Water aerobics: exercises, technique, photos, videos

General recommendations for water training

If you've never done water aerobics, find a professional trainer to teach you the technique. Start studying on your own only after his approval.

Water aerobics classes are conducted in pools on 1-2 separate paths at a depth of up to 1.5 meters. Thanks to this, people who are overweight, cannot swim, or are pregnant can train effectively.

There are also groups that train at a depth of 2 meters - join them when the previous load seems easy.

For exercises, the trainer will give you equipment:

aqua gloves;
aquabelt;
burdens;
noodles;
rubber poles, turntables, sticks;
flippers;
water dumbbells and foam barbells.

You buy a swimsuit and a rubber cap and bring it yourself. If you are allergic to pool disinfectants, make sure you have swimming goggles.

Eat at least 2 hours before training. Before class, take a cooling shower to prepare your body for cold water. Enter the pool gradually; jumping from the side and sudden dives will lead to heart pain.

There are no complete contraindications to water aerobics. The exercises can be performed by people prone to seizures, those who have had heart attacks, those with osteochondrosis and pensioners, but always under the supervision of a trainer.

Water aerobics is a cardio exercise, so you need to monitor your heart rate throughout the workout.

Who is contraindicated for water aerobics in the pool?

Despite the fact that water exercises are among the safest physical activities, they have a number of medical restrictions. Water aerobics is contraindicated for the following categories of people.

With coronary heart disease, as well as with a previous heart attack or the threat of one.
In case of individual intolerance to chlorine, if chlorinated water is used in the pool.
For chronic lung diseases: bronchitis, asthma.
During colds and when there is a threat of their development, due to hypothermia.
In case of existing damage to the eardrums.
For osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
People prone to epilepsy.

A set of water aerobics exercises for beginners

Let's consider classes for those who are just starting training:

Underwater running and walking . Get into the pool up to your waist, walk in place for a couple of minutes, lift your hips high. Gradually increase your pace until you can run.
Jumps . While in waist-deep water, straighten your back. Start jumping first on two legs, then on one. Agree on the number of jumps with the trainer. This exercise helps correct your posture.
Jumping . Stand on the part of the path where the water is up to your chest, with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. Jump high while bringing your legs together. Spread them when you stand on the floor of the pool. Perform up to 15 times.
Scissors . Stand in water up to your neck, straighten your arms horizontally, palms forward. Bring your arms together in front of your chest to create a reverse stroke. Perform up to 20 times. The workout works the muscles of the upper back.
Knee raises . With your hands clasped, stand up straight. Bring your legs bent at the knees to your chest one by one. To work your abs, pull your legs up at the same time. Do it 20 times.

At the end of the workout, practice with the ball in a group. Throwing and catching help strengthen the musculoskeletal system and relax after exercise.

What is water aerobics

Today, water aerobics is understood as a set of rhythmic exercises performed while standing in the water to music. Overcoming the natural resistance of water, a person trains all muscle groups at once. At the same time, the supporting properties of water facilitate training and reduce the load on the musculoskeletal system. Thanks to this, classes are less stressful, without injuries and contribute to the uniform development of all muscles.

It’s difficult to say who invented water aerobics. Even in the times of Ancient Rome, mayums were popular - mass games, the mandatory program of which included spectacular performances on the water. At the same time, we find descriptions of water training in handwritten scrolls of Ancient China, whose novice fighters practiced their strikes while standing in the water.

In our time, the idea of performing physical exercises in water was perfected by Glen McWaters, an American track and field athlete. Having been seriously wounded in the thigh during the Vietnam War (1957–1975), the athlete developed his own training program to maintain physical fitness. This is how aquajogging appeared - a type of fitness reminiscent of water aerobics, during which a person’s feet should not touch the bottom of the pool.

For the abs and belly

Exercises in water perfectly strengthen the abdominal and abdominal muscles, help you lose weight and get in shape after childbirth. Do them like this:

Holding the side, do the “bicycle” exercise 15 times forward and backward.
Stand sideways to the ledge of the pool, place your hand on it, bring your legs together and pull them towards your chest. 10 reps on each side.
With both hands, firmly grasp the side of the board while facing it. Keeping your back straight, lift your legs one by one 15 times to the level of the ledge.
Go to a greater depth so that your feet do not touch the bottom, straighten up. Raise your legs 90 degrees 10 to 20 times.
In the same starting position, do scissors as much as you can. Repeat in vertical and horizontal positions.
Lean your hands on the side and take a step away from it, start doing the usual push-ups 10 times in one approach. To make it more challenging, do push-ups with only one arm or add clapping.

Be sure to swim between sets.

Basic equipment for water aerobics

To increase the load on the muscles of the body, arms and legs, you can use various sports equipment for water fitness - noodles (flexible floating pole), aquadisk, modular aquastep, expander, ball, weights for arms (legs), special dumbbells and a barbell for water aerobics.

Important to remember! To avoid injury, ordinary sports equipment made of metal or wood should not be used for exercise. Also, when training with equipment, it is necessary to observe safety precautions - group members must maintain a comfortable distance for exercise.

For legs

After warming up, do the following exercises:

Horizontal scissors. Lie down on the water, grab the side with your hands, spread your legs as you inhale, and bring them together as you exhale. Do 20-30 times. This will help you strengthen your inner thigh muscles.
Stretching. Lean against the wall of the pool, bend your knees. Straightening your right or left leg, stretch your body behind them. Perform the number of repetitions according to how you feel.
Jumping . During the exercise, make sure to bring your legs forward as much as possible. When it becomes easy to do, jump on each leg alternately 15 times.
Mahi . Stand on the bottom of the pool, extend your arms and place them on the water at chest level. Raise your legs 15 times, trying to touch them to the opposite palm.

Training for leg muscles in the pool is much safer than usual in the gym, since during it no injuries occur and the joints do not suffer.

Legs in a line

Helps tighten the stomach and buttocks, corrects posture, and reduces pain in the knees.

Wear swimming goggles to prevent water from irritating your eyes. Stretch out on the water with your face in it. During the exercise, lift it only to inhale. Pull your stomach in and extend your legs along the surface of the water so that they follow the line of your body. Move your legs up and down, almost without bending your knees, the main movement is made by the hip and foot.

Article on the topic

Everyone to the pool! Water aerobics will get rid of excess weight, cellulite and help you relax. Leg movements are aimed primarily at ensuring that they do not fall below the pelvis and are on the same level with the pelvis and back. With each movement, reach forward with your head and arms (they can be used to row as conveniently as possible). Swim like this for 10–15 minutes.

For the buttocks

Water aerobics is a great helper for those who want to get rid of cellulite and pump up their gluteal muscles. You can achieve beautiful shapes like this:

Take steps in the water for 20 minutes, raising your legs as high as possible.
Take an upright position, tense your buttocks and bend your knees 10 times, trying to reach your hips with your feet.
Walk quickly along paths with a depth of 1-1.5 meters for 10-20 minutes.
Standing in water up to your chest, do boxing lunges with your hands and at the same time raise your bent legs 15 times.
Stand sideways to the side, lean on one hand, then make high swings with the leg that is closest to the ledge of the pool. Repeat 10-15 times on each leg.

You can consolidate the results of your workout by simple swimming, which also helps strengthen the muscles of the buttocks.

What are the benefits of water aerobics?

The influence of water aerobics on the human body is comprehensive. With an average duration of one lesson of 40 - 50 minutes, you can achieve the following results.

Developing muscle endurance and strength, increasing their elasticity.
Strengthening the cardiovascular system.
Improving blood circulation and lymph flow, eliminating swelling and congestion in tissues.
Improving the general condition of the musculoskeletal system and preventing age-related diseases.
Posture correction.
Acceleration of metabolism.
Getting rid of extra pounds and normalizing weight.
Formation of the desired shape of the figure, smoothing out the appearance of cellulite.
Increasing skin tone and preventing signs of premature aging.
Hardening the body and strengthening its immunity.
Relieving muscle and emotional tension.
Neutralizing the negative effects of stress, strengthening the nervous system.
Normalization of sleep.
Improving general well-being, mood, increasing performance.
Getting rid of complexes, uncertainty and increasing self-esteem.

In order to experience all the benefits of aquatic fitness, you need to exercise regularly - at least 2 - 3 times a week and not miss classes. The first tangible results will appear after just 1 workout. Visible changes in body contours and muscles - by the end of the first month of classes.

A big advantage during training will be adjusting your diet and giving up bad habits - smoking, alcohol abuse. This will help you achieve a positive result much faster and easier.

Interesting to know! The main advantage of water aerobics over other types of fitness is that its classes are very pleasant and comfortable. During their implementation, lactic acid does not accumulate in the muscles of the body, causing soreness - delayed muscle pain after physical activity. Therefore, the morning after training a person does not feel exhausted or overwhelmed. On the contrary, he is cheerful and full of strength.

For weight loss

Water resistance puts more strain on muscles and increases energy expenditure, which is the first condition for losing weight. Any workout in water significantly helps you lose weight, especially if you use special equipment.

A set of water aerobics exercises for weight loss usually includes the following exercises:

"Scissors".
"Bike".
Swing your legs and arms.
Walking and running in water.
Squats.

Be sure to do a warm-up - simple swimming for a few minutes. Towards the end of the workout, perform the exercises less intensely; at the very end, be sure to lie down in the water to relax your muscles.

Results from water aerobics for weight loss will appear if you do 3-4 times a week for 40 minutes or more.

Watch a video of a water workout aimed at losing weight:

Advice from professionals

If you have a nice, spacious pool at home, you should not miss the opportunity to exercise regularly. For professional athletes, a home pool allows them to stay in shape or prepare for competitions. Amateurs can enjoy the opportunity not to travel anywhere, but to train at home, doing water aerobics exercises or taking an invigorating morning swim. There is an advantage of a home pool for families with children. After all, the pool is a good place to conduct individual children’s training with an instructor and, of course, to regularly strengthen themselves.

With dumbbells

Exercises with rubber dumbbells are aquashaping. The most effective of them:

Holding 1 kg dumbbells in each hand, walk in place for 2 minutes, raising your knees high. The hands must be mobile.
Place your arms with dumbbells at your sides, then bring them together, while jumping so as to touch your chest. Repeat 15 times.
Lean forward a little, alternately stretch one arm forward and the other back. Repeat 15 times.
With your feet shoulder-width apart, press your hands with weights to your chest, sharply throw them forward and return them back as many times as you can.

When the exercises start to feel easy, choose dumbbells with more poundage.

Watch a video with a set of exercises in water with dumbbells:

The effectiveness of water aerobics for weight loss

The effectiveness of water aerobics is due to the following advantages:

Constantly overcoming the resistance of water gives a soft, but quite good load. Performing such exercises is much easier than doing them with heavy dumbbells or a barbell, although the effect is comparable. It is believed that the water load is 10-12 times greater than performing the same complex in the fitness room.
Water activities help relax muscles and increase blood circulation.
Strengthening the immune system, overall improvement of well-being. People who regularly engage in water aerobics note an increase in energy levels, concentration, and performance.
Acceleration of all metabolic processes occurring in the body due to lymph outflow and improved blood circulation.

And it doesn’t matter what type of water aerobics you do. And there are several distinctions:

Classic water aerobics. Involves performing simple exercises. Ideal for beginners;
Aqua Fight. Ideal for people with any level of physical activity. It consists of a standard set of exercises, but has a distinctive feature - classical fitness is mixed with martial arts. During classes, various punches and kicks in the water are practiced;
Aqua Circuit. More suitable for people who have been training for several months. In such classes, classical water aerobics is replaced by intense circuit training;
Aqua Power. Suitable for people with good physical activity. Involves performing strength exercises with light weights for swimming in the pool;
Aqua Resist. A set of exercises to work all muscle groups, designed to overcome the natural resistance of water.

Which direction to choose is everyone’s personal choice. But it is better to consult a specialist on this issue.

Indications and contraindications

Since water aerobics reduces the load on the spine and joints, it can be indicated in cases where there are contraindications to classical types of fitness, for example:

recovery period after injury or surgery;
for the elderly;
women after childbirth, especially if there are problems with the back or lower back;
for overweight people;
those who have not exercised for a long time have a low level of physical activity.

But at the same time, there are contraindications. You should definitely pay attention to them. Each case is individual and only a doctor can tell whether it is possible to do water aerobics or not.

You should be especially careful in the following situations:

respiratory tract diseases;
limb spasms;
pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
temporary symptoms: weakness, dizziness, elevated body temperature, high or low blood pressure;
menstruation;
allergy to chlorine (if classes take place in a pool that is cleaned with chlorine).

You should also choose your pool and trainer carefully. It is advisable that water purification be carried out with special filters and ultraviolet light. This will have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and will minimize the likelihood of allergic reactions.

The health benefits of water gymnastics

Regular water gymnastics exercises bring great benefits to the human body:

Positive effect on the condition of the heart and vascular system. When moving in water, increased blood flow is provided to the heart, which improves its function. And people who have minor heart problems are allowed to do water gymnastics. Regular exercise strengthens the blood vessels and muscles of the heart, increases its capacity and efficiency, and is an effective measure for preventing vascular diseases. Water aerobics helps improve microcirculation and increased blood outflow, which is extremely necessary for venous diseases.
Development of the muscle corset. The elements are performed in a position where there is no support for the legs. This leads to increased intensity of movement and better functioning of joints and muscle tissue. Training helps correct posture, and in some cases allows you to restore the spine after illness. The likelihood of damage and injury, even when performing complex elements, is very low, because in the aquatic environment the load is much less than on land.
Improving metabolic processes in the body. When training in the pool, an extensive body massage occurs, which helps launch metabolic processes and reduce cellulite. After regular water exercises, the skin becomes more firm and elastic.
Positive effect on psychological and emotional state. Rhythmic exercises accompanied by music tone the body, give energy and vigor throughout the body. After such training, performance increases, sleep normalizes, and overall well-being and mood improve.
Strengthening the body. Water aerobics, like swimming, hardens the body, increases immunity and the body's defenses.
Weight loss. When practicing water gymnastics, a large number of calories are expended, which are necessary to warm up the body, overcome water resistance, and maintain buoyancy. In 60 minutes of intense exercise you can burn up to 700 kcal. Water aerobics is an effective and reliable way to lose excess weight.
An excellent complex for pregnant women. Water gymnastics is recommended for pregnant women, because in an interesting position the spine experiences a lot of stress. Special exercises allow you to relieve tension from the spine and relieve it.
Even after intense exercise, the muscles do not feel tired, because... the amount of lactic acid is significantly reduced with constant massage action of water. Overheating during training also does not occur. Water cools the body in a timely manner, so discomfort does not appear during exercise.
Safety and effectiveness of training. Water aerobics can be practiced at any age, with any weight and health status. Gymnastics in water has virtually no contraindications.