To age healthfully, don’t discount the importance of moving your body. Research from Johns Hopkins University shows regular exercise is a boon to mental and physical health, especially as the years pass.
One form of exercise growing in popularity — aquatic fitness — contains an array of health benefits for older populations, and it can be more approachable than land exercise because it is gentle on the joints and thus feels good.
In the water, the body becomes buoyant. Movements are smoother due to the resistance of the water. As a result, common exercises like bicep curls with weights or squats using body weight can be more tolerable for people with arthritis or joint injuries when performed in the water compared to on land.
What’s more, many people don’t know aquatic fitness can count as both cardiovascular and strength training — the two main types of exercise the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend for optimal health.
Aerobic exercise helps promote heart health, while resistance training can aid balance and strengthen muscles. With age, results like these can help keep common issues such as heart disease and falls at bay.
Other benefits of aquatic fitness include:
- Lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression
- Improved flexibility and mobility
- Reduced levels of chronic pain
- Better self-esteem
To engage in aquatic fitness, practice at home in a pool (a traditional pool will work, and other products can generate waves to provide extra resistance) or in public, such as at a local gym or community pool.
Examples of aquatic fitness include:
- Walking (like water walking or deep-water walking with hand webs)
- Arm exercises (such as by using water weights or hand webs)
- Leg exercises (such as with a pool noodle)
Although aquatic exercises have particular benefits for people in midlife and beyond, they can be a smart idea for anyone looking to improve their cardiovascular fitness or their strength because they’re low-impact and accessible. What are you waiting for? Dive in, and reap the potential benefits.
