Water aerobics: benefits, harms, exercises

To lose weight as soon as possible - this is the first desire of those who have taken up water aerobics. But a competent instructor will say: losing weight is, so to speak, only a pleasant " by-effect". The main thing that classes give is the improvement of the whole organism. But first, about how to make a figure in the pool.

The Perfect Workout

Physical activity in the water is ideal for those who decide to tidy up the body: strengthen muscles and reduce volumes. And also raise vitality, improve mood. After all, movements in the water perfectly relieve fatigue and stress.

Water aerobics classes imperceptibly "remove" extra centimeters from the body. However, many are confusing: the arrow of the scales can remain almost at the same level. There is no need to get upset, because trained muscles weigh more than untrained ones. In any case, you will get the result - the body will become slim, toned and flexible.

Water resistance has a massage effect, which makes the blood and lymph move actively. Therefore, you can get a noticeable anti-cellulite effect.

Exercises at a moderate pace for beginners and speed-strength for trained people are continuously performed for 30-45 minutes. Strength exercises help to strengthen and tighten muscles.

Cardio exercises (running, jumping, etc.) are used to burn calories. In addition, the training program includes running, jumping, swings, dance steps ... In order for the result to be reflected in appearance, you need to do at least three months 2-3 times a week.

Joints don't hurt!

Water exerts buoyancy, resistance, hydrostatic pressure on the body. The former loosens gravity, which reduces weight and allows you to take stress off your joints and everything. spine. This virtually eliminates injuries, unlike classes on land. When moving in water, the resistance is 12 times greater than air resistance and requires more effort from the body, which contributes to the rapid burning of calories.

Water aerobics classes are useful for both thin and full. After regular training in the water, we have a decent result - beautiful figure plus firm skin. Therefore, the action of water can be compared with the work of a skilled sculptor who cuts off all unnecessary.

Hydrostatic pressure stimulates the return of venous blood to the heart. This reduces the risk of stagnation of blood in the lower extremities, which is important for women suffering from varicose veins or predisposed to it. Therefore, for them, physical activity in the water is an ideal solution.

In addition, the load that is received when doing exercises in the water is felt much less - hence the joy and vigor after workout.

Before class and after

A little about what to do and what not to do before entering the pool. First and foremost, don't overeat. The last meal should be at least an hour before class, because the process of digestion forces blood to move towards the stomach, and not working muscles. If you eat before the workout itself, this will lead to overwork and unnecessary stress on the heart.

Second: before class, you need to take a cooling shower and slowly enter the water. Cold constricts blood vessels, forcing the heart to work harder. If you plunge too quickly, then in some cases it can lead to oxygen starvation of the heart muscle and cause pain in the heart.

Third: immediately after a workout, you should also not pounce on food, although you will want to eat. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to take some fruits, nuts, cookies with you for a light snack.

And finally, the fourth: both before and after training, it is worth compensating for the loss of moisture. It is good to drink non-carbonated drinking water, green tea.

Aqua lessons are useful for almost everyone. But especially for people with neuro-circulatory dystonia (formerly the diagnosis was called "vegetative-vascular dystonia"). Indeed, due to water massage, peripheral blood circulation is noticeably improved, which allows small blood vessels to maintain their tone and relieves a person of dizziness and general weakness.

For the benefit of water aerobics for those who are recovering from an injury. Hydrostatic water pressure causes fluid from the cells of the injured part of the body to enter the capillaries, which reduces swelling at the site of injury and reduces pain. Water training is of particular benefit to overweight people, varicose veins, and thrombophlebitis.

Water aerobics is a great way to keep fit for people suffering from various diseases joints and spine (when exercising in deep water, where the whole body is in an unsupported position, the spine is stretched - all the load is removed from it and the joints).

An excellent effect is obtained by people with chronic fatigue syndrome, stress. Active movements in the water give the maximum flow of oxygen to the organs, improving metabolism.

Water aerobics is perhaps the only way out for people with drooping internal organs when any aggressive ground physical exercise are categorically contraindicated.

Who shouldn't do water aerobics?

The benefits of sports activities in the water are obvious. But there are diseases in which classes are contraindicated. These are epilepsy, severe forms of angina pectoris, arterial hypertension.

For people with asthma, hydrostatic pressure can cause a tight feeling in the chest, so it's worth practicing in shallow water.

Vestibular disorders may occur initially in people with severe osteochondrosis. cervical spine, when the disease is accompanied by vascular insufficiency (periodic dizziness, gait instability). They are also better off starting in shallow water.

In principle, those who have any serious health problems should first consult with their doctor.

This concept comes from two words - aqua (translated from Latin - water) and aerobics (a set of exercises with elements of choreography. It is on the basis of dance movements performed to rhythmic music in water that water aerobics classes are built.

ADVANTAGES OF AQUA GEROBICS.
1. Water pressure facilitates blood flow to the heart, and the horizontal position of the body, which a person takes when exercising in water, greatly facilitates the working conditions of the heart. Consequently, aqua aerobics, on the one hand, induces the heart to increased activity, on the other hand, it improves the conditions for its work. And most importantly, the work of the heart is restored in less than 1 minute after a long load. The energetic work of the heart has a positive effect on the state of the circulatory system as a whole. At the same time, the walls of blood vessels are strengthened. Normalizes blood pressure in people with high and low blood pressure. The pressure of water on the surface of the body and its cooling effect first reduce blood flow to the skin, and after exercise increase it, so that the human skin becomes smooth and elastic.

2. The body in the water is released from most of its weight, which has a beneficial effect on the joints. In water, the shock load on the legs and, in particular, on the spine, which is characteristic of running, jumping and other similar exercises on land, is reduced. At the same time, even excessive loads in the water entail much less injuries and pain. Exercising in the water will help correct bad posture.

3. Another undeniable plus physical activity in water - the body does not need to sweat to cool the heated muscles. This is done by water itself, which is 4 times more efficient coolant. Than air. When cooling in water, the body does not dehydrate and does not lose minerals with sweat. Calorie consumption for the same exercise aquatic environment and on land is also not the same. In water, it is 2 times higher due to the effect of resistance of a denser medium and greater thermal conductivity. At the same time, the greater the speed of exercise, the greater the energy consumption. For example, when walking at a speed of 6 km / h, a person loses 360 kcal / h, in water these losses will be 720 kcal / h.

4. It has long been known that water is an excellent antidepressant, it relieves tension, irritation, and has a beneficial effect on the digestive and circulatory systems. get rid of the syndrome chronic fatigue, increase efficiency, hormonal and physical activity, water aerobics will help you. Water aerobics gives you a flurry of positive emotions that make it easier to endure stress.

5. When doing water aerobics, there is a constant massage of the internal organs, the metabolism is activated. Massage, which is always accompanied by movement in the water, has a great effect on blood circulation in the skin and fat deposits in any part of the body. Classes increase the body's resistance, harden it, reduce the risk of colds. Hydrostatics acts in such a way that the kidneys are supplied with blood more intensively. This, in turn, contributes to the speedy removal of harmful substances, toxins and toxins from the body.

6. Water aerobics can be practiced by people who cannot swim. It is very useful for people who are overweight. Water aerobics helps to improve those who are embarrassed by the shortcomings of their figure: movements in the water are hidden from prying eyes, which allows you to feel comfortable and relaxed for people of any build.

7. You can do water aerobics at any age, even pregnant and elderly, a universal way to put your body in order, give yourself a feeling of joy.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM AQUA AEROBICS?
You can expect to lose weight. And also increase muscle tone. Improve body contour. Water aerobics - almost the only kind load, which is a therapeutic and prophylactic agent against cellulite. But water aerobics will not allow you to gain muscle mass: Water resistance is not enough for this. Water aerobics has a beneficial effect on blood vessels, veins, arteries, capillaries, but the main muscle is not trained as actively as land programs. So you are unlikely to be able to radically improve the condition of the heart muscle.

Watch your feelings, training should bring you joy, give pleasure.

Pleasure #1- down with the pain! You are probably familiar with the state of the muscles after shaping or performing exercise. When every movement, whether it be raising a leg or tensing the press, causes pain. Water aerobics will save you from such torment. This is due to a significant weakening of the gravitational forces in the water. However, this fact does not mean at all that the load on the muscles will be less than on land. Water resistance when moving the body is 12 times greater than air resistance and requires more effort than when exercising on land, so some exercises that are easy to do in the gym are much more difficult to perform in water. It is the overcoming of water resistance by the body that gives an additional load and creates the effect of weight training, increases endurance and improves coordination of movements.

Pleasure #2- massage effect. Remember the sensations after the massage - the body becomes lighter, fatigue disappears, tension is relieved. Exercises in water stimulate blood circulation due to the massage effect (it is achieved by hydrostatic pressure). This massage is an excellent prevention of cellulite, has a rejuvenating effect on the body, one of effective ways weight loss.

Pleasure #3- feeling of freshness. You won't have to sweat in the pool, as you would during a gym session, because the water will constantly cool your body and the feeling of freshness will not leave you from the beginning to the end of the session.

Pleasure #4- incineration more calories. The temperature in the pool is 8 - 10 degrees lower than body temperature, which contributes to additional calorie loss - getting rid of body fat. When exercising in water, more calories are burned in less time.

TYPE OF SPORT / NUMBER OF KCAL.
Running (1 km in 6 minutes) - 750 kcal per hour
Water aerobics - 680 kcal per hour
Swimming - 630 kcal per hour
Aerobics (high intensity) - 520 kcal per hour
Rowing machine - 445 kcal per hour
Aerobics (low intensity) - 400 kcal per hour

CONTRAINDICATIONS FOR AQUA AEROBICS.
Each type of physical activity has certain disadvantages and contraindications. Water aerobics has few of them, but in any case, people with health problems should consult with their doctor in advance and strictly follow the recommendations received, without trying to experiment with physical activity.

SAFETY IN WATER.

In the classroom, try to dose the load, gradually increase the number of workouts.
In no case do not bring yourself to overwork, whatever your goal is to lose weight, strengthen muscles, relieve stress.
You can not swim immediately after eating, at least 2 hours must pass. During the process of digestion, a lot of blood rushes to the stomach and intestines, so the blood supply to the muscles and brain deteriorates. This can cause dizziness and convulsions, the consequences of which in water are very dangerous.
Before exercising, you should take a cooling shower or go into the water very slowly, because cold water constricts blood vessels, forcing the heart to work harder. Do not jump into the pool from the side, but go down the special ladder. If the ambient temperature changes very sharply, then under certain circumstances this can lead to oxygen starvation of the heart muscle and, as a result, cause pain in the heart.
The main condition for success is a clear organization and training system. Class attendance should be systematized, and not on a case-by-case basis. Only with this approach can we expect a positive effect.

Aqua aerobics- This is a special kind of fitness, which involves performing physical exercises in the water using special equipment, under the guidance of an instructor. Behind last years The popularity of "dancing on the water" has grown significantly. Due to its merits, it can be an excellent solution for those who, for one reason or another, are not recommended or contraindicated in regular physical activity.

The principle of work in the fight against excess weight

Since the body needs additional heating in water, it is forced to expend much more energy than on land.

Given the fact that excess weight is often a direct contraindication to active physical activity and heavy loads, water aerobics will help those who want to put their figure in order without harming their health.

The effect is provided due to the fact that:

The massage effect of water smoothes the skin, gently solving the problem.
Additional energy while in the water is spent on maintaining a stable stable position in the water, as well as overcoming water resistance (for comparison, the pushing force of water is at least 12 times higher than that of air).
Due to the lack of a solid support under the feet of a person, he has to work much more intensively and be more active.
An additional effect of fat burning is provided due to the difference in temperature present between the temperature of the human body and the aquatic environment.
Exercise helps.
The psychological factor also plays an equally significant role - the body of a person in the water is almost completely hidden from prying eyes. And this means that a person is unlikely to care about how he looks from the outside. This negates the complexes, providing everyone with the opportunity to feel more liberated.

How are the classes

Classes are held in water, the temperature of which is in the range of 28-33 degrees. The depth of the water in the pool may vary. The duration of the workout for beginners does not exceed 45 minutes, the pace is rather moderate. The most important thing at this stage is to accustom the body to being in an unusual environment for it, to breathe. And also learn the most simple, not requiring special training movements.

Classic training includes the following steps:

Warm up.
Stretching.
Special exercises for the development of all muscle groups.
Exercises to develop endurance, flexibility and increase strength.
Hitch.

In order to better prepare for the lesson, before training, you need to warm up well on land, preparing the body for stress. This will help the body quickly get used to the new environment, and the muscles will become more elastic. After class, it is recommended to swim a little more and do at least.

A set of exercises for an example

In general, one hour of intensive water aerobics allows you to burn at least 700 kcal. And regular training will give you a chance to forget about the problem of excess weight for a long time.

For beginners, the training program is made up of the most simple exercises. It includes:

Mahi legs
Pulling the legs to the chest
jumping

An advanced group can afford a more advanced program. It consists of:

More intense walking and running.
Swing your legs (in different directions).
Classic.
Elements of dance fitness.

The duration of the lesson increases to an hour, the intensity of the loads increases.

Those who have been engaged in this type of fitness for more than a year can afford:

Exercises with weights

Among the most common and effective exercises water aerobics include:

For body shaping and waist reduction.
1. The palms close at the level of the solar plexus. Elbows rest against the stomach, on the hands, overcoming the resistance of water, lean against the chest
2. Turning the body to the side
3. Tilts in different directions
To model the hips and abdomen:
1. Leg swing up and down
2. "Scissors" - cross leg swings
3. Emphasis with hands in a sitting position
For slimming thighs
1. Bending the knees while pulling up to the chest
2. jumping out of the water
Modeling the lines of the legs
1. Jumping with mixing-breeding legs
2. Walking and running in water

How many kg can you lose weight

Regular classes allow you to regularly lose at least 6 kilograms per month. You can also enhance the effect by refusing bad habits etc.

Advantages and disadvantages

What are the benefits for a person who decides to do aqua aerobics for the first time:

Exercising in water puts less strain on the body
In water, the skeleton and muscles are less impacted and injured due to the fact that they are no longer affected by the force of gravity. In addition, the opposite buoyancy force acts in the water, also helping to reduce the load on the body. In the water, you can combine fairly intense and complex movements without much risk.
Water aerobics has a gentle effect on the joints, without injuring them, but on the contrary, healing them and expanding their capabilities. This makes it suitable even for people with disabilities and the elderly.
Water allows you to perform exercises of such a degree of complexity that a person without special training would hardly have coped on land.
The gentle mode allows you to significantly increase the duration of a traditional lesson.
Water massage lowers the level of lactic acid in muscle tissue. This allows you to practically not feel tired either after training or the next day.
Classes allow you to hone the accuracy of movements and strength
Water contributes to the overall hardening of the body, improves blood circulation, relieves muscle tension.
Thanks to the strengthening of the stabilizing muscles, posture is aligned
At varicose veins vein aerobics of this type stimulates the outflow of venous blood, unloads the valves of the heart, reduces the risk of blood stasis in general.
In people with high blood pressure, there is a decrease in this indicator
Separately, it is worth noting the relaxing effect, improved sleep, improved performance and mood lift, which is provided to those who decide to join this unusual look loads.

There are very few drawbacks to water aerobics, as well as contraindications. This type of fitness is recommended to the widest range of people, regardless of the level. physical training, age, etc.

Contraindications

Thanks to the sparing regime, water aerobics has practically no restrictions. However, it is contraindicated for people with thrombophlebitis.