Is Water Aerobics Right for You?

See explains that aquatic exercise can be an aerobic activity that uses your heart and lungs effectively. Additionally, immersion in water helps the heart transport oxygen more efficiently to your working muscles. Research has found that the exercise heart rate during aquatic exercise is often lower than the heart rate during exercise of the same intensity on land.

Even if you have a cardiac condition, water exercises can be tailored to your specific needs, Murray says. “You can begin with low levels of activity like walking in the water and work your way up to deep water running and swimming.”

3. You are stressed

Exercise helps relieve stress, and water exercise is no exception. For most people, participating in water exercise and therapy can be a way to decompress. Exercise reduces your body’s level of stress hormones and stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that elevate your mood.

“Incorporating diaphragmatic breathing into your aquatic activities can help you relax by stimulating the vagus nerve and activating the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the rest and digest systems,” See says. “Water has a calming effect for many people, partially due to the tactile stimulation on the skin.

“Movement in warm water can be relaxing and meditative and generally improves your mood,” she adds.

4. You would like to have more energy

Any type of movement can give you more energy, and for those who are unable to exercise on land, water can be a solution. See says cardiovascular exercise makes your heart and lungs work more efficiently, delivering oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. With improved heart and lung function, she says, you’ll have more energy to exercise and perform activities of daily living. Similarly, building strength and endurance, as well as flexibility, allows your body to move more efficiently. “When you’re not having to expend extra energy to move and complete daily tasks, your overall performance improves; you don’t have to work as hard to accomplish the same tasks,” See says.

Exercising in the water can also help improve your sleep. “The more active you are, including being active in the water, the better you’ll sleep, and the better you sleep, the more energy you’ll have,” Utendorf says.

5. You want to improve your balance

Balance is important, especially as you age. Many older people are afraid that a loss of balance could result in a fall and/or a hip fracture that can be debilitating and life-threatening. With practice and time, Murray says, you can work in the water, a safe environment, to help prevent falls on land. “Practicing balance in a pool allows you more time to react if you do lose your balance, and by training your muscles to react to waves in the water, you’ll build confidence and lessen your fear of falling on land,” he says.

In water, waves created by other people push you around, so even when you’re still, you’re practicing balance. “To build up that balance, you can begin with simple activities like walking in the water and move on to more advanced exercises like marching in place and standing on one leg,” Murray says.

6. You are overweight

If you’re seriously overweight, you may not be able to tolerate the stress of land-based exercise. The buoyancy of water takes that stress off your joints. “When you exercise in water, you put less weight on your joints, making it possible, if you’re carrying extra weight, to increase your endurance and spend more time working out,” Murray says.

7. You want to make more friends

Any group exercise, including water exercise, builds community. See says you’ll meet people with similar needs and find support and bond. For many, she notes, especially older adults, time in the water offers a fun way to interact with others while improving their health.  

“Doing pool exercise is a great way to socialize, because people are more motivated when they’re having fun,” Murray says.