5 Workouts for the Water

The worst thing about working out is sweating, especially in the summer heat. However, water fitness has changed up the game so you don’t even feel like you’re breaking a sweat. The most basic water workout is swimming. Just swimming a few laps could have you set for the day, but swimming laps can get pretty boring and other water aerobics can only take you so far. There are so many other workouts you can do in the water, some that might not even come to mind!

Surfing

This one is pretty obvious, especially for Californians. Not only is it a full-body workout, it's a great stress reliever. It's no shock that proper surfing is actually pretty hard, but fortunately you don't need to be a professional to get those benefits. Surfing provides a great cardio workout, especially when paddling over waves. When surfing you can expect to work out your shoulders, chest and upper arm muscles, as well as core muscles. The energy of the beach and it's surroundings can be euphoric. Even if you had a hard time staying upright on the surfboard, you still feel accomplished and powerful at the end of a surfing session.

Aqua Yoga

Yoga is one of the most popular workouts out there, but have you ever tried it in water? On land, yoga can be pretty difficult and at times discouraging when you can't bend your body into the poses you want. But in the water, the natural buoyancy of your body allows you to achieve movements you didn't think were possible. Poses suddenly become effortless when you are in water. While aqua yoga is a low-impact aquatic exercise, it can still help you develop strength, static balance and increase your range of motion. Plus soaking in water is a great way to heal and connect with your body. Because of the release of gravity, your body is able to reach the optimum stretch. Like traditional yoga, it has multiple health benefits like stress and anxiety relief, improves digestion, relieves pain from Fibromyalgia and arthritis, relaxes muscles, increases body energy, removes metabolic waste, slows bone density loss, decreases heart rate and systolic blood pressure and more. The warm water in which aqua yoga takes place can also be beneficial to your health in similar ways, like freeing the spinal vertebra, rotating joint articulations and elongating your muscles.

Aqua Zumba

Zumba is the way to go when you want a fun workout and luckily it just got even more fun with Aqua Zumba! This workout takes advantage of the natural resistance our bodies have in the water to create more challenging and toning workouts. However, because it's in the water, it has less impact on your joints and nothing can hold you back from executing these moves. Aqua Zumba is a great way to break out of your shell, build confidence and to just have fun while maintaining a healthy body and mind. This type of Zumba is great for those who are intimidated by the fast pace of regular Zumba. Typical Zumba moves are slowed down and exaggerated to accommodate the water. While water aerobics is pretty straightforward, Aqua Zumba changes it up. Every movement goes along with a verse, chorus or bridge of each song. 

Aqua Spin

It might be a weird concept to tell people you rode a bike in a pool for exercise, but aqua cycle is actually a thing! With this workout, you simply put the stationary bike in a pool, adjust and pedal just like you would on land. It definitely takes some getting used to, but even after the warm-up portion of your workout, you will break a sweat. It's an exercise where you will feel the sweat, as half of you is above water, but it's so worth the experience. Unlike the other workouts, you will feel the effects. Since you are in water, the tension you would normally adjust on a regular spin bike is unnecessary, so you may have trouble pushing through. Don't give up! This workout was originated by an Italian physical therapist and is now said to fight cellulite, burn heaps of calories, and the best part? no soreness the day after.

Stand-Up Paddle Boarding Yoga

If water yoga is too easy for you, perhaps challenge yourself with stand-up paddle boarding yoga, also known as SUP Yoga. While technically you're not in the water for this workout, you are floating on the water. This kind of workout is actually a better workout than any other kind of yoga. This is because the paddleboard is unstable, so you have to engage your core for better balance, even more than you would on land or in water. Be prepared to work harder and focus more than you normally would in yoga. The floating aspect of this kind of yoga can help alleviate stress, especially when coupled with the calming sounds of the ocean. Never be discouraged by struggling or even falling in the water. This kind of workout takes discipline; you may fall, but getting back up is half the battle!

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