To help ABC launch its Your Move campaign to help Australians explore their health and fitness journey, reporter Marnie Vinall traveled to try out some of the growing exercise trends across the country. will appear in
Every time I go for a swim at my local pool, I envy watching them bounce up and down the ABBA track while a water aerobics class is held at the same time, doing freestyle laps back and forth.
Key Point:
- Water aerobics is a form of strength training aimed at removing the stress on joints normally associated with land aerobics.
- Sessions tend to last 40 minutes to an hour and you don’t need to be a strong swimmer to participate.
- New forms of water aerobics have been developed, such as aqua cycling and water pole dancing.
It seems like a much more fun option.
Especially since I’ve reached an age where my knees start to hurt when I run too much, so I decided to bite the bullet and give it a try.
I reached out to Jennifer Schembri-Portelli, a registered aqua exercise instructor and personal trainer who has taught water aerobics classes for over 20 years.
She asked me to come down to take a class at the Sandhurst Club where she was teaching that night, and I accepted enthusiastically.
But before I got off, she gave me an overview of the activities.
She told me that the buoyancy of water supports the body, reduces stress on joints when in motion, and allows for greater range of motion.
“People who want to exercise on land are subject to gravity and knee and joint limitations, but being in the water increases their capacity…People who can exercise in a limited way on land, but they can do cardio in water. “We can do better,” she said.
Schembri-Portelli also says that aqua fitness is suitable for all ages, as speed in the water increases resistance and makes the exercise more difficult.
So basically — expect training.
I arrived early and spoke with some of the other participants. One she’s been on and off for over a year, another she’s been on and off for over 7 years, and another she’s been working for over 12 years. They all appreciated the class, one woman told me that she could no longer jump on land, but she was much more free in the water.
As we entered the water, the soundtrack started and the warm up began. Here’s a playlist of These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ by Nancy Sinatra, Uptown Girl by Billy Joel, Knock on Wood by Amii Stewart, and So What by Pink.
See, I’m not going to lie about this. From the beginning, I had a huge dorky grin glued to my face.
It was incredibly fun – don’t get me wrong. It’s still an effective and sometimes challenging workout.
Exercises throughout the class included jogging and sprinting on the spot, front and side body kicks, dance moves including shimmies, and upper body exercises using handheld dumbbells used in water. .
The dumbbells are very light, but there is resistance in the water, and it was especially difficult to push them from one side of the body to the other in time with the music.
At one point, I screamed that I was starting to swell up a bit.
“Think about how my great-grandmother felt,” said a woman beside me, gesturing to the woman to my left.
After the class, I got in touch with Dr. Sophie Heywood, Physiotherapist and Water Aqua Instructor, to find out more about water fitness.
She didn’t seem surprised when I told her how much fun I and others around me had had in class.
“We know from research that it’s considered like a possible environment, which means that if you’re in pain or debilitated, you can do more in the pool.” she said.
“And I think that’s a real bonus for people…it puts people in the right headspace so they can be successful, be successful, have fun, have fun, and be less uncomfortable.”
“There are quite a few studies showing that being in the pool can help improve fitness for people with joint pain, arthritis or other musculoskeletal injuries.”
These fitness improvements carry over to land-based exercise, Dr. Heywood says.
“Not only am I enjoying the pool, but I am also improving my balance and walking when I am out of the pool,” she said.
Additionally, aquatic exercise is commonly used in elite sports for rehabilitation and recovery, and is also used to support other exercises such as running and cycling.
“Relief from buoyancy is very useful not only for recovery, but also for rehabilitation and exercise,” she said.
“Historically, water exercise has been seen as a soft option…it was seen as fairly easy and for older people, but the reality is that many young people really enjoy exercising in a pool. I like it and it’s actually beneficial.”
I have found it beneficial. For fitness and fun.
Next time my mom is in town, I will definitely take her to class.
What is water aerobics?
Water aerobics is a class, most often held at the shallow end of a pool, where an instructor guides participants through a variety of movements that benefit strength and fitness.
Water resistance not only helps build muscle and improve your cardiovascular system, but it’s also gentle on joints like knees and ankles as a low-impact exercise.
Other forms of water aerobics include aqua cycling, which involves using a stationary bike underwater, water pole dancing, which you guessed it, involves pole dancing underwater, and deep-sea aerobics, which is done on the other side. Add the extra challenge of pooling and treading water.
How much does the class cost?
Water aerobics classes are often offered within pool or gym memberships and range from $10 to $30 per session.
Where can I do water aerobics?
Most public swimming pools and gyms, including swimming pools, offer water aerobics classes. Search for the pool closest to you and ‘water aerobics’ or ‘aqua aerobics’ to find the class closest to you.
