Add a fitness component to your pool
Are you looking for a fun way to get in shape this upcoming summer season? What better way is there to get fit than by doing it in the pool? There are several benefits of aquatic workouts.It encourages physical activity in a group, which can be helpful for those who find it difficult to motivate themselves to participate in independent exercise. Because it is a low-impact workout, there is less chance for injury which makes it easier for those with certain pains to participate.
“The buoyancy of water lessens the pull of gravity, making you feel lighter and making balance simple, while also reducing impact on your knees,” personal trainer and contributing editor Chris Freytag told Prevention magazine.
For these great benefits that come from aquatic exercises, it would be a good advantage for those in pool management to consider adding fitness components to their pools.
What to include
From swim lessons to water aerobics classes, there are many ways to transform your pool from a source of relaxation to one that’s more fitness focused. Aqua Aerobics Unlimited listed several different courses that can be led in your pool to promote weight loss and tone muscles. They’re broken up into workouts that can be performed in shallow water and others that should be reserved for the deep end of the pool, and they all vary in intensity. Some of them are more basic and involve simple steps that can be done on land as well, while others kick up the level of difficulty by requiring participants to wear webbed gloves and other tools designed to increase resistance and challenge muscles.
Offering swim lessons at your pool is a great way to promote physical activity. Not only will participants learn a valuable skill, but they’ll also be able to get a great workout that builds muscle and improves cardio. These lessons should be led by qualified professionals, so be sure to do your research before offering them at your facility.
Common misconceptions of aquatic workouts
Here, Aquatic Exercise Association lists the most common misconceptions of pool workouts. First, many people might immediately think that the fitness classes appeal more to an older crowd. The ease of impact and reduced risk of injury with water activities makes them a great option for seniors and those with mobility restrictions. However, if that’s not your pool’s clientele, you may want to offer certain classes and activities geared more toward younger swimmers and make it a point to include messaging around that in promotional materials.
Another common misconception of water workouts is that they’re not as intense as other activities, noted the AEA. Depending on the exercises performed in the water, the workout can be rigorous and offer results that land activities might not. The resistance of the water requires more effort to do simple movements. When performing these movements, the water follows in that motion, which means that it will be more challenging when you attempt to change directions. It’s the law of inertia, law of acceleration and law of action that explain why water choreography calls on more muscle activity than the same movements would on land. Make sure swimmers know that water workouts vary in intensity and they can offer significant physical benefits. Simply listing all of the fitness activities and grading them with certain levels of difficulty should be enough to stress how demanding each class really is.
