Common Accessories Used in Water Fitness Classes
Water fitness offers a unique way to stay in shape without a major impact to your body, joints, or muscles. While swimming on your own can provide a lot of benefits, you may want to increase the intensity of your aquatic workout and burn more calories. When you sign up for water fitness classes, you may find classes that rely on accessories to assist in water exercises. Read on to learn more about the various accessories available and ways you can use them successfully in water fitness classes.
Water Dumbbells
One of the most common accessories you will find includes a water dumbbell. The dumbbells look like typical dumbbell weights, but they usually include foam parts that float on the water. The dumbbells may feel extremely light out of the water, but the resistance in the water is what helps you build strength as you use the accessory. In an exercise class, you will hold one dumbbell in each hand and move through the water. Typically, you will use the dumbbells with shallow water exercises, but they may be used in deep-end exercises as well. The dumbbells help you build arm strength, increase flexibility, and can also help with your upper chest muscles. Instructors will teach you the best form for holding the dumbbells and making movements in the water.
Water Belts
If you plan to do any deep-water fitness, then you will likely wear a water belt in the exercise class. No matter what your swim level is, a water belt leaves the rest of your body free to perform exercises and wade in the deep water. When the belt is securely attached to your waist, your body will remain afloat and you can focus on the use of your arms and legs to complete exercises. With a water belt, you could lay flat on the water and complete exercises like crunches. The water belt will also help you stretch in the water and do a number of leg exercises. The belt straps around your waist and connects with the use of a basic clip. You can tighten the belt to fit snugly around your waist.
Water Fitness Gloves
For classes where you swim laps and do a lot of cardio, you may wear water fitness gloves. The gloves slip on like a standard glove but feature a webbed section between the fingers that allows you to pull more water behind you and move through the pool at a quicker speed. With the use of water fitness gloves, you can swim faster laps and burn more calories as you make your way around the pool. Some classes may provide gloves for everyone, but this is one of the ideal accessories that you should purchase on your own so you have the proper fit and comfort to use in the water on a regular basis.
Water Steps
One way to work out your legs in a water fitness class is with the use of water steps. Water steps are placed at the bottom of the pool, typically in a shallower, chest-deep area, and offer an easy way to step up and down while in the water. This cardio exercise offers ways to burn calories without the extra pressure and pain put directly on your knees or joints. With the help of the surrounding pool water, you can move effortlessly up and down the steps. Some water steps may feature two steps while a majority will just feature a single step. The step helps you find repetition as you exercise in the water, and you may use a step in conjunction with other water exercise accessories like dumbbells.
You can find all of these exercise accessories in use at our dedicated water fitness classes at the Great Miami Valley YMCA. Check out our full range of water fitness classes to see what classes will use specific accessories and what we offer to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle while you swim.