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Water-based exercise
Exercising in water brings the added benefits of resistance and weightlessness to intensify and comfort exercise. It will help you get toned and get fit, and it can be great fun as well.
What is water-based exercise?What is water-based exercise good for?
Before you go
Precautions
What to expect from water-based exercise
Hot tip!
Afterwards
Different types of water-based exercise
What is water-based exercise?
There are lots of ways that you can benefit from exercising in water, from treading water to playing waterpolo. The main options you'll have at a spa are swimming, hydrotherapy (physiotherapy in water) and classes such as aquarobics or aquatone.
What is water-based exercise good for?
There are lots of advantages of doing exercise in water. Water provides a gentle resistance to your movements which helps to improve strength and muscle tone. It is also buoyant and supports your body while it moves, which makes it safer and more comfortable, particularly for people who have weight or joint problems, or who are disabled in some way. Being in water is also soothing to most people and it therefore has wellbeing as well as health benefits.
Before you go
You should always make sure that you're clean before going into any public pool. You will probably be asked to, and offered a shower before you get into the pool. Make sure you have an appropriate costume - some places will be very happy for you to use the pool naked; most will expect you to be "decent". If you're not sure, call beforehand.
If you're not at a spa that provides free products, remember to take some shampoo and conditioner with you. Goggles are also a real bonus to protect your eyes especially in very chlorinated pools.
Precautions
Whenever you go into water, you should take certain precautions:
* Leave at least an hour after eating before doing any exercise
* Don't drink alcohol beforehand
* If you can't swim or are not a confident swimmer, stay in the shallow end of the pool.
You should avoid water-based exercise if you:
* are anxious or liable to panic in water
* have any skin conditions - rashes, cuts or open wounds
* have an infection or fever, or any condition that is liable to be transferred to others in the water.
Remember! Don't run along the side of the pool and (for all those of us who remember the traditional public-pool notice) no heavy petting!
What to expect from water-based exercise
You'll use changing rooms and a locker to put your clothes in while you take your exercise. These will be single-sex and will almost always have private rooms or changing areas so that you can get undressed on your own if you want to.
If you're going to a class, such as aquarobics or aquatone, you'll go through directly to the pool with the others and the instructor will take you through the exercises as you do them, reassuring and assisting wherever you need it. If you're swimming in a spa pool, there are unlikely to be lanes and you will have free use of the pool and other facilities as you like.
Hot tip!
We would recommend finding a spa with an oxygenated or ozone-treated pool for a really fresh, clean swim. Plan your pool activities around your treatments carefully - if you're having a facial, it would be a shame to lose all those lovely products so soon. Take your make up off, don't worry about your hair and just enjoy the exercise and facilities.
Afterwards
Exercising in water can be very tiring and you are likely to feel worn out but relaxed afterwards - those endorphins again. Our top tip would be to take along a packet of crisps or a healthier snack to have afterwards as there's something about exercise in water that leaves you really peckish too! Leave yourself enough time to shower off the chlorine afterwards and get on with your day!
Different types of water-based exercise
Swimming
Swimming is a great whole-body exercise that is suitable for just about anyone. Often used with people rehabilitating after an accident or injury, the water supports and cushions the body whilst you exercise, and provides some resistance to build muscle and tone. As it is a low-impact activity it is particularly good for people who have joint problems or conditions such as arthritis as it protects rather than pressures as the water supports your weight. Aerobically, even a gentle 20-minute swim will help you burn fat and calories. Swimming at spas can be a real treat as well. The quality of the pools, the surroundings and the fact that you will often find yourself alone or with only one or two other people in a pool, can make this exercise feel like a treatment.
Aquarobics
Many spas and health clubs offer exercise classes, and aqua aerobics is often one of them. Like regular aerobics, aquarobics offers a guided cardiovascular, whole-body workout, set to music and done with other people. Just as fun as a regular aerobics class, there is a lower risk of injury in aquarobics as any activity done in water is low impact. In addition to this, the resistance of the water adds another dimension to the exercises you do, and they are liable to be more effective and build strength and muscle tone. If you are self-conscious about joining an exercise class, aquarobics is a great option, and it's often very popular with older people or those who've had injuries or weight problems. Once you're in the water, you're no longer on display below the neck really. As well as this, the water resistance makes this kind of exercise extra-effective when it comes to toning up and losing weight.
Aquatone
Aquatone is one of several versions of the aerobics theme, and has been devised to really maximise the benefits of exercising in water. An aerobic workout is combined with strength building exercises that target specific muscle-groups. The class is led by an instructor who usually leads the class from pool side. The class uses the whole pool and often involves you moving from one side to the other doing a particular movement, using your legs and arms. You may also come across deep aquatone, in which a body float is tied around your waist at the beginning of the class to keep you afloat throughout the class, which takes place in deep water.
See also:
* Gyms
* Pilates
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