Why work out underwater?
During summer's hottest days, it's tiring to even think about keeping up with your fitness routine -- who wants to exercise when you're perspiring while you're sitting still?
There's a fantastic alternative to your sweaty gym workout -- it's a wonderful muscle-toner, it offers outstanding cardio endurance, it's kind to your joints and it'll keep you cool. When it's too warm for a warm-up and all you want to do is cool down, take your fitness regimen into the water.
From rehabilitation to elite athlete, the water is an awesome workout medium for people of all fitness levels. Charlene Kopansky, founder and president of the Canadian Aquafitness Leaders Alliance (CALA), shares three exercises to perform in either deep water (using a flotation belt) or chest- to shoulder-depth water.
Before beginning, practise the following Powerful Posture pose and use it in each exercise:
• spine (back) is long and strong
• chin is gently tucked back
• chest is open
• tummy muscles are tight, abdominals are activated
• hips are level, with the pelvic floor muscles activated (Kegel)
Look at the pictures and read the descriptions carefully. The exercises are shown out of the water to better demonstrate body positions. Practise these exercises a few times in the water and experiment by increasing intensity and adding objects like paddles in your hands for more resistance.
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Looking for more fun new ways to work out? How about martial arts?
