Three Benefits of Exercising in Water

Are you having a hard time getting motivated to exercise?  Consider ditching your sneakers and grabbing your bathing suit. A pool workout may be just what you need to meet your fitness goals.

Unlike traditional gravity-based exercise, water can assist, resist, and support body movements, making it a great way to strengthen and stretch your muscles.  By varying the position, speed, and equipment used with water-based exercise, you can build a progressive exercise routine to help you reach your goals.

Here are three benefits of exercising in water:

Relaxation. The hydrostatic pressure generated by water can help reduce swelling and improve circulation within the body, especially if you exercise in warm water. Improved circulation means that blood returns more easily to the heart from extremities, allowing your heart to work more efficiently.

Less pressure.  Buoyancy can take the pressure off of your joints. The more submerged you are, the less stress it is on your musculoskeletal system. If you have arthritis, are pregnant, or otherwise find it hard to move on land, the pool is a great place to have a pain-free workout.

Better balance.  Water provides constant cues to your body about its position and movement, allowing you to adjust to balance challenges without even knowing it. You can continue to challenge yourself by starting out with exercise in the deeper end, then move to more shallow water for greater weight-bearing.

South Shore Hospital is home a warm (92°) and cool (82°) pool. This not only allows us to help patients that need physical therapy or rehabilitation, but we also offer a variety of pool-based exercise programs for the community.

So, if you are looking for a new workout environment to improve your wellness, try water. It may become your favorite way to work out.

Interested in pool-based fitness at South Shore Health? Check out some of our offerings below. Click the box for information on how to register.