Category: Research

If you are currently involved in an exercise programs, congratulations! You are on your way to experiencing the amazing benefits that come with physical activity. Check out some of them below and be encouraged that the time commitment, cost and occasional discomfort are all worth it!

General Benefits of Exercise

Physical Benefits

• Less risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer or adult diabetes
• Less risk of osteoporosis and fractures
• Controlled blood pressure and blood sugar
• Improved oxygen delivery and body chemistry
• Improved fatigue resistance
• Better tendons, ligaments, bones and muscles
• Less body fat and more lean body mass, leading to improved body appearance
• Less risk of back injury and better posture
• Improved independent living and increased life expectancy
• Quicker illness recovery and better immunity
• Better sports performance and less post-exercise soreness

Mental Benefits

• Tension and stress relief
• Reduced stress symptoms
• Improved sleeping patterns
• Higher energy levels and less mental fatigue
• Improved self-image and self-efficacy
• Improved quality of life

Insel, P.M., & Roth, W.T. (2006). Core Concepts in Health (pp. 380- 384). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Unique Benefits of Water Exercise

• Low impact for your lower body joints in shallow water
• Minimal impact in deep water due to the buoyancy of water reducing the effect of gravity
• The ability to exercise longer and harder because the hydrostatic pressure helps the body pump blood more efficiently
• Improved balance, posture and strength because muscles are working against the buoyancy, turbulence and resistance of the water
• Water is a great body heat regulator because it removes heat build-up, especially in hot and humid weather
• A great cross-training option for athletes and fitness enthusiast
• The ability to participate as a non-swimmer in shallow water, without having to put your face in the water or get your hair wet
• A great exercise opportunity for all fitness levels and physical conditions, including painful medical conditions

Source: Griffin, D., & Twynham, J. (2003). Fundamentals Instructor Certification Program (pp. 9-10). Toronto, ON: WaterArt Fitness International.

The positive effects of water exercise are being acknowledged globally!

Thanks to a friend of mine, I had a chance to read some very positive results of a study published in Japan Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine in 2010. The authors looked specifically at the effects of aquatic exercise on the trunk muscles function and if the activities of the daily living improved. They had two groups of women: a group of 19 women with abdominal obesity and 15 women without abdominal obesity. Both groups trained in the water for 60min daily, 3 times a week, for 8 weeks. Although both groups showed positive results in some parameters, the obese group showed bigger improvements in lower body strength and activities of the daily living. This group also showed a significant improvement in core muscles endurance and abdominal circumference from when they first started.

The study suggests that when we have strong lower body and core muscles, we can do daily activities more easily, such as climbing, descending stairs and carrying groceries. Consider water exercise as a way to build your lower body and core muscles, so that daily living activities will be easier.