If you thought exercising underwater was just a fad, we’ve got news for you! Pooja Salvi tells you what you need to know about the challenging world of underwater workouts
With a new exercise fad around the corner every other day, we can’t really blame you for thinking that these workouts were for the faint-hearted, just a trend or a trendy way to prolong your summer swim. However, when we started doing our research, we realised that underwater workouts actually combine high-intensity cardio exercises and plyometric power moves, making them a great workout option. Take a look at the types we think you should know more about.
Water aerobics
If you think that water aerobics are a sorry excuse of a workout created for busy mums and grannies with arthritis, you’re sorely mistaken. The workout routine involves high-intensity cardio exercises, even though it is relatively easy, and is a lot of fun too. The buoyancy of the water reduces the gravitational pull acting on you, which makes you feel lighter. This makes balancing in water easier and reduces the impact on your knees. The routine includes moves that are otherwise difficult to perform on land. The workout burns calories, tones your trouble spots and also boosts muscle strength.
Speedo Fit
The concept of Speedo Fit is to perform high intensity workouts underwater. You experience less gravity, and you get cleaner coordination, consistent resistance, less pain and natural compression. Since there is less gravity, your muscles are not affected in the same way as they would be in a gym. Of course, there are variations in the gravity. There’s more gravity in shallow water and less in the deep end, so you can use the entire pool in different ways — it’s the perfect environment to train in. You can get scores of exercises done in the pool, depending on what you are concentrating on — increasing your power, endurance and/or recovery. The Speedo Fit workout will always work in your favour. To find out more about how this workout works, visit www.speedousa.com/speedofit.
Expert speak
We spoke to fitness trainer Vinod Channa, the man behind Anant Ambani’s transformation and who also trained Shilpa Shetty after her pregnancy, to find out about the various benefits of underwater workouts. Here’s what he has to say:
“For people who suffer from injuries such as lower back problems, knee problems and arthritis, as well as for those who are recovering from these injuries, underwater workouts are extremely beneficial. Studies have shown that water offers great resistance and due to a cushioning effect of these workouts, your joints and muscles can be worked on without putting too much stress or tension on them, helping them to heal faster. It also helps to strengthen your muscles, improve flexibility, increase blood flow and relieve pain.”
Talking about specific underwater workouts that you could get started with, he tells us, “There are some exercises such as walking or stretching, jogging and core workouts, that should be performed underwater with different moves.”