Water Aerobics Benefits for Seniors

Aquacise: 12 Benefits of Water Aerobics for Seniors

Focusing on your health can be fun and easy when you find something you love doing that’s also good for you. Water aerobics for seniors is a popular way to stay healthy, probably because the benefits are so numerous. From joint pain relief to increased balance for reduced risk of falling, water aerobics benefits for seniors are so numerous that it’s an obvious activity for them to get involved in. Plus, water aerobics exercises for seniors are fun, can be done in a group, and are an enjoyable way to maintain fitness and stay healthy.

What Are Water Aerobics for Seniors?

Water aerobics are exercises performed in a body of water like a pool, which means it can be done year-round in an indoor pool. This is a low-impact, no-contact activity that can be done as a group with an instructor or alone. Water aerobics are good for seniors especially because the resistance of the water is just challenging enough to move through that it strengthens the muscles, while the cushion the water provides is gentle enough that no force or heavy, abrupt motion would lead to injury.

Benefits of Water Aerobics for Seniors

1. Improve cardiovascular health. Aerobic exercise raises your heart rate. At least 30 minutes of daily cardiovascular exercise is recommended to keep the heart healthy – that could be a half-hour water aerobics class.
2. Improve circulation. For the same reason water aerobics exercises for seniors are good for your heart, they also improve your circulation by getting blood moving throughout your entire body.
3. Improve balance. Since the pressure of water moves both with and against you as you perform exercises, it’s constantly challenging you to stay in position. This triggers your body’s reactive muscles to keep you upright and stable.
4. Improve coordination. Water aerobics for seniors also improves coordination, as your mind-to- muscle connection strengthens and your body learns how to react to being thrown off balance.
5. Relieve joint pain. The buoyancy of water prevents any falls, landings or impact that could be harsh on your joints. The movement from the exercises is just what your joints need to lubricate and be worked enough to relieve pain from joint aches and arthritis. Exercising in a heated pool can relieve joint pain even more.
6. Build muscle mass. Exercising in water will build muscle more quickly than doing bodyweight exercises on land will, because the resistance of the water provides extra weight.
7. Lose weight. As with any form of exercise, you’re likely to lose weight if you keep up a regular routine and pair it with a healthy diet.
8. Recover from injury. Water aerobics exercises for seniors are the perfect physical therapy for recovering from an injury. The water’s resistance provides both support and a physical challenge; this is the perfect environment in which to train your body to return to its most optimal physical state.
9. Improve respiratory capacity. Aerobic exercise is great for your lungs; it increases your heart rate and challenges your body to keep up.
10. Increase flexibility. Water exercise is a safe way to test the limits of your flexibility; since there are no hard surfaces, you won’t be able to push your tendons too far and risk injury. The nature of water aerobics exercises for seniors will push you to use and improve your flexibility, though.
11. Make friends. Water aerobics classes are often offered in a group setting, which is a great way to befriend your fellow senior residents and bond over a common interest.
12. Attain a sense of well-being and accomplishment. While it can be hard to get to class sometimes, you’ll almost never regret going afterward. In fact, you’re likely to feel a sense of pride that you were able to do something healthy for yourself.

Try practicing yoga, Tai Chi or Pilates in water to challenge yourself in a new way. You may find you really enjoy aquacise and all the benefits of water aerobics for seniors that come with it. Sagewood offers aquacise classes for seniors in the indoor pool in our state-of-the-art fitness center. Learn on our activities page about aquacise and all the other fun and engaging activities Heritage residents enjoy.