Aqua Aerobic has gained fanatical followers in Greece as it helps in weight loss, muscle strengthening and improving cardiorespiratory endurance. And all this, through a fun exercise in the water.
These are group classes, which last from 45 to 60 minutes and are aimed at people of all ages and are even suitable for obese people, whose heart should not be strained.
With the help of the swimming coach and Aqua fitness instructor at “Athinna Swimming Center” Olga Synachiridou, we present everything anyone who wants to start lessons in a swimming pool should know.
"Aqua aerobics is a modern and highly effective method of exercising in water. It is not aimed at swimmers, but at those who are willing to get into the water and exercise, as one does not need to know how to swim to participate in the program", emphasizes Ms. Synachiridou.
The classes – he adds – are group-based, take place to the accompaniment of music in a shallow or deep pool and include both aerobic and dynamic exercises, with or without equipment (e.g. dumbbells for arms and/or legs, resistance bands, noodles, gloves, etc.). They last 45-60' and to be effective they should be performed 3-4 times a week.
Like any kind of exercise – when done correctly – it should have a specific structure and be done by experienced trainers. "An aqua aerobic program consists of the following stages.
It starts with the warm-up which lasts 3-4 minutes, the purpose of which is to prepare the heart and circulatory system for the exercise. It follows the main program lasting 20-40 minutes and aims to improve cardiorespiratory endurance and fat loss as well as muscle strengthening of the exercisers. Finally, there is the recovery which lasts 2-3' to relax the muscular system and restore the heartbeat to normal levels", reports Olga Synachiridou.
Why should someone choose aqua aerobics as an exercise?
The main advantage consists in the fact that the presence of water buoyancy makes the exercise suitable for everyone, regardless of age and physical condition. The benefits are great for pregnant women (after consultation with their gynecologist), for people who have suffered an injury in the past and wish to correct and improve any movement problems, even for obese people whose heart is not must be straining. Relieving the body of a large part of its weight, explains the trainer, creates the feeling of neuromuscular relaxation that contributes particularly to the fight against daily stress, providing well-being to the trainees and the possibility of performing a variety of exercises with minimal risk of injuries.
“The muscles are forced to work harder than in aerobic exercise on land as the resistance offered by the water throughout the movement compared to that of the air is much greater. Thus, in the same exercise time, we have better results in all the parameters of our physical condition and also in the burning of calories. Caloric consumption can reach up to 500-700 calories per hour."
Another key difference of gymnastics in the water is the low gravity that exists which helps to strain the joints and muscles less and at the same time the heart rate in the water decreases by about 10 per minute. Therefore, with less effort you can achieve the same results in the cardiorespiratory and muscular system.
Finally, according to Ms. Synachiridou, aqua aerobics "improves the balance and posture of the body, strengthens the immune system and helps to slow down the physiological functions associated with old age. But above all, exercising in the water leads to a healthy lifestyle."
- Course duration 45-60 minutes
- Burn 500-700 calories per hour
- 3-4 lessons per week are recommended
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