What One should Do for Exercise If Can't Walk or Run?

Aug. 29, 2011 - PRLog -- Recently I have received many questions about alternative workouts -- from an active runner recovering from an ankle injury to readers with chronic back problems. Whether you have a recent injury or have a condition, such as osteoarthritis or gout, which takes away walking and running as one of your choices for basic exercise -- one of your best options is a pool workout.

Water workouts can be fun and effective. These types of workouts are being used by athletes, rehabilitation patients, overweight individuals and even children as either a primary method of training or as a supplement to their other training. Of course, depending on your injury or condition you should check with your doctor to ensure that a pool workout will be safe.

Water has a therapeutic effect on both the body and mind. It provides both buoyancy, which allows for an unloading of body weight, as well as resistance, which allows for training with minimal impact on the body. According to the Aquatic Exercise Association, there are several popular exercise formats that have been developed and adapted specifically for use in the pool, which include:

1. Yoga
2. Deep Water Running
3. Sports Specific Training
4. Plyometrics
5. Boot Camp Classes

So, what are some of the benefits of exercising in water?

1. It burns calories. A strenuous water workout can burn several hundred calories, which can help facilitate fat loss.

2. It's easy on the joints. Like I stated above, water makes your body buoyant so the impact on your joints is significantly lessened than land based training.

3. It helps alleviate back pain and strengthens the core. Water workouts can provide little to no impact, which reduces stress on the spine. In addition, deep water training can be very effective strengthening the core, which will ultimately improve your back health and promote better posture.

4. It can provide full body conditioning. When exercising in water, you are constantly encountering a resistance that provides a constant challenge to your body's muscles.

5. It can be a great method of cross training. Many injuries often develop due to a repetitive motion in the same movement pattern. Therefore, by incorporating water workouts, you can change things up and challenge your body in different ways while minimizing the stress on your joints. For instance, many marathon runners would greatly benefit from some deep water jogging/running as it would challenge their muscles in a very different way than when they normally run. Plus, it will also give their bodies a break from the typically pounding on the pavement that they regularly endure.

6. It has a therapeutic effect, especially if you are doing a recovery workout. By performing a 10 to 20 minute light intensity workout, especially the day after a heavy training session, you can help facilitate your recovery from your previous training session. For recovery work, things such as walking, jogging, treading water, basic swimming strokes and/or stretching are some of your best choices.

So, whether you're looking for a new training regimen to change up your existing routine or if you are looking for a way to exercise because traditional methods are not possible due to physical limitations, try incorporating water workouts. They are a great way to get in shape and they are fun!

While water workouts may be one of the best ways to get back on track with sore knees, find out more moves that may help.

For more information please visit: http://www.fitjunction.com/