Why Water Exercise is Ideal for Seniors
Everybody knows exercise is vitally important for maintaining fitness and health. As we get older, the kind of exercise we need looks a little different. It should be supportive, safe, and effective.
Go for a run? Do some ab crunches and lift some weights in the gym? It can put unnecessary strain on the body.
So, what can you do to get the muscles working, the heart pumping at a sensible rate and generally make you start to feel alive again?
Aquatic exercise is the answer. Water exercise uses the natural resistance of water to challenge your muscles. It's the ultimate low-impact way of getting the body working, and low-impact means low risk.
That's why water exercise is such a great fit. It helps you stay active, confident, and energized at any age.
Find The Right Place with the Right Trainer
Using water exercise equipment should involve professional guidance, as the aim is to improve your fitness and health without risking injury.
Finding a suitable program is of the utmost importance, and that means making enquiries. Look for:
A pool or health club with qualified instructors who understand seniors' needs
Trainers who can guide you safely with the right pace and intensity
Programs that are effective, fun, and absolutely safe
If what you are after is an overall improvement in strength and mobility, the instructor will draw up a program of exercises to give you a comprehensive workout. If you're targeting one area in particular, the exercises will be more specific, and whatever you aim to achieve, a good trainer will know exactly what you need to do and may suggest follow-up exercises, because one thing can lead to another and once you have achieved the initial goal you may like to go further.
An exercise program in later life can be totally revitalizing.
Water Walking and Jogging
You could start with water walking and jogging. Most people can handle a bit of walking, but if even that takes its toll on your joints, the water can cushion the action, so you're getting the right sort of motion going without exerting undue pressure where it's not wanted.
Jogging is a stage further than walking and there is a technical difference. If you have ever wondered why competitors in a walking race don't just run, because it would be quicker, that's because the techniques are different.
The key differences between walking and running:
Walking: At least one foot always touches the ground
Running: Includes a flight phase when both feet are off the ground at the same time
Impact in water: The water cushion stops gravity and your own weight from making you hit the deck with a bump
Get Some Rhythm Going with Aqua Aerobics
A step up, so to speak, from water walking and jogging is aqua aerobics and dance, two forms of exercise that activate the brain as well as the body. Getting a bit of rhythm going stimulates the whole body and mind. The music and movement also stimulate coordination and memory, giving the brain a workout too.
Why aqua aerobics and dance are fantastic for seniors:
Low-impact movements with the fun and rhythm of music
Buoyancy supports the body, reducing strain on joints
Provides resistance to build strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular health
Social aspect of exercising in a group setting
Seniors can approach this form of exercise by starting with beginner-friendly senior classes, focusing on steady movements rather than speed, and enjoying the group experience. This form of exercise is less about performance and more about staying active, having fun, and keeping the body and mind engaged.
Core Strengthening in Water
Then we come to an area of fitness that has, in recent years, become central to overall physical health: core strength. Keeping the stomach and back muscles firm can prevent strain, not only in the central area but higher and lower, because the core is like the hub of the body.
Benefits of water-based core strengthening:
Ideal alternative if sit-ups and planks would put strain on your body
Reduces risk of injury compared to land-based exercises
Improves balance and stability
Helps prevent falls
Finding a Suitable Program
All of these elements and more can be tackled in an aquatic exercise class, with a qualified instructor making sure everyone is doing the movements properly, because doing them incorrectly can be ineffective and, in some cases, dangerous.
In addition to the importance of safety considerations for seniors, there is the very different aspect of enjoyment and satisfaction that comes with group classes. It is a lot more fun doing exercise in a group or at least with another person to guide your progress and have fun in the process.
About our program:
We're on a mission to revolutionize aquatic rehabilitation, exercise physiology, and performance training
We educate clients on the correct use and methods of aquatic training
We welcome all ages to our centers
No swimming required because everything we do is done with you standing in the water
We'd love to welcome you into our community and show you how good water exercise can make you feel.