When water aerobics is mentioned, one usually pictures a group of senior citizens with those funny rubber caps on their heads, but it seems like all that is changing. If you check out a water aerobics class today you are more likely to see several people as young as age 20 working out in the water.
Water aerobics became popular in the 1980’s when the YMCA and the Arthritis Foundation created an aquatic program to help with achy joints. Water workouts have since changed to meet a wide range of fitness levels from beginner to high intensity. People in some of the more intense classes look as though they are cross-country skiing or mountain climbing. These kind of moves might explain why so many young people are so drawn to this kind of water exercise. Many of them wear float belts and webbed gloves for more resistance. They start out coming because they are injured or pregnant and end up staying because they just love the workout.
Some instructors claim that it works on some of the small things that weight training doesn’t seem to tackle. They also say it is one of the best ab workouts and that it works on everything. The resistance of the water helps build endurance and muscle strength and it works both the upper and lower body at the same time.
Most doctors recommend combining water aerobics with another exercise such as walking, where you support your own weight, because it is not a weight-bearing exercise.
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