Seniors can experience a wide range of physical ailments that make weight-bearing exercise, such as walking or jogging, difficult or impossible. For them, and for most seniors, swimming can be the answer to getting in a good workout and increasing muscle tone and cardiovascular health.
Swimming is low-impact exercise. Because of the buoyancy of the water, there is minimal impact on joints. Yet the resistance of the water will build muscle tone as seniors engage in various types of aquatic exercise. Lap swimming is extremely effective in building cardiovascular capacity and doesn’t cause the windedness that walking or jogging will because the weight of the body is supported by the water. So, due to the decreased impact, the swimmer can gradually increase blood flow and get the heart pumping without straining the joints. This makes swimming excellent for improving cardiovascular health.
In fact, Aquatic Therapy is often used with seniors that are recovering from knee and hip surgery as a way to rehabilitate the body without compromising the healing process. It will actually help with healing as it increases blood flow to the injury. It can also be a soothing workout for those with Arthritis as it helps to loosen stiff joints, and that can prove to decrease pain. Overweight or inactive seniors often find swimming to be a good way to begin a fitness routine without causing joint strain.
Swimming can also be a social way to exercise and many seniors enjoy making their swim workout a group activity. Gyms and community centers often offer classes just for seniors. These classes are a fun way to exercise and socialize with friends. The more enjoyable the swim workout is, the more likely it is that people will stick with it.
Seniors that begin to workout in the pool for a minimum of three times a week, and eat a healthy, low-fat diet, can expect to see improvements in muscle tone and appearance within a month. They might actually be surprised at how quickly they see the benefits of their swim workouts. That’s because it probably wont feel like exercise the way that walking on the treadmill or jogging does. They won’t experience the sweating, windedness and muscle fatigue that accompany more strenuous weight-bearing exercise – but they’ll experience the same results.
Over time, as muscle tone increases, seniors can increase the intensity of their water workouts with aqua therapy tools that increase resistance. These add diversity to the workout so that it remains interesting and challenging.
Aqua Therapy, though, is not for everyone. Before beginning this, or any, type of fitness routine, we advise that you consult with your doctor about your particular level of fitness.
View our Aquavee products for water fitness:
http://www.activebychoice.com/aqua-therapy.aspx
