Due to the comparatively slow appearance of the movements, water aerobics and water walking might not seem to be as vigorous as their land-based counterparts. The reason for this slowness is that water provides excellent resistance. According to "Arthritis Today," water provides 12 times the resistance of air, making a water walking or aerobics exercise that much more challenging and fruitful. You can further enhance a water aerobics routine by using foam barbells, hand webs and other types of weights, reports MayoClinic.com.
Benefits to Joints
According to "Arthritis Today," water exercise is a great alternative to high-impact workouts on land, which may cause stress to the joints. Because water provides buoyancy, it supports your body's weight, minimizing the weight applied to your knees and hip joints during land workouts. You'll most likely need a flotation belt for deep water walking to position your body properly in the water.
Muscle Building
The resistance of water can provide the added benefit of building muscle, reports "Arthritis Today." This resistance can help tone and sculpt various muscles while also burning calories. The deeper the water in which you walk, the greater your resistance and the more vigorous your workout. MayoClinic.com suggests providing extra resistance by wearing hand webs, which add to the "drag" and can strengthen biceps and triceps. Walking backward or sideways can help to strengthen different muscle groups, providing more complete toning.
Weight Bearing Benefits
Some degree of weight bearing is necessary to strengthen your bones, reports "Arthritis Today," and water walking or water aerobics generally provide minimal weight bearing exercise. The use of foam barbells and other types of underwater weights may improve the weight-bearing potential of water exercise. However, for maximum benefits to your bone density and bone strength, you will probably need to incorporate some sort of land-based weight bearing routine.
Benefits for Pregnant Women
According to Guardian.co.uk, water exercise may be a particularly favorable option for pregnant women. Pregnant women who engage in water exercises generally experience less discomfort than with land-based workouts, and feel less physically awkward and more mobile. Pregnant women who practice water exercise may also feel more confident and have an improved body image, according to Guardian.co.uk.
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