Doctor of Biological Sciences G.N. Grossmann about water aerobics for weight loss
Are water aerobics exercises good for weight loss? In general, water and swimming occupy a special place in our lives. Who doesn't like to swim? Many people love to swim or just flounder in the water, regardless of age and profession, or the time of year outside the window.
In terms of health, the benefits of water are also enormous. Staying in water is very invigorating, speeds up metabolism, and releases energy. All this has a beneficial effect on nerve endings, even very tiny capillaries of blood vessels begin to move. And this leads to the dissolution of fat cells and improved blood circulation, positively affecting the condition of the skin.
Therefore, the thought that often flashes through many people about water aerobics as a means of losing weight is quite natural. If you love water and are happy to be in it for a while, then these activities are perfect for you.
Therapeutic water aerobics and excess weight. Does this method of losing weight make sense?
The idea of losing weight like this seems very tempting. Indeed, if you think that water aerobics helps you lose weight with several classes a week, then many are ready to start right from tomorrow. No special difficulties - just do some exercises in water for an hour 2-3 times a week and lose weight. Just sheer pleasure, not weight loss! So, this joyful method will not work. And it will not give effective results.
The fact is that while staying in water for a long time, two physiological processes begin to struggle in our bodies at once. First, any long stay in water for more than half an hour is perceived by the body as a threat of hypothermia. And we really get cold if we do something in the water for a long time.
The law of physics works - in order for the temperature to equalize inside and outside, the body rapidly gives off internal heat. And there is a lot of water in the pool, so it won’t be possible to warm it up that way. Hence hypothermia. And then the body’s internal reserves and its defense mechanisms come into play. After all, they are present in us; the human body, by default, seeks to protect itself from diseases and other dangers.
Feeling a threat in the form of cold, the body begins to actively produce subcutaneous fat. Of course, this does not happen instantly, but the process in the body starts. It turns out that after staying in water for a long time, even doing physical exercises, we only end up building up the subcutaneous fat layer.
How to choose the right load level
For arthrosis of the knee joint, the load during swimming is determined by the doctor. It should be distributed evenly between the upper and lower parts of the body, and the person should not feel pressure on the affected limb.
- The water in the pool should be warm so that the muscles can relax (optimally - 35 ° C and above).
- In order not to impair blood circulation, it is necessary to alternate exercises for the upper and lower parts of the body.
- During the first lesson, it is enough to immerse your feet in warm water so that your knees adapt and get used to future dynamic loads.
- In the later stages of arthrosis, you can exercise in the pool for no longer than 25 minutes, taking intervals of 2 minutes between exercises.
If you have arthrosis, go to the pool with a helper or relative
After exercising in water, you feel hungry
The effect of water aerobics is immediately called into question. Many will begin to argue that this is impossible. Let's look at this whole process of the defense mechanism, let's see exactly how it works.
When we are in the water, no matter what activity, our brain detects potential danger. We completed one swim or run - the body perceives it normally. But after the second or third time, the body receives an alarm signal. The periodicity is represented by a water aerobics system, and the system threatens the onset of hypothermia.
And having finished swimming or exercising, a person finally leaves the water with a feeling of brutal hunger. This is how the body strives to protect itself - demanding to urgently take food. And it is very difficult for an unprepared person to cope with such an appetite.
Yes, if you endure it, gather all your willpower into a fist, you can lose weight. But it will require enormous effort, and not everyone has such abilities.
What is water aerobics
Water aerobics is physical exercise in water accompanied by rhythmic music. Moreover, it is not at all necessary to be able to swim - classes take place at shallow depths. Their peculiarity is additional resistance - for water it is much higher than for air. However, training in the pool is usually less strenuous compared to the gym. Since water has a buoyant force, the load on the musculoskeletal system is reduced. In addition, muscle and skin tone increases.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Do not confuse water aerobics and aquajogging. The latter specifically means running in water, and, as a rule, such exercises take place at depth.
Not an incline: 5 reasons to take up swimming
Are there any benefits to water aerobics?
So it turns out that water aqua aerobics is quite dangerous for people who love to eat and those who do not have great willpower.
After all, these exercises are effective only when, together with exercises, we follow a certain diet aimed at losing weight. Only in this case is it possible to lose weight.
Personally, I support the love of swimming, visiting a pool or sauna and then diving into the pool. It is very beneficial for the body and health in general - take a steam bath, steam your skin, and then plunge into cold water. This temperature difference, coupled with the beneficial properties of water, will trigger regenerative processes within us.
Through the pores that open in the skin, toxic substances come out along with sweat, rapid cell renewal and general rejuvenation occur. Excellent processes in all respects for the whole organism.
But just staying in the water and doing something in it for a long time - I don’t encourage such exercises for losing weight. After all, we immediately launch two dangerous mechanisms:
- hypothermia
- and automatic self-defense. The body’s self-defense can be expressed in a great desire to eat.
And fighting your own desires is sometimes extremely difficult. Even after surviving for several hours, there is a risk of losing your temper and ending up eating so much that a week of visiting the pool will be a waste of time.
Exercises for people with advanced arthrosis
Even if arthrosis of the hip joint or knee has gone too far, if endoprosthetics is already indicated for you, you should not give up swimming to keep your muscles toned. You can do the following in water:
- Walking. It is better to walk in shallow water, since walking in deep water causes muscle tension.
- Swing your legs. Grasp the side with your hand and smoothly lift your legs up, bending them at the knee 45°.
- Raising your legs to the side. Stand waist-deep in water and lift your legs one at a time, holding for a few seconds. The amplitude of movement can be gradually increased.
- March. With arthrosis of the knee joint, the popliteal and quadriceps muscles are affected. Marching with high hips is aimed at training them.
- Squats. Lean your back against the wall of the pool and calmly squat, bending your knees. Start with 5 reps.
- Circular movements of the legs. Bend your leg at the knee and perform circular movements, first along a small and then along a large trajectory.
- Tendon stretching. Stand waist-deep in water, lean on the wall of the pool. Tighten your thigh and gluteal muscles, extend your arms to the sides, and touch the wall with your palms. Extend one leg forward and straighten it as far as possible. Hold this position for 5 seconds until you feel a stretch in the tendon.
Breaststroke - the optimal swimming style for arthrosis
And finally, a piece of advice. Never take painkillers before exercise. You may not notice muscle overload and cause harm to your body. If you have been diagnosed with arthrosis, prescribed medications, chondroprotectors, intra-articular injections of liquid endoprosthesis, do not limit yourself to pharmaceutical methods. The body needs to be helped to recover, and swimming with minimal stress on the joint is perfect for this!
Can you call exercise in water absolutely useless?
On the contrary, when they ask me what water aerobics gives and whether it is worth doing it, I always answer that it makes sense. There is both meaning and effect. And this effect is quite significant for the body and beauty in general.
Under the epidermis, that is, the top layer of skin, is subcutaneous fat. It performs the most important function - it provides skin elasticity and participates in its renewal processes. But over time, this layer of fat ages and loses its functions. After just a year, these fat cells are considered old.
In order for skin regeneration processes to occur continuously, this subcutaneous fat layer must be replaced in a timely and periodic manner. By doing water aerobics, a person starts the process of this necessary replacement.
After all, old fatty tissue goes away with exercise and water, and new fatty tissue grows thanks to the protective mechanism of the body itself. As a result, we get active renewal of the skin. And this is so important for our appearance, for maintaining youth and preventing wrinkles!
Benefits of water aerobics
Virtually no contraindications
– Almost everyone can do aerobics in water. Such exercises are suitable for both pregnant women and the elderly.
Muscles do not hurt during training
– during water activities, lactic acid does not accumulate in the muscles.
Low risk of injury
– if the exercises are performed correctly, it is almost impossible to get injured.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Exercise is beneficial for the body as a whole
– water aerobics improves overall well-being and helps with various types of ailments: relieves pain in the back, muscles and joints, develops endurance, strengthens the cardiovascular system, corrects posture, and normalizes sleep.
Reduces stress on joints
– thanks to this feature of aquatic fitness, people with limited mobility can also do it.
How to swim in open water. Tips for Newbies
The power of water: what is good about water aerobics and is it suitable for everyone?
Photo: mos.ru
m24.ru columnist and fitness trainer Eduard Kanevsky talks about the secret of the popularity of fitness classes in water.
Do you like the figures of girls involved in synchronized swimming? I think most readers will answer yes! These athletes have ideal posture, broad shoulders, beautiful legs and arms, well-developed muscles, and cellulite or excess belly fat is out of the question. What is their secret? That's right - they train in the water.
Water as a training tool is one of the best ways not only to effectively work out your muscles, but also to improve your health. It is clear that synchronized swimmers have been training in the water since childhood and chasing their results is simply stupid and unrealistic, but this does not mean that training in the water should be ignored, which is what will be discussed in this article.
Today we are talking about a fairly young, but actively gaining popularity, including among men, aqua aerobics. The history of water aerobics dates back to the 1950s, when fitness professional Jack Lalane first showed organized water classes on television.
In his video "Fountain of Youth: Water Gymnastics Exercises," Lallane says, "No matter how old you are, 5 or 105, these exercises are for everyone, all 640 muscles can be trained using the most natural means - water." Water aerobics came to Russia in the early nineties, as did fitness clubs.
Unlike ordinary swimming, where swimming technique is important in any style, which is not suitable for all categories of citizens, in water aerobics a person is not in a horizontal, but a vertical position. This improves the outflow of venous blood to the heart and is a prevention of varicose veins. Also, during exercise, excess fluid is removed from the body, and the load can be so intense that the student feels like he is sweating.
But the most important advantage of exercising in water is the partial or complete unloading of the spine and joints, which is important for people with back problems, joint problems, or for people who are overweight. Moreover, if a person has obesity of the second or greater degree, water is highly recommended for exercise as the most gentle environment. Such people often try to lose weight on cardio equipment, experiencing discomfort due to their weight, as well as awkwardness against the background of fit men and women actively exercising in the cardio zone or gym. This means that another obvious advantage of water aerobics is psychological comfort.
But this does not mean that such classes are attended only by overweight people or, as many people think, women aged 50–60+. No, the lessons are relevant for young girls and men. Indeed, in water, in an upright position, the abdominal muscles experience the greatest stress. Moreover, more significant than with special equipment in the gym. Don't believe me? Try it yourself!
Photo: TASS/Marina Lystseva
Water aerobics is carried out:
- in shallow water, when the body is immersed in water up to the waist,
- in medium water, when the hull is located in water up to the chest,
- and in deep water, when you don’t feel support under your feet.
If you don’t know how to swim, you shouldn’t be afraid of training in deep water, because training is carried out in a special aqua belt. All classes are conducted by a qualified trainer, but he is located on the side of the pool. Classes are held to music, which makes them more interesting and dynamic.
To perform various exercises, as well as increase water resistance, various equipment is used:
- Belt – designed to support the body on the water when practicing in deep and medium water.
- Noodles are long flexible sticks made of foam.
- Gloves and cuffs – increase water resistance by increasing the area of contact with water.
- Boots, sandals or flip-flops are used to increase the load on the leg muscles.
- Dumbbells and shoulder blades - allow you to vary the load on the muscles of the shoulder girdle and arms.
- Stands for aquastep - with their help it is convenient to practice dance aerobics in water.
In large fitness clubs, aquatic programs are varied; you can often find classes such as aquaboxing or aquabike and other modern trends.
Water aerobics for pregnant women requires special attention. It really has a positive effect not only on the course of pregnancy, but also on labor and recovery after childbirth. For pregnant women, it is important to reduce the load on the spine by working out various muscle groups in a relaxed manner, without the risk of injury. In addition, breathing intensifies in water, which is also useful for pregnant women. Many girls are afraid to exercise in the water for fear of catching some kind of infection. I think that in a modern fitness club with all the mandatory water purification systems this is hardly possible. The main thing is that such activities are allowed by the attending physician.
Even in the water, specially designed rehabilitation programs are carried out that help put people who have suffered heart attacks and strokes back on their feet. Water is a favorable environment for dosed effects on the body after suffering such an acute condition. But here it is important to find a competent specialist in this field.
All water aerobics lessons are included in the cost of membership of a particular club and do not require additional payment. If you don’t need a fitness club specifically, since you don’t plan to visit a gym or “land” group lessons, then aquatics classes are increasingly being held in the capital’s swimming pools: the main thing is that there is a lesson there that interests you.
