Swimming is one of the best all-around exercises you can do! In addition to the positives of improving strength, stamina, and cardiovascular health, swimming lacks the negatives of many traditional forms of exercise, particularly the impact damage that can be done to joints. Because the buoyancy of water lowers the impact when exercising, water-based exercise can be a terrific choice for people with the joint pain caused by arthritis or the mobility issues associated with a variety of chronic illnesses such as fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. At the same time, the natural resistance of water provides means that your exercise is more strenuous. According to the CDC, water exercise has also been shown to improve bone density, decrease pain from conditions like osteoarthritis, and to improve mental health. With all those additional benefits and with the combination of lowering impact and increasing resistance, it’s hard to find a better place to exercise than your pool!
“Activity in the water is terrific, but even standing in a pool or sitting in a hot tub provides heart and respiratory exercise,” adds Thomas M. Lachocki, Ph.D., CEO with the National Swimming Pool Foundation. “How often do you get to sit on your backside and get heart benefits?” he adds.
You can easily exercise in a pool even if you aren’t a strong swimmer or even if you can’t swim at all! Many people find that the simplest variations on traditional exercises they would do while out of the water work just as well in the pool. Simply walking or running are convenient options, as are basic exercise techniques such as lifting weights or doing pushups. With special water-friendly equipment, even things like riding a stationary bike or walking on a treadmill are possible!
AqquatixUSA Bike
AqquatixUSA Treadmill
A number of companies offer specialized versions of equipment to help complete aquatic exercise workouts and again, just as with traditional exercises, you can keep it very simple or have a wide variety of workout equipment to support you. Some of the most popular equipment choices for beginners are water weights and hand webs, both of which help you take advantage of the already powerful resistance of water.
Hydrofit
Even the kickboards and pool noodles that are so popular with little guests can be used in a workout routine. If stability and balance are a concern, a good pair of water shoes can also be an important choice, as they help you maintain traction on the bottom of the pool. If you’re interested in more advanced equipment, you can even buy treadmills, elliptical, and stationary bikes designed just for use underwater.
You can get strong and healthy all while reaping the additional benefits of exercising in water, so whether you’re looking to start a new workout routine, add additional challenge to an existing one or looking for a way to exercise without joint pain, look no further than a backyard pool!
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Endless Pools
Luxury comes in every shape, size, style and color, so to learn how you can transform your own backyard from ordinary to extraordinary and to locate products and builders, contact Stacy Nelson from @BackyardMamma at (844) 368-4769 or email backyardmamma@gmail.com. Ms. Nelson has more than a decade of experience in the outdoor living and swimming pool industry and educates consumers and builders about backyard living design and products. View more at www.BackyardMamma.com.
