Has anyone ever tried aqua aerobics? What were your results? Could this be a full-body workout? Thanks

I've taken this class at my "Y", I love it! It was a bit tricky to learn the routine, but my instructor keeps the same moves, just changes them up slightly. I've gotten to where I could do this myself. It is a full body work out the way she teaches, she incorporates, upper body by "swimming" back & forth - not face down,but using your arms, we jog and do jumping jacks and stretches. She even has us do facial exercises. It's the way to go and SO easy on the joints. Be warned, if you move like your suppose to - getting out of the pool will be - hard! - that's when you fee the effects of a great workout!

I'm a huge, huge fan of water aerobics. Like lisarose said, it's super easy on the joints, and you don't even realize how much you're sweating because hey...water!

Re: whether or not it's a full workout, it definitely IS with the right instructor. I've taken aqua exercise on and off for probably 15 years, and I've had some great teachers and some not so great teachers. With the proper instruction it's been a better workout than I could ever get in an aerobic land environment, and that includes back when I was like 140 lbs and in super good shape.

There's one chick who teaches at my gym now who spends 1/2 the class just making us walk back and forth across the pool in a big herd and most of that time is spent trying not to bump into each other. Not effective.

Funny I came across this thread...I just got back from the gym this morning and told my boyfriend I'm switching it up and doing an aqua class tomorrow night because there are some new folks teaching and I'm curious to see how challenging it is.

I'd highly suggest trying it!

Yes, and most definitely. Some classes are more intense than others, and some work muscles more than others (some incorporate weight or water resistance using floating weights and weighted objects).

I LOVE water barbells. They're light styrofoam, so they have virtually no weight out of the water, but you actually have to use quite a bit of force to pull or push them out of the water. Our warm water therapy pool has a big basket of them in different sizes, for swimmers to use. I love them.

I'd prefer to swim laps to get an an aerobic workout, but unless the pool is virtually deserted, there's really no room, so I use what I learned in water aerobics.

The water is the only place I really can get an aerobic workout without feeling like my head is going to explode.

I used to be a competitive swimmer and I was a lifeguard through my teens at a pool that had water aerobics classes.. and while I think water aerobics are wonderful for those who are unable to perform higher impact exercise, its not a good source for your sole exercise routine. You want full body aerobics in the water? Learn how to properly swim a few different strokes and challenge yourself! Many folks don't swim properly, or just too plain leisurely.

When walking, I was told to try to do a mile in 20 minutes or less for a good workout - and at least 40 minutes to an hour 3x a week. What would be the equivilent for swimming? I haven't swam laps in years, don't know if I could do well anymore, when I was doing laps, I could do 800-1000 yds without slowing down, but I didn't time myself, my goal was to do a mile!

Kaplods, the water weights are great! And swimming laps helps keep away those under arm "wings", too!