What is Aqua Walking?
An easy way to get into water aerobics exercise
Aqua Walkingis a low-impact water aerobics exercise that offers a light introduction to water Aerobics.
- Practice walking movements in waist-high water at the sea or in a swimming pool.
- Like any water aerobics bodywork, Walking in water is easy on the joints.
The waters buoyancy supports the bodys weight, which reduces stress on the joints and minimizes pain.
Stress Relaxation and Natural Pain Relief
Walking in water is more effective than walking on land
- In shoulder-deep water, you weigh only 10% of your land weight, reducing impact. Water provides 12 times the resistance of air, so as you walk, youre really strengthening and building muscle.
- Turbulence in water creates an unstable environment encouraging the core muscles of the body to become stronger to maintain correct position and posture.
Aqua walking increased confidence in being able to perform daily activities. Unlike medications, which generally carry some risk of side effects, a thermal water bodywork is unlikely to be harmful. The benefits of a regular thermal aqua exercise program have a clear-cut track record for improving pain and stress symptoms.
Aqua Walking is a low-impact aqua bodywork that offers a light introduction to Aqua Aerobic, practice walking movements in waist-high sea or warm pool. Like any Aqua Aerobic bodywork, Aqua Walking is easy on the joints. Aqua Walking takes advantage of the waters buoyancy, which:
- Supports the bodys weight
- Reduces stress on the joints
- Minimizes pain
Aqua Walking take place when water temperature is 29 to 34.4ºC. The thermal properties of water assist healing. The bodys reaction to hot water causes the nerves at the surface of the skin to carry impulses deep into the body. This reaction is thought to:
- Lessen pain sensitivity
- Stimulate the immune system
- Aid lymphatic drainage
- Increase blood circulation
- Leave you both physically and mentally relaxed
Backward-walking as a Form of Exercise
Walking backwards in water builds quadriceps [knees, hips, legs, and trunk] strength in a way that is not possible on land. When you go backwards, your stomach will work out like your back and creates a nice reaction for your abdominal area.
Benefits of Backwards-Walking
Two University of Oregon professors, Barry Bates and Janet Dufek, have studied the benefits of backward walking and running on people since the 1980s. They found that backward walking creates reduced shear force on the knees, and may be useful for anyone experiencing pain going up and stairs or doing lunges or squats. Walking backwards uses more energy in a shorter period of time, and burns more calories. It is good for those recovering from hamstring strain because of reduced hip range of motion. Backward walking creates no eccentric loading of the knee joint, the lengthening phase of going down hills or stairs, and can give hikers and scramblers some rest from overuse.
Increase endorphins released by the hypothalamus, healing with natural pain-relieving and sleep-deepening effects and healing some of the anxiety, depression and pain as well as:
- Reduce soreness and fatigue
- Increased endurance, flexibility, range of motion, balance, and coordination
- Improved metabolism and caloric consumption
- Remove metabolic waste
- Enhance immune system response
- Re-vitalized energy circulation along meridians
- Lower blood pressure
- Assist the body in tissue healing
- Develop muscular and cardiovascular endurance
- Increases cardiovascular function
- Strengthening the hip bone
- Slowed bone density loss
- Improves self esteem
- Overall improvement in quality of life
- Requires no swimming ability