How Aquatic Training Improves Endurance, Speed, and Flexibility

To explain the many benefits of water fitness, we must first consider resistance. That's a word you'll see a lot in relation to water, but what does it mean exactly? Water is denser than air, and the particles within it cause friction when they encounter any object. This natural friction means that whenever you move within water, you're working against a force trying to stop your progress.

Making muscles work against a force is exactly what you're doing when you lift weights at the gym and it's the best way to strengthen muscles and encourage growth. Unlike static gym equipment, water is always gently moving, so the resistance comes from ever-changing angles. This means your muscles keep working to adapt, preventing the plateaus that can occur with traditional weight training.

Why water resistance is superior:

• Constantly changing angles prevent muscle adaptation plateaus
• Full-body engagement you can't favor one muscle group
• Natural core strengthening from maintaining balance in water
• Builds both endurance and speed for pool and land activities

The need to constantly adjust your stance in the pool strengthens your core as well as your general muscle tone. A strong core aids most fitness activities as it helps with balance and spine support. This resistance-based, whole-body approach means aquatic workouts naturally increase muscle strength across your entire body.

How Dynamic Water Movement Improves Flexibility

Let's now consider flexibility and water's unique supporting properties. We've discussed water's application of force on muscles, but did you know it also supports your body weight? The buoyancy of water cancels out some of the gravity you normally encounter, with studies suggesting up to 90% of your weight is supported by the water.

This means joints and ligaments can experience a wider range of movement within water as there's less weight for them to deal with and little risk of falling over. If you're looking to improve flexibility in other activities, this extended movement will become natural over time, so you'll begin to access it outside the pool too.

You can use dynamic exercises in the pool to speed this process along. These moves are performed in a controlled manner, like yoga poses rather than through bouncing. Examples include body rolls to help get your spine moving or arm circles varying in size. As your flexibility improves, you're likely to find other aquatic fitness moves easier, leading to more time spent in the pool and further improvements to flexibility.

Combining Aquatic Training With Land-Based Workouts for Peak Performance

Aquatic fitness is a full-body workout, incorporating cardio with strength thanks to water's natural resistance. This means you could do this regularly and build your fitness effectively. However, if you want to boost your results, there are certain exercises to focus on outside the pool.

Using dumbbells and resistance bands for exercises like squats and push-ups on land can help build strength faster than water training alone. This improved muscle strength will also help you get more out of your water workouts as you'll be able to keep going longer. Introducing cardio like running or cycling will help keep your heart rate up between aquatic fitness sessions.

Land-based exercises that complement water training: 

• Planks for core strength (essential for water stability)
• Yoga or Pilates for full-body flexibility
• Large arm and leg circles to build range of motion
• Dumbbell and resistance band work for targeted strength

Getting your body used to a range of movements can help ensure you don't hit a plateau with results or get bored. Practicing building good range of motion outside the pool can help you build flexibility quicker and prevent strains in the water where you're moving more easily.

Moving in water requires excellent core strength, so building this up quickly at the beginning of your water fitness journey will help you get the most out of the pool. On land, planks are a very effective way to strengthen your core, just make sure you're gradually increasing the time you hold them to avoid overdoing it.

With both water and land exercise, you should always ensure you're warming up properly to avoid excess strain on muscles and joints. Make sure to build in rest between sets of exercise and plenty of time between workouts. This prevents injuries from overworked muscles.

Booking an appointment with a personal trainer will help ensure you're using the right techniques for each exercise. Good technique means effective exercise and reduced risk of injury from using the wrong muscles. At Aquatic Performance Training, we've got the water personal training covered and we can't wait to help you on your fitness journey.