MILAN – With the summer now well underway, physical activities in water will become a must. For health enthusiasts, the advice from Darcy Reber, family medicine provider at the Mayo Clinic Health System, could prove interesting. In fact, according to Reber, if performed correctly, training carried out in water will yield better results than traditional exercises performed on land.
The advantages
When you are submerged up to your neck, water cancels out around 90% of your body weight, significantly reducing stress on the joints, bones and muscles. Blood circulation increases and as a result, cardiovascular health improves. The pressure of water on your body can reduce swelling, especially if you have painful lesions, and provides strong resistance for the muscles, which are strengthened. Since the effects of gravity are diminished in water, it is possible to perform stretching exercises you would find difficult on land.
Suggestions
If you are in a swimming pool, proceed by swinging the arms naturally, as if walking along the street. Avoid standing on tiptoe and hold your back straight, in addition to tightening the abdominal muscles to avoid leaning too far forward or backward. To begin with, this may be optimised by water at waist height. After the first set of exercises, try to increase the resistance of your arms moving in the water, by taking advantage of any suitable equipment. Once you feel comfortable with the water at waist height, try walking in deeper water and during the exercises, swing your arms constantly. For more intense training, consider jogging in deep water, but if you have health problems such as asthma, diabetes or cardiac disease, consult your doctor first. Water Workouts can help you achieve your fitness goals without any aches or grazes and can add variety to your exercise routine, but most importantly, they can provide a safe and fun way to start a new exercise programme.
by editorial staff
