For Greater Success with Exercise, Just Add Water
By Tom Herrin
Exercise is important for everyone. It helps to keep the body functioning well. Many times, when people try to get jump-started on a program, they end up overdoing it. This can result in weakened and strained muscles and joints. The entire effort slows to a crawl as people have to sit back and rest, allowing the injuries an opportunity to heal. With a little planning, this does not have to be the case. Exercising in water can alleviate a lot of the risks that people otherwise must deal with. It offers protection that is otherwise missing from the formula.
It Can Provide Greater Resistance with Less Damage
The water provides a considerable amount of resistance. As a matter of fact, water is believed to provide as much as 42 times the resistance of air. Resistance is generally what strength training is all about. Since there is such buoyancy in the water, it can support the body while giving it a pretty good workout. Studies have shown that people can gain a considerable amount of strength from these workouts while gaining flexibility and agility.
It Can Burn Calories
The water can help to crank up the level of activity for people without the heavy exercise. When people can burn calories while they remain cool, as with water, they may be able to avoid some of the typical overheating that often accompanies workouts. It is often much easier to get motivated to exercise when there is not that dread of working out and creating such excessive body heat. There is far more incentive to jump in and get started. Even non-swimmers can participate since moving in the water is what most of it is all about.
It Is Family Friendly
Most people enjoy spending time in the water. Since you can exercise without swimming, it can be done in pretty shallow water. As long as it is deep enough to keep you exerting effort as you move around, you will get some good out of it. How many times have you spent time in the water and not been tired afterwards? Maybe none at all. Every parent knows that after their kids have been in the water for any length of time, they are really tired. It is a natural exercise that we don’t realize we are doing. Take advantage of it, and see how it works for you.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Kennesaw, Ga.