My newest passion is Aqua Jogging! It's awesome for anyone recovering from knee or leg injuries or surgeries, wounded runners, aging baby boomers, or for those who are overweight and regular fitness activities are difficult.
In my case, I was struggling with an old knee injury in one leg and tendonitis in the other. After not being able to go walking or participate in any Zumba classes for several months, and being an author who spends far too much time seated at my computer, I had to do something. So I did a little research and discovered Aqua Jogging is one of the best exercises! It's the activity of choice for injured athletes. Runners take to the water all the time to increase cardiovascular capacity or while recovering from an injury or for extra training. It's an awesome workout with no impact!
In my case, I was struggling with an old knee injury in one leg and tendonitis in the other. After not being able to go walking or participate in any Zumba classes for several months, and being an author who spends far too much time seated at my computer, I had to do something. So I did a little research and discovered Aqua Jogging is one of the best exercises! It's the activity of choice for injured athletes. Runners take to the water all the time to increase cardiovascular capacity or while recovering from an injury or for extra training. It's an awesome workout with no impact!
So I headed for my local pool and borrowed one of their flotation belts (the same one used for aquasize) and took to the water. I headed for the deep end because shallow depths cause impact on joints and decrease resistence.
Jogging as if I were on land, my heart rate rose, and before long, my muscles got quite a work out because the water provided incredible resistence. Because it takes longer to move in the water, you have to measure your work-outs by time rather than distance. I discovered the faster I moved my arms and legs, the greater the workout. By the end of the first month, I was breezing through an hour water jog, my arm and leg muscles became stronger, and I lost 8 pounds. As time progressed, I began to add some more fitness equipment to make my work outs more challenging. But I'll blog about those on another day.
Jogging as if I were on land, my heart rate rose, and before long, my muscles got quite a work out because the water provided incredible resistence. Because it takes longer to move in the water, you have to measure your work-outs by time rather than distance. I discovered the faster I moved my arms and legs, the greater the workout. By the end of the first month, I was breezing through an hour water jog, my arm and leg muscles became stronger, and I lost 8 pounds. As time progressed, I began to add some more fitness equipment to make my work outs more challenging. But I'll blog about those on another day.
For now, if you're interested in giving it a try, all you need to get started is an aqua flotation belt. Your local pool will usually provide them to you for free. Because I was travelling, I decided to purchase my own. I chose the Classic Aqua Jogger flotation belt from a reputable online store.
There are numerous flotation belts out there, so do your research. Make sure it's a good fit as there are men's, women's, petite, and plus sizes. Also, make sure you get one with an elastic belt. It makes a huge difference. They are extremely durable and unaffected by chlorine. It's a great investment as it will last for years.
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