Aquatic Exercises to Cool Off Your Summer
Greg Stemkowski MS, PT, CSCS, PES
Procore Physical Therapy P.C.
On a hot, humid, summers day it is very difficult to get self-motivated to continue your exercise routine out doors because of the humidity, it is draining! With jogging or running, biking, hiking, or walking on humid days, one runs the risk of dehydration and heat exhaustion because of the extended duration of these exercises. An alternative is to jump into the pool were it is nice and cool, but be warned, just because you're in a pool it does not mean you'll be relaxing.
Exercising in the water has many benefits. Swimming is considered one of the best overall full body activities for cardiovascular fitness because every major joint of the body is moving against resistance at the same time. In general, a water work out expends more energy than a similar land-based exercise because of the increase in density of the water. The added resistance allows the average person to burn 450-700 calorie during one hour of aerobic activity. In a study conducted by an associate professor at the University of Maryland, walking for one hour on land can burn up to 240 calories verses 525 calories in water for older adults.
In addition, the buoyancy and support received by water significantly reduces the risk of injury to muscle and bone. When exercising in water that is neck deep, you need only to support 10% of your body's weight. When exercising in water that is at waist level, you only need to support 50% of your body weight. This significantly reduces the wear and tear on joints that is produced when completing land-based exercises because the buoyancy distracts the joint. That is why people who have painful conditions such as spine injuries, joint replacements, and arthritis get better results from exercising in water. People who are obese can benefit from water's buoyancy because they can loose weight thru cardiovascular fitness training. The buoyancy allows them to be more efficient in their movements, as well as allowing for longer durations of exercising.
Here are some suggestions for exercising in water.
Continuous aerobic activity should be completed for 20-40 minutes while maintaining steady breathing. These activities include running or walking in the water, treading water, jumping or twisting, scissor kicking or leg circles.
Swimming is a great exercise that works the core muscles because you need to have a stable trunk in order to move the arms and legs efficiently against resistance. For a good core body workout, hold onto the side of the pool, facing inward, and extend your legs in front of you. Pull your knees to your chest to work the abdominal muscles. Modify the exercise by twisting as you pull your legs toward you to work the obliques.
To work the arms, you can turn to face the pool wall and push up on the side of the pool as if you are getting out of the pool. This exercise can be repeated many times for an excellent upper extremity work out.
If you don't have access to a pool and are going to complete long duration exercising out doors on a hot humid day, please remember to bring plenty of fluids to stay hydrated and don't over extend yourself. As always, consult your physician prior to starting a new exercise program just as a precaution and enjoy your summer.