Make a Splash: Underwater Cycling Benefits
Cycling is a beloved pastime for plenty of reasons. It is a wonderful source of exercise, it’s a low-impact workout that’s easy on your joints, and many people just find it to be a fun activity. This is true whether people prefer to bike around outdoors or if they feel the most at home in a gym or taking a spin class.
However, there is a way to enhance your cycling workout even more. As it turns out, by putting the stationary bike underwater and doing your work out there, you can increase the benefits of the workout even more.
If you have ever considered joining the wonderful world of underwater cycling, or even if you’ve never heard of it before now and are curious, this is the article for you.
What Is Underwater Cycling?
Before we dive in further, we should establish what exactly underwater cycling really is. If you mention underwater cycling to someone, they are likely to think about one of two things. First, there is a form of underwater cycling where the bike is fully submerged — and so is the rider.
When someone does this type of underwater cycling, they will be equipped with scuba gear, including a full oxygen tank. This is an incredibly intense type of exercise and is typically only done in the context of races or other events.
Ultimately, this kind of underwater cycling is more of a spectacle. It isn’t as much about the workout the rider is getting and more about the oddity of the activity (and what they’re wearing).
The more common type of underwater cycling, and what we will be referring to for the remainder of this article, is much more common. Rather than being a spectacle, it focuses on the individual rider, ensuring they get a fantastic workout and have fun doing it. A special kind of bike is placed underwater, so the rider’s lower half (and possibly more) remains submerged. However, the head is always above water, but usually, significantly more of the body is in the air.
Since this is an aerobic form of exercise where an increase of oxygen is being pumped throughout the bloodstream, we need to breathe more while we’re doing it. As a result, having your oxygen intake limited in any way would be very detrimental.
What Other Names Does Underwater Cycling Go By?
Not only are people sometimes talking about different kinds of underwater cycling, but they also might use different names and phrases to refer to it. Underwater cycling can also be called aqua spinning, underwater spinning, aqua cycling, and more. No matter what you prefer to call it, this is basically a spin class taken to a new level (in the water).
What Are the Benefits of Underwater Cycling?
There are so many benefits to underwater cycling, but unfortunately, we only have so much time. Here are just a few of our top advantages of this worthwhile pastime.
Underwater Cycling Helps Your Heart
As an aerobic exercise, underwater cycling makes strides in improving your circulation, which is key to improving your heart health overall. As long as your heart is pumping faster and you are taking in a larger amount of oxygen than you do at rest, the aerobic activity is doing its job.
Classes Are Fun and Social
One of the biggest benefits of taking a class with others is the social aspect. You can make new friends, or you can just talk to people however much you want.
In either case, working out around other people is motivating, which can lead to an even better workout. For the well-being of both mental and physical health, an exercise class is one of the best activities you can take part in.
The Water Adds Resistance
The motion of repeatedly bringing your legs up and lowering them down on the bike pedals is what makes cycling a great exercise.
As anyone who has ever biked up a hill will know, it gets substantially more challenging when there is resistance added. While cycling underwater isn’t exactly the same kind of resistance as biking uphill, it can be comparable.
When resistance is added to your workout, it increases the intensity. This makes the workout harder and means that your eventual results will be greater. It can be tough in the moment, but the added resistance is a good thing in the long run. It will help you burn more calories and build up more strength.
If that still isn’t enough resistance for you, you can talk to your underwater cycling instructor about the possibility of adding extra weight to your bike. This should always be done with safety as the number one priority. When in doubt, you can also always just stay in the pool and extend your workout for a little bit longer.
What To Wear When Underwater Cycling
The idea of wearing a bathing suit to what is essentially a spin class might seem odd at first, but other workout gear just doesn’t mix well with the water. This means that you should pick a flattering bathing suit that moves with you, makes you feel confident, and is comfortable. The right bathing suit for you will improve your workout, not take away from it.
Thankfully, the Joyful Blooms Shirred Front Girl Leg One Piece does exactly that. This bathing suit features a delightful pattern that is bright but not overly so. Instead, the pattern is just the right amount of noticeable and colorful. The combination of the different shades of blue paired with the orange of the flowers allows all of these hues to pop. These colors are also gorgeous on all skin tones.
In terms of being able to move, the girl leg cut is ideal. It provides plenty of coverage in both the front and the back but is flexible enough that you can easily move in and out of the water. The garment’s sweetheart neckline has the best of both worlds, giving you ample coverage while never hiding your body.
Finally, the shirring around the middle of the piece ensures a beautiful hourglass figure.
Sources:
Aquatic Cycling—What Do We Know? A Scoping Review on Head-Out Aquatic Cycling | PMC
3 Kinds of Exercise That Boost Heart Health | Johns Hopkins Medicine