muscles. It is not as taxing on your body, so it makes a great way to exercise for people who suffer from arthritis, fibromyalgia and back trouble. There are several different ways to exercise in the water. Many gyms and pools offer classes in water aerobics and deep water exercises to meet the needs of elderly people, athletes and people who want a low-impact workout.

  1. Deep Water Warm-ups

    • For deep water exercises, it is common to wear some type of flotation device to help keep your head above water. There are devices you can put around your neck, waist or even your wrist to help you keep your head above water. Deep water exercises are typically done in just more than 6 feet of water. This is so you cannot touch the bottom of the pool, making your workout more intense.

      Warming up can consist of doing arm circles in the water, starting small and then making them bigger. A light jog in the water for a few minutes is also recommended, starting slow then picking up the pace. To end your warm-up, you can do the side stroke for a couple of laps. This entails being on your side and scissor-kicking your legs while pulling your arms apart, with one arm stretching above your head simultaneously while your other arm pulls the water down toward your lower body.

    Deep Water Exercise Routines

    • Your deep water workout should last approximately 45 minutes. After warming up, try running in place in the water. Your feet should not touch the floor of the pool; instead, try getting your knees to your chest, running above the floor. This lets your body use the resistance of the water to burn more calories and makes it so you don't have any weight bearing on your body. This is why people with multiple sclerosis benefit greatly from water exercising. The benefits also include helping maintain the strength you already have, as well as helping increase your flexibility, strength and coordination. It will also improve your balance, endurance and range of motion. There are other benefits as well, such as increasing your blood supply to the muscles. This can help with reducing muscle spasms because it will relax your nervous system.

      In deep water exercise routines, you can also bicycle in the water. Bicycling in place will help tone and shape your legs as well as increase your flexibility, all while building muscle in your hips, thighs and calves.

    Sports Training

    • Deep water exercises can be used for sports training. Whatever sport you play, there are ways to use deep water workouts to aid in your training. For instance, if you are a cross-country skier, you can use deep water routines to mimic how you would train outside of the water. Using the same moves you would use on land, do them in the water to simulate cross-country skiing. This could entail sliding your legs back and forth in the water, along with your arms in the same skiing motion you would use in training. The same can go for skaters. Use the same techniques you would for skating, but under the water. Skating uses many parts of the lower body, and emulating the act of skating around the rink underwater is a great way to burn calories by using many different muscle groups. Your flotation device should keep you upright so that you can act out as if you were skiing, skating, playing soccer, whatever your sport of choice is.

      Land training movements for most sports are a common way of training underwater. You get the benefit of training for your sport, as well as the benefit of a water-resistant workout. This will give you a total body-toning, calorie-burning workout.