HookedonWaterFitness.com

Tag: Water Exercise

  • But It’s COLD

     

    “It’s cold outside. Why would I want to strip down to a swimsuit and go get in the water!?”

    I hear ya’. I’m not a cold-weather fan myself. In fact, I call myself a “cold weather weenie.” I have to push myself to get things done in the cold weather.

    So why go?

     

    Because I love water.
      The average human body is composed of 60% water; there’s about 70% in the brain and heart, and about 83% in the lungs. I have always had a theory that anything that makes up so much of me (water) draws me to the same (water). I’m mostly made up of water, so why shouldn’t I love water? 

    (source: usgs.gov)

    Because I love summertime, and being in the water means a little shot of summertime no matter the season.
      I was a summer baby, and I’m still a summer baby. Water sports of all kinds have always fascinated me. When I had two good legs I loved to waterski. I’ve always loved swimming and riding the jetski. I’ve always loved to watch surfing and go diving.

      When I was a kid, my Dad would take us to college football games. I remember a swimming pool in Dallas, Texas that I was dying to get into. The problem was it was January and I was 10 years old.

    Because of the way it makes me feel when I’m exercising.
     In addition to conjuring fun summer memories, the water on my skin feels so good. Cutting through the water – whether swimming laps or doing water aerobics – produces dopamines that give you a high in the water. What? No drugs, nothing unhealthy, and you still get a high? Yes please.

    Because of the way it makes me look.
      I’m all in for solid abs (stomach), sleek biceps (arms), and nice legs. Working out in the water helps me get there.

    Because my wet comrades are there.
      I enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded individuals. Everyone in the water on a regular basis is hooked just like I am.

    Because I feel better afterward.
      After a good water fitness workout, I feel like I can conquer the world. I can go back to my office with new ideas, I can face the rest of the evening with a great attitude. When I worked out first thing in the morning, it helped me to prepare for my day.

    Because it’s healthy.
      Exercise builds new cells and muscles, increases your heart rate, protects against falls, and gives you a sense of what you can accomplish.

    Because it helps me maintain my weight.
      As we get past 30, we all begin to be challenged by weight gain. All the diets or pills in the world cannot replace the benefits of working out three (3) times a week for 45 minutes each. 

     

    So…yes it’s cold. But it’s so worth it to go jump in the water!

     

    And I’ll see ya’ there –

     

    Be sure to visit our Water Love T-Shirt shop at HookedOnWaterFitness.com!

  • Keep It Simple:Take If Off & Bring It On

    Keep It Simple:Take If Off & Bring It On

    Check out our water-themed T-shirts, now available in v-necks! Unique designs to show your water love!

    Even hearing the basic concept of “water fitness,” people often write it off as being “too simple. There’s no way I’m going to get fit doing water exercises or water aerobics.” They give a slight bit more credit to swimming laps but have a hard time committing to that exercise as well.

    It is very simple.

    You take off your clothes and put on your swimsuit; you get in a large body of water like a pool, the ocean, a lake – and you move. ‘Taking it off’ helps you to tell the world to “bring it on!”

    With water fitness, you have a built-in assistant in getting you in shape: the water itself. That’s right, the water creates resistance before you ever pick up any equipment, e.g. a pair of buoys (water dumbbells) or a noodle. Simply walking back and forth in the water creates resistance, a necessary ingredient to building muscle.

    Add a little rhythm and pick up your steps so that you’re running in chest-high water. Now your heart rate is increasing, your blood is pumping, and talking is a little challenging. All of this is good news. You’re opening up your lungs while working your core and your legs. Simple, huh?

    If you feel your mind start to wander while running, that’s cool too. You’ll find that your day’s problems seem to present solutions, you relax, and your confidence begins to grow.

    I discovered years ago that doing only this – running in the water – is a good workout. It’s jogging with a current of resistance.

    But why stop there? Don’t you want your arms to get in on the action? Grab a pair of .42 ounce buoys. That’s right, that’s all they weigh. But in the water, they’re super heroes!

    Buoys (water dumbbells) take your workout to the next level. Doing a simple bicep curl in the water with a set of .42 ounce buoys is the same as using 6 lb. weights on land. I’ll wait here while you Google that. So do a few of those! Try 10 and work your way up to 30 on each arm. Pretty simple…

    Do some overhead jack arms with those buoys. Hold them over your head with your palms facing forward and act like you’re doing a jumping jack. Jog while you’re doing jack arms, and voila! You’ve added to your repertoire.

    Nothing complicated so far.

    Hold the buoys over your head with palms facing each other, each buoy in line with your shoulder. Go straight back as far as you can, then come forward again. You’ve just worked your triceps (bat wings, soft underarms). Repeat.

    This workout is still pretty darn simple but you’re doing amazing things for your body. You’re building bicep muscle, strengthening your core, and getting rid of old lady/old guy arms.

    Add some more exercises until you get your workout plan. Taking a class helps to develop your workout, and there are also plenty of videos and a few good books detailing water exercises out there. Comment below if you want some suggestions from me.

    And just think: All you did was take off your clothes and get in the water.

    Other simple ideas:

    • Keep your diet simple. Count the calories you burn while working out. We’ll call this (B). A water-proof smart watch is perfect for this. Then count the calories you put in your mouth. We’ll call this (E). Then you subtract E from B. Keep adjusting your intake and exercise until you get a deficit there. When you’re taking in (eating) less than your working off (burning), you lose weight and/or maintain your present weight.
    • Vote. For decent interactions with people. For belief that the best days are ahead. For love, not hate.
    • Keep your life simple. What does God require of us? “To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) That’s all.

    Thank you and I’ll see ya’ in the water!

    Take a moment and check out our water-themed t-shirts, now available in v-necks! Unique designs to show your water love!

  • Man, That’s Cold

    That's Cold

    We’re moving into that time of year where it starts to get – brrrr rabbit cold. Just down-to-the-bones chilly, even here in the southern U.S. Break out the coats, the blankets, and the hand-warmers. Find the gloves, both of them. 

    Shove on some heavy socks, get out the boots and the leggings, heat up the car, and – go to the pool?? Are you out of your freakin’ mind? you ask. No…at least not so you’d notice.

    In my lifetime, I’ve done a polar bear swim in Gatlinburg, Tennessee the week after Christmas (I was a teenager); I’ve gotten into a private pool that was 65 degrees in November (in a full wetsuit); worked out in a gym pool in 72 degree water (try it, it’s cooold – the pool needed repair); and generally spent time in colder-than-average and cooler-than-it-should-be swimming pools. 

    Sadly, my experience doesn’t help me. Something about cold water in the wintertime is so…”discouraging” might be the word. So what’s a body that needs a workout and a mind that needs relaxing supposed to do? I go to the pool.

    Pool

    Our pool is state of the art, which among other things translates to lots of windows. We also have a water heating system that works in odd ways. It’s been explained to me that you “set it like the thermostat in your home, in a range, as opposed to setting it to a specific degree.” (?) Maybe. 

    A side note: Most people enjoy an indoor pool that is about 87 degrees. It doesn’t sound like 80-84 would be a big difference. Believe me, in the water, every degree counts. Anyway, the water can be 80 to 84 degrees at our pool on any given day. But add the windows, and – baby, it’s cold inside. The good news is, it gets you moving. (Otherwise you might freeze in place.)

     

    Never fear, there’s help for even the coldest pools: 

    • First, for about $40 you can buy a wetsuit jacket on Amazon. The thicker the better. And they work. Even though they’re wet, not dry, they hug your body and hold your internal temperature in. A wetsuit jacket won’t restrict your movements in water aerobic exercise. When you purchase one, go by your measurements, not the size. These wetsuit jackets are made all over the world, so the sizing varies wildly. 
    • Get moving as soon as you get in the water. Hit the pool floor running, literally and physically. This warms you up more quickly.
    • Pro Tip: After being in the water for about 20 minutes, get out for a moment. Go refill your water bottle or go to the bathroom, then get back in. It feels much better.
    • Start your workout with warm-up exercises, not stretching. When you first start your workout, you’re not warmed up (this applies year round), so it’s like putting a rubber band in the freezer. If you stretch it when you first take it out, it breaks. If you warm it up first, it’s all good.
    • While you can use wetsuit pants as well, I don’t recommend it. The jackets don’t restrict movement for Water Aerobics but the pants really can. And usually, if your core is warm you’re okay.
    • If you’re warm-natured, an aqua shirt may be enough. These short-sleeve and long-sleeve shirts make a difference. Make sure you don’t wear a cotton t-shirt! Remember, in the water, cotton is cold.
    • You may also be able to get by with a wetsuit vest. Consider all your options.
    • Save the stretching for last. Start with a jog, go into your arm, core, and leg exercises, do your endurance hitch, then stretch. There are a lot of reasons to do this year-round, but an added benefit in cold weather/water is that you’re pretty warm by the time you do your stretching. 

    Those tips should help warm you up. 

     

    Now, a few other things. There are so many benefits to working out in cold weather. Just to name a few, from Money Talks News:

    Exercising in cold weather (water) 

    • It helps prevent colds and flu. It’s tempting to stay in bed on a gray winter day. But according to the National Library of Medicine, a little exercise could be just what we need to stave off the sniffles. That could be as simple as a daily walk or, weather permitting, a bike ride with your kids.

    It’s not clear why moderate exercise helps, but the NLM reports several theories:

    • Exercise might help clear the lungs and airway of bacteria and viruses.
    • Physical activity causes white blood cells and antibodies to circulate more rapidly, possibly helping them detect potential illness faster.
    • The fact that exercise literally warms us up may help reduce bacterial growth, just as a fever helps us fight infection.
    • Stress can increase the possibility of sickness. Physical activity helps lower the amount of stress hormones in our bodies.

     – MTN  https://www.moneytalksnews.com/slideshows/surprising-benefits-of-exercising-outdoors-in-the-winter/?utm_campaign=bad-money-habits-that-are-robbing-you-blind&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email

    Shower

    I have an added benefit for you:

    When you leave the gym, after a good hot shower, you will feel like Queen/King of the World. You have worked out in extremely cold weather, you’ve gotten your blood pumping, your heart racing, and your mind settled. Moreover, you’ve conquered your fear of going to the pool in cold weather. Yay, you!

    Fire

     

    Now, go home and sit in front of the fire and revel in your accomplishments of the day.

    Okay, are you convinced to get off the couch and head for the pool?

    I’ll see ya’ in the water!

     

     

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