2023-07-11 03:20:00
Holidays sometimes serve as an excuse to encourage sedentary behavior: the beach bar, the sun lounger and the towel are there. Maybe when you travel you think: I don’t have a gym, so I’m going to sunbathe. The challenge lies in finding a balance between what you want and what you need, between the desire to be embraced by the hammock and the benefits of introducing movement. The summer period might be an opportunity to introduce a paradigm shift and vary your training. “Water is the driving force of all nature,” said Leonardo Da Vinci.
In general, the exercise that can be performed in the water has been recommended for healthy people and with special health conditions (for example, older adults, osteoarthritis, patients with obesity, coronary artery disease, women in postmenopausal stages and athletes who are in the period of rehabilitation of injuries). As stated by the studiesbuoyancy and lack of hypogravity might be responsible for reducing the effect of body weight, compression forces.
Less joint impact
Organisms like the Arthritis Foundation note that “aquatic exercise is a gentle way to work muscles and joints. Water supports joints, decreases tension, and allows free mobility.”
A investigation suggests that this type of training might be used as a complement to medical treatments in different diseases or to maintain/improve physical fitness and quality of life. The effects in healthy adults would be to improve balance, cardiorespiratory fitness and strength; while in people with chronic diseases, in addition to those already mentioned, a decrease in pain and improvements in gait have been observed. The benefits, although more research is needed to define the optimal dose of exercise in some conditions, were seen in physical fitness and other health-related measures following eight to sixteen weeks.
depth and temperature
Why may you notice that your knee pain is less when you dive into the pool? Water causes body weight to decrease, for example if it reaches hip height, its apparent weight – the one supported by the joints – will be reduced by approximately 50% of the real one. Therefore, water is used to increase or decrease the weight that affects the joints. As shown by some findings, the improvement in strength depends on the depth of the water, with the shallowest being the most conducive to producing the best results. In deep water – those in which the feet do not touch the bottom of the pool – they might reduce muscle stimulation, maximum speed of movement and force production.
More information
The temperature would also be another factor to take into account, especially if they suffer from musculoskeletal diseases, such as fibromyalgia and bone pathologies. When the purpose of training is to alleviate chronic painthe water should be between 30°C and 34°C.
According to a meta-analysis, this type of exercise seems to be a safe system when the intention is to reduce discomfort in these patients. It should be noted that, despite these benefits, it would not be the best option if what is sought is to achieve a direct increase in bone mineral density.
Running
Aquatic running can be a cardiovascular exercise that simulates the gesture of jogging while submerged in water. It can be done by circling in the pool or by using a flotation tool that keeps the body suspended, allowing the arms and legs to move freely while keeping the head above the surface.
Just like walking on water, as admitted by the studies, reduces joint impact. The height of the water is something to take into account: the higher it is, the more it will cost us to move forward because we will have more resistance. Therefore, it is recommended that the height of the water does not exceed the waist.
Aquafitness
It is usually a common activity in summer hotels, since many introduce these classes within their physical activity offer for their clients. Normally, they are scheduled at a specific time in the pools of the facilities and they are still an option to make your vacation less sedentary. They give you an opportunity to get out of the room or house, leave the lounger and meet people. Depending on the type of session and the depth of the water, it can be a full body workout. The classes are structured using different rhythms and songs, more or less intense.
It is a way of having a “summer party in the water”: children, parents and grandparents in the pools moving together, enjoying themselves. At the same time that we introduce physical activity in our holidays we can make gestures to the rhythm of the music and also interact with other people. A magazine study PLOS Onecarried out by the Center for Healthy Aging at Pennsylvania State University, admits that socialization can improve the cognitive function of older adults in daily life.
Water is a medium that allows you to exercise in a different way in summer. Physical activity adds health in any season. If you travel to a destination with a sea or swimming pool, you will be able to discover the number of possibilities and benefits that they can offer you. Imagine you do it, like it, and stick with it for the rest of the year. Everything, as always, is to start. Try it.
From the theory to the practice
Consider the depth. The water reduces the impact on the joints, but the intensities are difficult to control, as well as the introduction of progressions. It might be useful to work with pools with a depth between 1 and 1.2 meters. Work hard. You can perform displacements, jumps, turns, strength exercises such as squats, splits, strides, etc… To strengthen your arms, you can perform openings (open and close your arms), push or pull gestures in the water. You can also kick; perform splits by bringing one leg out to the sides or frontally. Use tools to train in this medium. Use specific material for training in the water (noodles, boards, belts), as well as rubber bands, rings or balls. These tools might be used to increase the intensity of the exercises. Warm up beforehand. We must not forget the warm-up, even if we are on vacation. It will only take a few minutes and would prevent injuries. In this sense, you can do a foam roller massage before entering the water. Once inside, do low-intensity mobility exercises. The safest style for your back is back. You should remember that each of the strokes should be taught by a swimming instructor or coach. Executing them correctly will make you enjoy swimming more, while preventing injuries. Learning technique is important. Avoid imitation. Each person is different, has conditions and a context. If you want to enjoy the exercise and sustain it over time, go to a physical activity professional.
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