GIVE IT A TRY
What: FreeFridays Water Workout Classes
Where: Kettering Recreation Complex, 2900 Glengarry Drive
When: July 1, Aug. 5, Sept. 2
More: Classes vary monthly, visit Play Kettering on Facebook for details
Summertime can mean breaking a sweat just walking outside, much less working out, but warm-weather fitness routines can be refreshing if you hit the pool.
That doesn’t mean swimming lap after lap after lap. Recreation centers, public pools and YMCAs offer a variety of water fitness classes that help you get in shape without breaking a sweat.
Beyond the fun of making a splash, there are many benefits of water-based fitness.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, water-based exercise has tremendous benefits for those with chronic conditions — like arthritis — as well as older adults. Water-based exercise can improve the use of affected joints and decrease pain from osteoarthritis as well as improve or maintain the bone health of post-menopausal women.
Water-based exercise also has been shown to have mental health benefits like improving your mood and decreasing anxiety.
Summertime is a perfect time to give water fitness a try. What type of class is right for you? Here are some options:
Deep-water workout
A major benefit to a deep-water class is that there is no impact, making it ideal for those rehabbing from an injury or whose joints can’t endure the wear and tear of some other types of exercise. Other benefits include improved flexibility, muscle toning and overall core strengthening. It also provides a great cardiovascular workout. Participants wear buoyancy belts and generally exercise in 6-12 feet of water.
Shallow-water workout
Aerobic routines, stretching and toning exercises performed in chest-to-shoulder-deep water can make anyone feel light on their feet. The buoyancy of the water reduces impact but the resistance gives you a good full-body workout. Swimming skills aren’t necessary, as participants can stand in the water.
Aqua jogging
Used for rehab purposes as well as for training and to achieve fitness goals, aqua jogging — when done in deep water — is a no-impact activity in which you jog in the water while wearing an aqua-jogging belt. For those who prefer to jog in more shallow water, aqua shoes can be worn to get a better workout.
Pool water walking
Water walking is easy on the joints and provides 12 times the resistance as traditional walking, meaning more effort but also more calories burned. It can also improve range of motion and balance while providing a cardio workout. You can create your own water-walking workout or join a structured group like the vortex pool water walking class at the Kettering Recreation Complex.
Aqua Zumba
Part pool party…part workout, Aqua Zumba is a low-impact, high-energy dance workout in the water. Water resistance can increase the challenge as well as the toning benefits but can also hide the fact that you have two left feet.
Arthrons
Supported by the Arthritis Foundation — and offered at the South YMCA — Arthrons is designed for those with Arthritis. It’s an ideal form of exercise for all abilities as it increases strength and endurance without straining joints.
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