Aerobic Water Exercise - Pool Exercise

Swimming is a great aerobic activity that improves cardiovascular fitness and tones the muscles. Exercises done in the swimming pool (also called aquatics) are non-impact, regardless of age or health condition. Aerobic water exercise promotes thorough circulation, since the pressure of water on a nonmoving body stimulates the heart to pump blood throughout the body. Water exercise is rhythmic. Continuous rhythmic exercises are one of the best defenses against circulatory ailments. People with paraplegia, asthma, rheumatic heart, polio or stroke patients, amputees, and arthritics can exercise in water and enjoy weightless movement. Some physicians use hydrocalisthenics for their cardiac patients.

Since water is buoyant, it reduces body weight about 90%. So the stress on the weight bearing joints is reduced. A workout in water would not leave you feeling sore and stiff. Instead, it relieves pain and sickness. Swimming exercise helps you maintain joint flexibility, strengthen and tone muscles, and increases endurance. Sometimes, swimming skills are not needed for water or pool exercises. That is because the exercises are done in water up to chest level. The resistance of water coupled with its buoyant nature provides an ideal workout. Water and pool exercises combine every element of fitness, cardio respiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance and flexibility.

While doing exercises in water, follow the interval training principle. Workout until you become a little breathless, slow down, then work again. Such an exercise routine builds up the body without tiring it.

Given below is a selection of some popular water exercises designed by C. Carson Conrad, executive director of the California Bureau of Health.

Stand in water at shoulder level. Extend your arms on each side below the water level. Make small vigorous circles with your arms, ten each, forward and backward.
Stand in water at chest level. Extend one arm forward, one back, imitating a swimmer doing a crawl stroke. Keep doing this until you are slightly tired.

Flexibility Exercises

Stand in water at shoulder level. Lean sideways or backwards against the side of the pool. Balance on one foot, while raising the opposite knee towards your chest. Grasp with both your hands and gently pull it into the upper body, stretching muscles of the hip, thigh and back. Release and repeat with the other leg.

Hip/Leg Exercise

This exercise will strengthen the hip and leg muscles. Hold on to the pool’s edge with both hands and float both legs out behind you. Move legs alternately, without bending the knees, in a flutter kick in which each foot travels only about 12 to 18 inches. Kick for a minute. Rest, and then repeat. Next, do the complete sequence while on your back, then on each side.

Breathing Exercise and Muscle Tone Exercise

The following exercises improve breathing and the muscle tone.
Bobbing. Stand in chest-deep water. Do the following in sequence:take a breath and submerge; straighten legs and regain standing position. Repeat until breathing is easy.

Advanced bobbing: Stand vertical in water above your head, arms on the sides, palms down, below the surface, legs ready to kick. In a single movement: pull both your hands sharply towards the thighs while doing a scissors or frog kick. When your head bobs up above the surface, take a deep breath and hold it. As your body settles in the water again, raise both arms and begin to exhale slowly. When expiration is done, stroke downward with both hands and give another kick, to bob your head above water for another breath. You must be completely relaxed to put the breathing and stroking together. Once you’ve learnt it, you can keep afloat almost indefinitely.

High bobbing: Try bobbing in water that is 2 or 3 feet above your head. When you do this, your feet hit the bottom of the pool when you sink. On the bottom, bend your knees into a semi-squatting position. Then, having exhaled, spring upward, stroking the arms downward, so that you almost “explode” out of the water. Repeat at will. This is a fun exercise and is one of the best for general conditioning.

Golf Exercises

Golf is a game that requires a lot of skill, strength and stamina. The muscles of the legs and upper torso in particular must be strong and flexible. A balanced fitness program includes all the four components of fitness: cardio respiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility. Each of these components plays a part in a golfer's fitness and ability to play.

Muscular strength and endurance is essential for generating club head speed. The club head speed determines how far you can hit the all.
If you need to develop a full, fluid golf swing, you need to have flexibility. Flexibility exercises must be done everyday.
Cardio respiratory endurance is vital to keep your energy up, especially when you are under pressure. Aerobic activity for twenty minutes must be done at least three times a week.
A fitness regime that incorporates these components increases your chances of playing a good game of golf and also offers significant health benefits.
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) recommends the following exercises to improve your golf swing. Each exercise must be performed as a set of eight to twelve repetitions, three times a week.
Abdominal curl, biceps curl, chest cross, chest press, lateral raise, leg curl, leg extension, leg press, low back extension, neck extension, neck flexion, front lateral pull, triceps extension, weight-assisted chin-up.

Medical Disclaimer: These articles are presented for general informational purposes only. It is not the intention of this article or any others on this web site to provide specific medical advice, but rather to provide users with information to better understand their health. Specific medical advice should be obtained with a thorough physical examination from your health care provider. Consult with a qualified physician for diagnosis and for answers to your personal queries.

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Aerobic Water Exercise - Pool Exercise - Golf Exercise