The Joy of Exercise

Playing the Water Fitness Game

All games have rules, and the fitness game is no exception. We all want to work out safely and in a way which gets results, and most people already know that there are guidelines set down to make exercise programmes as rewarding as possible. So here’s a quick refresher course … in case you’ve forgotten.

Check Water Fitness Out

Before embarking on any form of fitness programme, everyone should pop along to their doctor and make sure that it’s appropriate for them. Water is a unique medium in that people with all kinds of disabilities and medical problems can exercise effectively under supervision, but common sense will tell you that if you have, say, a cardiac or respiratory complaint, suffer from frequent dizzy spells, high blood pressure or a bone or joint problem like arthritis which might be aggravated by exercise, if you are pregnant or are on any kind of medication other than the contraceptive pill — check it out first … even if you’re over 50 and feeling great, but simply haven’t had a workout for a while. And once you’ve got the thumbs up, remember:

• Feel good. Although you probably won’t want to exercise if you are unwell, do not enter the pool if you have had flu or any kind of cold or fever within the last 48 hours — or, indeed, have a skin infection, open wound or diarrhoea. You won’t be the only person who’ll feel worse for your efforts. Other people will too.
• Never hurt. There’s a big difference between the sensation of a muscle or body part being worked, and that muscle or body part feeling painful, so stop the movement immediately if it doesn‘t feel right and go back to pulsing gently on the spot. If the pain continues, seek medical advice.
• Drink before, during and after your workout — despite your fluid environment. Thirst is an inaccurate indicator of how dehydrated you may be. Don’t drink alcohol, of course.
• Let buoyancy raise your spirits. Pre-swim alcohol can be lethal. Food and exercise — they don’t mix! Wait at least an hour and a half after eating anything before entering the water. You have to give your body a chance to begin the digestive process, because it might not be cramp that affects you but nausea — even vomiting.

Making the Most of Water Fitness Exercise

Of course, it would be great if the very act of immersion got us ‘fit’. But miraculous though it is, even water can’t do that for you, and while I will show that immersion can have a profoundly therapeutic effect on our bodies, there are a few simple things we have to bear in mind if we want to get results.

Try to do some form of exercise at least three times a week, not necessarily just in the water, but anything which gets your heart pumping — even just a brisk walk to work in the morning.

Indeed, ‘cross training’ — the mix-and match approach to exercise — not only prevents that most dangerous of conditions, boredom, but has the advantage of making a whole range of different demands on your body so that it improves in a range of different ways.

• Aim to exercise for at least 20 minutes without stopping — although if it’s been a while since you were last in circulation, make this your goal, and work up to it gradually.
• Remember to warm up, cool down and stretch out properly each time you exercise.
• Check your heart! The more times a minute it beats, the harder you are working. So monitor your heart rate (HR) regularly by placing two fingers just below the back of your jaw bone on one side, or just on the outside edge of your upturned wrist.

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Category: Exercise, Fitness, Workout

Tags: body, environment, Exercise, Fitness, food, games, people, water, work