During water workouts, your body experiences a sense of weightlessness. Regardless of your physical limitations from injury or illness, you can move freely and with reduced pain when you are in the water. Unfortunately, this feeling of floating does not stay with you once you return to land.
Buoyancy
According to the Aquatic Exercise Association, your body is buoyant in the water, which lessens the amount of impact on your joints. You feel as if you are carrying less of your body weight than when you are on land. If you exercise in water up to your neck, you will be carrying approximately 10 percent of your weight. If the water level is up to your chest, you feel approximately 25 to 35 percent of your body's weight. When you exercise in waist-deep water, you can expect to carry approximately 50 percent of your body's weight. When you return to land, you may experience a sluggish feeling as gravity's full force returns to your body and you resume carrying your full weight.
Gravity
Since water reduces the amount of gravity pressing down on your body, your blood flows more easily throughout your veins in water than it does on land. According to the International Fitness Association, blood flow returns from your extremities to your heart without an upward fight against gravity. When you get out of the pool and return to land, you may feel as if you are in slow motion until your blood flow adjusts to the pressure of gravity. Move slowly and use a rail for support until your body adjusts.
Compression
According to the Aquatic Exercise Association, the hydrostatic pressure, or pressure of the water on your body, allows oxygen to enter your blood with less resistance. This pressure places compression on your veins, which assists in returning blood to your heart. When you return to land and remove the pressure, your body may take a few moments to return to blood flow without assistance. You may want to hold onto a rail for support, or rest on a chair as your body adjusts.
Temperature
The cooling temperature of the water lessens the work load on your heart during exercise. Your heart is designed to keep your body cool during your workouts. Since the water is helping this process, your heart does not have to beat as fast. When you step out of the water, your heart may increase its rate as you adjust to the air temperature, which may be higher than the water. An increase in heart rate also increases your breathing rate, which may feel as if you are exerting yourself. You can cool your body by drinking water and walking slowly.
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