Swimming & Other Water Fun

Swimming, exercising or playing in the water is a great way to stay cool and get in more physical activity. Water exercise is a good workout, improving cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility. Water exercise is one of the best forms of low impact fitness activities around. In fact, water exercise is recommended for pregnant women, the elderly and overweight, those with arthritis, and individuals recovering from injury.

The buoyancy of the water reduces the "weight" of a person by as much as 90 percent. This reduces stress on joints, bones, and muscles. As a result, getting injured during water exercise is unlikely and you're less likely to feel sore.

Water is great for strength training. Instead of weights, the water provides the needed resistance. Pushing and pulling the water away from the body with cupped hands, creates a strength training effect.

Another advantage is water's effect on flexibility. Water, especially warm water, allows for ease of movements that may be difficult to do on land. And with lessened effects of gravity a fuller range of motion can be achieved in the water, which is good for long-term flexibility.

Whether one chooses to join a water aerobics class or swim laps, the activity should include a warm-up period followed by a period of increased heart rate and finished with a cool-down. A 150-pound person can burn about 272 calories doing water aerobics for 1-hour. Swimming the crawl stroke for 30 minutes at a moderate pace also burns about 272 calories.

Always be sure to consult a physician before beginning any new form of physically activity.

For more information on swimming and other cardiovascular activities, go to www.acefitness.org

Whether you swim in a pool, lake, or the ocean follow these guidelines to stay safe:

• Always swim or "play" in water under the supervision of a certified lifeguard.
• Never swim alone.
• Learn to swim and teach children to swim.
• Always supervise children in and around water, even when lifeguards are present. Children have drowned is very small amounts of water. Do not rely on floatation devices to keep kids safe.
• Be aware of the environment such as currents and waves, when swimming in lakes and the ocean.
• Never swim outside during lightening storms or when you hear thunder in the distance.

Adapted from Iowa State Extension's Activity of the Week.