Aqua Aerobics

The type of exercise referred to today as aqua aerobics has actually been around for quite a long time but has only recently grown in popularity. In the past, only the most exclusive gyms and health clubs had swimming pools in them, and even fewer with pools shallow enough to partake in aqua aerobics. Fortunately, swimming pools of all shapes, sizes and depths are commonplace in today's gyms, paving the way for this fun form of cardio training.

Aqua aerobics are usually performed in chest-deep water, which is good news for those who either don't know how to swim or don't like deep water. You should be standing with your feet touching the bottom of the pool at all times and there is usually a spotter or lifeguard outside of the pool just in case of trouble. If done properly, aqua aerobics will give you an excellent cardio workout while utilizing the natural resistance of water to give you a great resistance training regimen as well.

The water provides support for almost your entire body during this type of workout, which reduces the risk of injury substantially. It is also very low impact on the joints, meaning those with bad ankles, knees or hips will find it to be a worthy workout with little to no stress on those areas. For this reason, senior citizens and people in recovery from injuries use it to rehab their ailing muscles, bones and joints. It is advised though that you still do some type of cardio workout in addition to water-based exercises, as they don't burn as many calories as traditional exercises done outside of a pool.