Cardiovascular exercise has been found to be important in the treatment and prevention of a number of health conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Common examples of cardiovascular exercise include walking, biking, and hiking. Individuals who have arthritis, joint problems, or other injuries are often encouraged to avoid these types of weight-bearing activities. Instead, they may want to consider aquatic exercise, which has been found to be highly effective for cardiovascular health. While swimming is the most popular form of cardiovascular exercise, other activities can be attempted. If you have never participated in aquatic exercise, you may want to consult with your primary care physician. He or she should be able to tell you if you are healthy enough for exercise.
Jogging in the Water
Jogging in the water is great not only for cardiovascular health, but can also be used as a method of cross-training for individuals who participate in strenuous jogging routines. Jogging or running for an extended period of time often causes knee pain and injury due to the large amounts of stress placed on the joints. To avoid or reverse these symptoms, consider jogging in the water one day per week. Your body will get the same physiological benefits, without the damage to your joints. Ideally, water jogging should take place in water that is no more than chest deep. A kiddie pool works best for this form of exercise, though the shallow end of a traditional pool may also be sufficient. Jog as you normally would when out of the water. You will find that water jogging is quite difficult-not only will your heart rate increase quite dramatically, but you may have to rely on your core muscles to maintain your balance in the water.
Leg Kicks
Leg kicks are another great option for individuals who are interested in participating in aquatic exercise-without the swimming. Hold onto the side of a swimming pool, with your legs extended behind you into the water. Kick your legs are hard as you can for about thirty seconds, and then rest, moving them only slightly. Repeat this process for at least 10 minutes, or for as long as 60 minutes. This “interval training” style of aquatic exercise is a great option for individuals who are interested in weight loss, as calorie expenditure may be maximized.
Water Jumps
Water jumps are designed for body builders and other individuals who are interested in muscle development in their legs. Like water jogging, water jumps are best when performed in water that is chest deep. Using only the muscles in your legs, propel yourself from one side of the pool to the other by jumping. While you can jump from one leg to the other, using both legs to power your jump will be more difficult-and more effective for the promotion of muscle growth.
Arm Thrusts
Finally, individuals who are interested in increasing strength in their upper bodies may want to attempt arm thrusts. As you walk from one side of the pool to the other, use your arms to part the water in front of your body. The more rapidly and forcefully this is done, the more difficult the exercise will be. Exercises using your arms-such as arm thrusts-will typically be more difficult that those using your legs, as the muscles in your upper body are much smaller than those in your lower body.