Water Workouts Are Exploding in Popularity, Here’s Why

Water workouts (aka aquatic exercises) are trending fitness workouts and a refreshing change from the norm. The combination of water and exercise is novel and interesting. Tired of working out with gym equipment, shift to aquatic (water-based) exercises.

Research & Studies

According to a 2024 study, patients with knee osteoarthritis, who did water workouts, showed a marked improvement of symptoms like pain, mobility and quality of life as compared to land-based exercises.

Benefits of Water Workouts

Water workouts are an amazing way to exercise the entire body. The exercises utilise the physical properties of water, viz. buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure, density (specific gravity), viscosity and hydrodynamics for their effectiveness.

1. Mobility: People with mobility restrictions, i.e. joint conditions – osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis; physical injuries – fractured bones, torn tendons; physical recovery – injury or surgery, greatly benefit from water workouts. The water is buoyant, which provides extra support to the joints and muscles and minimises the impact on the body.

2) Balance: Water workouts improve our balance, strength and cardiorespiratory health. We learn to balance better and strengthen our bodies.

3) Resistance: When we work out in water, it provides more resistance to the body, as compared to working out on land. This makes our muscles stronger and flexible.

4) Agility: Water workouts make us more agile as we can move faster and easily.

5) Cardiovascular Fitness: Water workouts improve our cardiovascular fitness and keep us fit and healthy.

6) Burns Calories: The resistance of the water makes us burn more calories as compared to land workouts, and works on our muscles.

7) Improves Health Issues: Water workouts impact and improve health conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, back pain, joint replacement, weakness, neurological conditions (like stroke, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease), joint pain and muscle pain.

8) Children: Water workouts benefit children who have developmental disorders, i.e. cerebral palsy, spinal muscular atrophy and autism.

Types of Exercises for Water Workouts

These are some simple water workouts to begin with.

Water Walking/Jogging: In a pool, stand waist-deep or chest-deep, and do the following exercises: Walk 10-20 steps forward and backwards, and increase the speed gradually.Jogging on the spot for a few minutes. Switch between walking and jogging in short intervals. Walk sideways back and forth for 20 steps in each direction.
Side Lunges: With the support of the pool wall, take a huge step(lunge) forward without letting the knee in front move past the toes. Step back and take the next lunge with your other leg.
Sideways lunges: Face the pool wall, take one wide step sideways, return to the centre and repeat with the other leg.
One-Legged Stand: Lift up your leg, raise the knee and balance yourself on the other leg. Bring down your leg. Repeat with the other leg, and alternate between each leg for 10 counts.
Sidesteps: Face the pool wall, and take 10-15 sidesteps in each direction, alternating the legs.
Hip kicks: Stand sideways with the pool wall supporting your body. Move one leg forward, knee straight, and make a kicking motion. Come back to the centre and then move the other leg in the same manner. Stand sideways in the pool and make an action of drawing a circle with your toes, circling your foot on the floor. Repeat with each leg for three sets of 10 moves.
Pool Planks: Stand facing the pool wall. Put your hands on the wall, at chest level, and move your elbows forward like a normal plank we do on the floor.
Deepwater Cycling: In the water, take a couple of noodles and loop them around the back of your body, and rest your arms on the noodles for support. Move your legs in a cycling motion for 2-3 minutes.
Push-ups: Stand at an arm‘s length in the pool and place your hands shoulder-width apart on the edge. With your feet firm and body straight, lower your chest towards the edge of the pool. Press your weight with your hands and lift your body to the start position. Repeat this .10 times.
Knee Lift: Stand with your back against the pool wall. Lift one knee and put it down. Repeat with both legs alternately, 10 times each.

Cautions: Always seek advice from your healthcare professional before commencing any of these exercises.

Safety Measures :

These are some safety measures to keep in mind while doing water workouts:

Hydration: Stay hydrated by drinking water before and after the workouts.
Floaters: Use a flotation device (if you are not a swimmer) to prevent drowning.
Hygiene: Take a shower after the workouts, as public pools carry viruses that can cause diarrhoea, swimmer’s ear or lung infections. Do not swallow the water of the pool. Do not spit in the pool.
Temperature: Do not work out in a pool that has a temperature of more than 32 °C.
Symptoms: immediately stop if you face symptoms like nausea, breathlessness, lightheadedness, dizziness, weakness, fainting, pain or pressure in the chest or upper body.

Being surrounded by water makes us relaxed and calm, as it is meditative in nature. Balancing requires greater focus, so we are more mindful and aware of each and every movement of the workout.

Last but not least: always seek advice from your healthcare professional before making any dietary/lifestyle changes.

Source: Inputs from various media Sources