Walking in water is a real panacea for the body and is also suitable for those suffering from joint problems and not very trained subjects.
In summer, what’s better than a nice walk by the sea or by the pool? It is not just a relaxing and regenerating activity for the mind, but an excellent strategy to keep fit and burn calories in a pleasant way and, above all, without burdening the knees and back. The benefits of walking in water are numerous. Let’s find out what they are and how to get the most out of this ideal training for the summer period and suitable for all ages.
Also read: Walking every day has a scientifically proven side effect you don’t expect
Index
- All the extraordinary benefits of walking in water
- Walk in the water: to whom it is recommended
- How to walk in the water correctly
- Variations to intensify the workout
- Walk with high knees
- Lunges
- Side walk
All the extraordinary benefits of walking in water
Water is a much denser element than air. Physical activity in the pool or in the sea therefore requires more effort than the same exercise done on land. However, it is a low impact cardio activity. This means that it is gentler even for those suffering from bone and joint problems. Walking regularly in water is a real panacea for the body. This activity helps to:
- Burn calories and lose weight without straining or sweating excessively (walking immersed up to the waistline allows you to burn about 300/500 calories in an hour)
- Improve the cardiovascular and respiratory system
- Tone the muscles (especially those of the legs and buttocks)
- Lower blood pressure
- Fighting cellulite
- Relieve stress and relax your mind
@Julija Sapic / 123rf
Also read: Walking this way could earn you 20 years of life
Walk in the water: to whom it is recommended
But which subjects are best suited to walk by the sea or by the pool? Virtually everyone. It is, in fact, an activity particularly recommended even for those who are not familiar with fitness and for those who cannot practice exercises that would weigh too much on bones and joints. Water walking is also recommended for:
- Pregnant women
- Senior citizens
- Subjects with back problems
- People who have suffered an injury or surgery
- Not very trained subjects
- Those suffering from osteoporosis, arthritis and fibromyalgia
How to walk in the water correctly
To get the most benefits from walking in water, it is essential to learn how to do it the right way. For those who are approaching this type of physical activity for the first time, the advice is to start gradually, plunging slowly up to the waist. Before starting to walk in the water correctly it is important to make sure that you always have:
- Straight back
- Chin up and gaze straight ahead
- Shoulders back
During the walk, however, you must:
- Keep your torso upright, without bending too far forward or sideways
- Swing your arms
- Taking long steps
- Press on the heel before putting weight on your toes
Variations to intensify the workout
Once you have become familiar with the posture, you can opt for a series of variations to alternate with the classic walk to intensify the training in the water.
Walk with high knees
Lifting the knees higher in the water serves to increase the involvement of the muscles of the legs, abdomen and buttocks. Here’s how to do it:
- Raise the right knee as high as possible while raising the left arm at the same time
- Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side
Lunges
Lunges are ideal for working the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves more. To do them correctly, the water should reach waist height . The steps to follow are as follows:
- Step forward with your right foot
- Lower the front of the thigh so that it is parallel to the bottom
- Make sure the right knee is in line with the ankle
- Keep the back leg straight
- Bring the left foot forward and take a step forward, again with the left leg
Another variation of this exercise is to do lateral lunges instead of forward, in order to train the adductor muscles of the thighs more.
Read also: Tricks for walking by doing strenuous exercise during your walk
Side walk
Finally, the side walk is perfect for strengthening the inner and outer thigh muscles. To perform this exercise:
- Stand sideways with your right leg facing the direction of travel
- Move your right foot sideways
- Cross the left foot over the right.
- Continue in this way until the end of the path.
- Turn around and return to the starting point, with the right leg facing the direction of travel
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