Water aerobics may offer a number of benefits for health and wellness, but there are a few disadvantages to water aerobics exercises and programs for some. Understanding the pros and cons of any new exercise or routine will help you make wiser choices when it comes to designing your workout routines. You may have concerns about a water aerobics program that you should discuss with your doctor, such as effectiveness for weight loss, or as a therapy for injury or a disease process. Decide whether water aerobics are right for you after assessing the downside to exercising in water.
Access
Before you can engage in water aerobics, you need to have access to a swimming pool. If you don't have one in your back yard, you may need to use the community pool or a pool offered by your city's Parks and Recreation district. Fees will vary depending on season. You may also find it difficult to schedule time when the pool's free from swimming classes and school swimming programs and meets. You may also have to pay for a membership to use the pool facilities, changing room or other equipment.
Inconvenience
You may have to drive to a swimming pool facility or class, which may take up too much of your free time. Changing into and out of street clothes into a swimming suit and then back again is an inconvenience for many. The amount of chemicals used in public swimming pools is often high. Community pools are often highly chlorinated. Pool chemicals can irritate the eyes, and skin, and affect your hair. Finding a class that fits into your schedule may also be challenging.
Cost
Those who engage in water aerobics classes may also find that purchasing a bathing suit, a swimming cap, and ear or nose plugs are costs more than they're willing to spend for a class, on top of fees incurred for an instructor.
Joint Health
Swimming and water aerobics offers a variety of benefits, especially as a low-impact sport and exercise activity. However, some may find that water aerobics exacerbates certain conditions. If you have any kind of shoulder, arm, wrist or hand problems, consider that the muscles and moves used to resist water, tread water or move around in water will require more strength and coordination from these muscles than other forms of exercise, suggests Pauline Ivens, MS, and writing for Aqua Aerobics. Water aerobics may require excess strain on certain joints, especially the elbow and shoulder, leading to risk of strain or overuse for those not accustomed to exercise.
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