One of the most effective and malleable forms of exercise available. Exercising in the water decreases the stress on our joints and muscles. The water provides buoyancy, acting like a low gravity environment. while we move. Because of its density, water requires more resistance to move through, which slows our movements.

This provides the benefits of a full body workout, as several muscles become engaged even with something as simple as flutter kick! For example, flutter kick with a kickboard works and strengthens abdominals, glutes and quads all at once. Swimming also allows for strengthening of specific muscle groups. The whip kick will target your hip muscles while still working the core.

Many popular forms of exercise, mainly cardio, tend to target the lower body, leaving the upper body unused and sometimes underdeveloped. Swimming requires the upper and lower body to work in harmony, silently promoting synchrony and balance. A routine of simple water walking or jogging targets the postural muscles in the spine, while challenging the legs and arms to move through their paces.

Swimming is also one of the most accessible types of exercise and not in the way you think. Not everyone does have access to a pool or a safe place to swim. Swimming is accessible in the way that it is a low stress exercise and low stress environment, people who struggle with an injury or have a disability or simply don’t like going to a crowded gym can still exercise in the water and enjoy the benefits.
Again not everyone has access to a pool, just like not everyone going to the pool will want to spend that time doing laps. But a nearby outdoor body of water, a small dipping pool or a hot tub can work for many water exercises. If you can get to a pool, there are aquatic exercise classes offered for both swimmers and non-swimmers. Try a class and enjoy this safe and fun way to get your body moving!