The benefits of water exercise are as numerous as the fish in the sea. Commonly touted benefits include increased cardiovascular capacity and increased strength, but there are a number of other benefits that aren't as well known, many of which are due to water's buoyancy. According to the American Council on Exercise, because water creates buoyancy, what a person weighs on land is essentially reduced by 90 percent in the water. If you suffer from arthritis or other joint ailments, if you are pregnant or new to exercise, you can benefit from the reduced impact placed on joints while exercising in the water.
Maintain Fitness During Pregnancy
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, almost all trained runners who continued training during pregnancy saw a marked reduction in their performance during their pregnancies, and most of them stopped training by their third trimester. Women who swam during their pregnancies saw no change in performance and were able to continue training throughout their pregnancies. If you regularly exercise and want to be able to continue exercising while pregnant, this is significant information. The buoyancy of water will enable you to continue to exercise and maintain your fitness level throughout your pregnancy -- something both you and your baby will be grateful for.
Increase Flexibility
In the water, you can move your body in ways that might not be natural or easy on land. According to the American Council on Exercise, this ability to move in multiple planes of motion, and to perform stretches without worrying as much about balance or coordination, can result in an increased range of motion and overall flexibility. Flexibility is a key component of overall fitness, and water exercise effectively plays into this component.
Improve Mental Health
The Centers for Disease Control cites multiple ways in which water exercise improves the mental health of its participants. Whether you're a man or a woman, an adult or a child, water exercise has been proven to improve mood, decrease anxiety and even improve family connections.
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