Aqua Jogging for Active Seniors: A Guide
As we get older, the ways we prefer to work out change. This is a natural progression, and luckily there are so many engaging exercises that can be done at any age. Getting a good workout is crucial, but we should also be able to have fun while doing it.
For some, the satisfaction of exercising is enough. Other people might need the exercise itself to be fun so that it does not feel like work. Then, some people prefer to turn exercise into a social activity. All of these ways of enjoying your workout are excellent, and you can take part in one, multiple, or even all of them.
Sometimes, we find that the exercises we enjoyed doing years ago are no longer feasible. This could be due to an injury, chronic pain, endurance, and more. The older we get, the more important it becomes to look after our joints. Not only will undue shock to them hurt, but it could also do lasting damage.
As a result, we have to replace those exercises of yesteryear with more appropriate workouts that will help improve our bodies in the present. Aqua jogging is one of these exercises. While people of any age can aqua jog, it is a particularly common pastime among seniors in search of a challenging but fun workout.
What Is Aqua Jogging
There is so much to love about water aerobics as a means of getting your cardio in, but aqua jogging offers something else entirely. Aqua jogging is sometimes referred to as water running, deep water running, water jogging, and more. It basically refers to the practice of running while at least part of the body is submerged underwater.
When you are preparing to aqua jog, a floatation device is typically placed around your stomach or waist. Since it is around your core, it helps your entire body stay upright and stable. However, you can still work those muscles while you keep yourself balanced.
Once the floatation device is around your waist, you then mimic the motion of running in the water. Forget low-impact workouts — this one is practically no impact. By that, we mean that it’s easy on the joints, not that the positive health effects will be small.
You can choose to alter the workout to include slightly more impact if that’s what is best for you. In order to do this, just move your aqua jogging from the deep end of the pool to the shallow end. People often find this to be a more taxing workout on their lower body.
If you want to focus more on your upper body while aqua jogging, sticking to the deep end might be in your best interest. To add more challenge to the exercise, you can hold water weights for more resistance.
How Is Aqua Jogging Different From Water Walking?
Understandably, you might think that pastimes such as water walking would be quite similar to aqua jogging. However, there are actually more differences between the two than you might realize.
Where water walking involves actually moving around the pool by foot, aqua jogging keeps you floating. While the amount of impact on your joints while water walking is low (especially when compared to walking out of the pool), there is still some impact. This is inevitable when any part of your body is hitting the ground. This isn’t the case with aqua jogging, though, making it a great exercise for anyone looking to avoid impact entirely.
Whether you are recovering from a joint injury, experiencing chronic pain, or simply want to look out for your joint health in the future, aqua jogging might just be for you. Still, don’t go thinking that this workout is only beneficial for your joints. In reality, it has a plethora of benefits for your full body that we will delve into later in the article.
Is Aqua Jogging a Form of Water Aerobics?
Water aerobics are a favorite form of exercise among seniors and those of all ages who wish to stay fit and healthy. Water aerobics are, in short, defined as any aerobic exercise that takes place in the water. An aerobic exercise increases oxygen intake and therefore increases the level of oxygen around the blood in your body.
By that definition, aqua jogging would absolutely qualify as a type of water aerobics. That being said, it might not be the most common workout in your local water aerobics class. There, you might be more likely to partake in exercises using a kickboard, water weights, water walking, standing push-ups, and more.
If you specifically want to take part in aqua jogging, it is likely worth speaking with the runner of the class ahead of time. Even if it isn’t a usual part of this class, they might have another offering in the schedule that would give you exactly what you are looking for.
Is Aqua Jogging Tough on Your Joints?
Aqua jogging is one of the easiest exercises on your joints available. This is because of how little shock your body (and, more specifically, your joints) are forced to absorb. Even a motion as simple as walking can cause our joints to have to take the brunt of our weight. For some people, this can be painful or damaging.
It is also possible to aqua jog around a pool rather than in place. When it’s in place in the deep end of the pool, you generally avoid stepping on anything. If you move around the space, though, there will be a level of shock absorption on your joints as your feet hit the ground.
This amount of impact is still comparatively quite small as opposed to running outside of the water, but it should still be considered.
What Are the Benefits of Aqua Jogging?
Not only is aqua jogging a fun way to pass the time, it also has a wide array of benefits, both physical and mental. For anyone looking to build their endurance in the water and out of it, water jogging is well worth considering. The resistance of the water provides a natural barrier that adds a challenge while running but also helps you build up strength and muscle.
Since water jogging is an aerobic exercise that gets your heart pumping faster, it’s also wonderful for your heart health. Even if you suffer from joint pain, you can and should still look after your cardiovascular well-being. It can also be beneficial for weight loss since it’s an activity that burns calories.
Finally, many people who enjoy aqua jogging also see it as a social experience. You can take a water running class and meet people that way, or you can get a group together to try it out at your local pool. Either way, this activity can be just as enriching for your body as it is for your mind.
What To Wear While Aqua Jogging
Other than the floatation device that you will likely be wearing around your stomach, you should still consider what you want to wear in and out of the pool. You should come to the pool prepared to do and look your best, whatever that means for you. After all, when you feel your best, nothing is holding you back. That’s what sets the stage for a stellar workout.
When you’re in the water, you are going to want a bathing suit that is breathable, comfortable, and moves with you. A swimsuit that impedes your movements in any way is incredibly counterproductive to exercising and is therefore an automatic no. That being said, you still want this practical bathing suit to look flattering while keeping you appropriately covered.
Coverage might become even more of a concern while you are out and about in the pool. The last thing you want when you’re moving around mid-workout is to worry if you aren’t covered everywhere you want to be. That’s why Maxine Swim has a wide variety of bathing suits in all sorts of lovely patterns and cuts. Whether you prefer something all black or with a livelier pattern, if you’re looking for petite or plus sizes, we have you covered.
Sources:
Why Aqua Jogging Is a Great Workout | Very Well Health
What To Know About Water Jogging | WebMD
Aerobic Exercise: Benefits, Examples and How To Get Started | Very Well Health