water aerobics
 

I've heard about the benefits of water aerobics for obese people, and am going to give it a try. Does anyone else do this on a regular basis? What do you like best about it?

I don't do it regularly because the times it is offered at my gym just don't gibe with my work schedule, though I wish it did because I enjoyed doing them (even if I felt at times it was the geriatric crowd and me). My favorite thing? Because of the water, I felt really graceful--much more so than when I feel like an elephant stomping around at a regular dry land aerobics class.

I'm curious as well. It always looks to me like it's not going to burn any calories. I wonder if instructors take it easy on classes because there are so many older people who do it?

My parents do this, yesterday I went with them.

It was fun, although I was the youngest person there by about 30 years. It's good exercise for them since they are older (73 and 78 respectively) and their joints hurt sometimes. For me, it wasn't a great workout, but if I was just starting out or had joint problems it would be worth it. I also like the water best. It felt great.

I realized that I need to swim more. I tried doing laps, and although I can now run a mile I can barely swim a lap in an Olympic size pool :(. Good luck!

I've taken different water fitness classes over the years, and they vary greatly in intensity and difficulty. The ones I took in college at the student fitness center were hard! The ones I took more recently at the YMCA I used to belong to were much more laid back (with an older/heavier crowd) but I could still get a half way decent workout by putting a little extra effort in. Like running, swimming or any other form of cardio you can push harder/faster to make the same movements more challenging and burn more calories. I would give it a try, it can be a fun group activity.

My DH does it fairly regularly, and I used to do it more often before I started running. It's very good for people who might have joint issues. My opinion is that you get out what you put into it. There are people in the class who just kind of float around, and then there are people who really try to perform at a higher cardio level. We have one instructor who makes everyone work extremely hard (she loves intervals!), and we're really huffing and puffing. Don't think that because your heart rate doesn't go up as much (it has to do with the water pressure), that you're not getting a good workout IF you're really working at it. Make all your movements big and try to go as fast as you can.

I, too, like the feeling of being more graceful in the water--I feel strong, long, and lean. :)

It can be a great workout - but you need to make it so. More so than on land it is possibly to not get a workout by not pushing yourself. Remember to keep your core engaged throughout. Follow the instructors cues as to which muscles you should be used. If you're not feeling it push yourself harder. An open hand is going to give more resistance than slicing your hand through the water. Going faster will make it more difficult than going slowly.

Good luck with it!

I do water aerobics twice a week. And like everyone has said - you get out of it what you give. You can coast through it or really work hard.

I'm going to a class at the local University tomorrow. :carrot:

The class I go to is actually got a really mixed group age wise, i think its great the instructor really kicks your butt - it tones you up to because your working against your resistance and the water, i would reccomend !! I also like it because i dont get all sweaty, but nice pink cheeks only!!

I'm with everyone who says you feel young - but it is a fun thing. I definitely wouldn't count it as a full day's exercise like you would walking or running for an hour, but it is an enjoyable activity.

I have a friend I go with sometimes in the winter - just to break up the routine. We bounce through all the standing exercises to get our heart rates up and then just enjoy the time in the water. It's definitely a good thing if you've got sore muscles or joints - it just doesn't wear on you like "normal" exercise does.

And the "older" ladies get a huge boost in self-esteem because they're better at the moves than we are. They start clucking as soon as they see us coming. It's a blast!

I have done deeps water aerobics and I love it. I am actually going to start doing it again. It is awesome because you dont feel like you are doing anything but the next day I hurt like I lifted weights for like 5 hours (not really that bad, but you get the point). I love it. And it is good because it doesnt put as much strain on the joints.

I've been going for about 2 weeks. One instructor keeps me huffing and my heart pounding...the other instructor is much easier and I have to keep reminding myself to pick up the pace.

My favorite thing about it is if I start to sweat I just dunk myself and feel about a thousand times better. (I hate to sweat) :)

I started doing water aerobics 2 months ago a my YMCA. I enjoy it, it is "fun", but I am definitely pushing myself harder then the the rest (we walk/jog/hop/etc in circles sometimes, and I have to go out of the circle, because I am at a faster pace). Before class I attempt to swim 2 months ago FORGET it!. I hadn't worn swimming trunks in 25 yrs, I had forgotten how to simply float. I re-taught myself, then started to do a backstroke, eventually getting the courage up to do a regular swim. I will do 2 laps before class, and try for more. I can walk a 6.5 mile walk on Sundays, but heaven forbid if I could make it to the end of an Olympic Sized pool!!!

I enjoy the water aerobics, but I prefer the gym aerobics (I do those as well). I measure my progress in sweat, something you see ZERO of in the pool

I think I disagree. If you are pushing yourself hard, it's quite a workout.

At this point in the game, I couldn't walk for an hour. So to do 45 min of water aerobics for me is great. And I really enjoy it, so I actually do it and that counts for ALOT.

I took water aerobics about 10 years ago. That particular class was very challenging, and I had a hard time keeping up. I was in pretty good shape at the time, too.

I think it's all about the instructor.

I swim and run regularly, but I sometimes want to mix it up, and I will do the elliptical, biking, or water aerobics to give me variety. The first time I did the water aerobics, I tried to push myself beyond what the instructor required, and was really surprised when I was sore the next day. It was actually really good for me, as I started pushing myself harder when I swim so that I could enjoy that feeling I used to get when it was so much more challenging for me.

Wow, fluff! A mile is great! I found out the the pool at the Y where I swim is only 25 meters which means a mile is 64 lengths!! I've worked up to 16! hahahah

Actually, Fluffy, I'm quite glad you made that error. My pool lengths are the same as Tricia's, only I thought that I had to do 70 lengths in order to reach a mile. So, when I read that you were doing a mile on the day that you started, I thought that if you could do it so quickly, I should be able to do it after swimming almost daily for three months. So, yesterday, I swam 71 lengths (front crawl, no less!), and I felt amazing (and exhausted)! A little competition kicks me in the butt every time, and the scale this morning confirmed that my effort was worth it. So - thanks for the push, even if it may have been accidental.