Pool Fitness: Different Strokes For Aquatic Folks

“Young or old, active or aching, just about everyone can buoy their workout by plunging into the pool, fitness experts say. But whether you're swimming laps or pedaling inside an inner tube, there's more to aquatic fitness than just splashing around. ‘Swimming is just a great overall fitness activity. You're using all your muscle groups, balancing your body in that environment,’ said Dr. Barbara Bushman, an expert with the American College of Sports Medicine. Even at the shallow end aquatic exercises can improve balance in older people and help anyone with joint or orthopedic problems to stay fit. ‘Anytime you're in the water you can basically unweight the body,’ Bushman explained. ‘There's the support of fluid around you.’ ‘Take a few lessons so you can sustain that 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic activity you need, Bushman advises, ‘and learn different strokes for interval training and variety.’ As group fitness manager at Equinox in New York, Mark Hendricks oversees the gym's Aqua Fitness classes,

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