Water Aerobics for Seniors: A Helpful Guide
Choosing a workout as a senior can be frustrating—understanding and accepting our limitations is challenging at first. Fortunately, water aerobics exercises exist. Water aerobics is the low-impact answer to fitness, and depending on the activity, can involve either cardiovascular fitness or strength training—or both!
In this article, we’re going to provide you with an introduction and guide to water aerobics for seniors to help you decide if it’s the right activity for you!
What are Aerobics?
Let’s start with the basics: what are aerobics?
Aerobics are defined as “a form of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with the goal of improving all elements of fitness.”
To put it simply, aerobics consist of just about any form of exercise that increases your heart rate. Aerobic exercise is important not only for improving fitness and overall health, but it also enables you to move through daily life with more ease. Aerobics are about overall wellbeing more than anything else.
What’s the Water For?
Now that we have the aerobics part of water aerobics covered, let’s dive into the water (pun intended).
The biggest benefit of exercising in water is the low-impact element of it all. Water reduces the amount of impact-related damage your body takes as you work your muscles. We’re at the mercy of gravity above-ground, which is naturally going to cause more damage than underwater, which removes gravity from a significant portion of the equation.
Water allows us to get a good workout without a high risk of falling or joint pain. Aquatic exercise is also good if you’re recovering from injuries.
Who Should Do Water Aerobics?
Water aerobics is available to anyone, so if you’re comfortable in shallow water, you should certainly consider it.
Seniors are the largest demographic of water aerobic participants because they are most likely to struggle with balance and mobility on solid ground.
Water aerobics are also popular among pregnant people and anyone new to pool exercise because of the reduced risk of injury. If you’re at a more-advanced level though, there are plenty of challenging moves (interval training underwater, for example) and add-ons in water aerobics to help you improve your fitness.
How Long Does Water Aerobics Take?
The typical water aerobics class lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to a full hour.
Where Can You Do Water Aerobics?
Water aerobics are available at aquatic centers around the world, but if you’re anywhere near one of our 30 gym locations, we at Chuze have our very own Aqua Fit classes to help you become your healthiest self!
Do Water Aerobics Actually Work?
Last but not least is the big question of whether water aerobics actually work. Some argue that water eliminates much of the challenge.
The answer is yes, of course it does! Any activity that allows you to get your muscles moving and heart pumping is going to make you feel better from the inside out.
How Can You Stay Safe While Doing Water Aerobics?
When it comes to fitness—and life in general—safety should be your number one priority.
In order to stay safe as you dive into water aerobics for the first time, it’s important to check with your doctor before you start any new fitness regimen, be aware of your limits and stick to shallow water if need be, observe your surroundings including other participants and the nearest pool exit, stay hydrated (you can’t see how much you’re sweating in the water), and don’t do water aerobics by yourself if you’re not extremely confident in your ability to do so safely.
Water aerobics are a fantastic way to get in a great workout without all of the risks associated with gravity-bound fitness training regimens. It’s safe, it’s fun, and accessible to most.