Exercise in water – for a better pre and post natal workout
‘Get into the water!’ That’s what many doctors and physio-therapists say when talking about exercise. It’s great for pre and post natal women, as well as athletes such as runners, footballers, weightlifters, walkers, gymnasts and dancers. The buoyancy of water also benefits those suffering from arthritis, sports injuries and obesity. Basically, they say, it’s good for anyone interested in fitness and health.
It’s the floating that does it. When standing in water up to your shoulders, the stress on your weight bearing joints is reduced by nearly 90%. This is fantastic for pregnant women who bear the cumbersome additional weight in the later months. The reduced gravity environment is also good for the heart. On land, gravity pulls your blood towards your feet and your circulatory system works against gravity to get your blood back to your heart. However, in water, the water pressure counters the downward pull of gravity making it easier on your circulatory system and better for your arteries and veins. This contributes to a lower heart rate during exercise and less pressure on the veins.
Water resistance is approximately 12 times more than that of air. This means that your muscles will gain 12 times more from the same exercise in the water. That fact alone is a very persuading, ie: An aerobic water exercise of around 30 minutes will help you burn about 300 calories.
“Women should be encouraged to participate in aerobic and strength conditioning exercises as part of a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy. Swimming and water aerobics are exercises which can be recommended for pregnant and postnatal patients to take up.”
Dr Ho Hon Kwok
Senior Obstetrician at H K Ho Women & Fertility Clinic
Mount Alvernia Medical Centre
The benefits are fantastic for women especially during pregnancy.
The extra weight of the baby and the aches and pains of pregnancy, leave little desire to exercise. It just isn’t comfortable to cycle, run or lift much of anything. The jogging is too hard on the joints, stretching can be very strenuous and it gets so hot. It is still however, essential for both the baby and the mother to find a way to stay fit and healthy during and after pregnancy.
According to Dr Ho Hon Kwok, “Reasonable goals of aerobic conditioning in pregnancy should be to maintain a good fitness level throughout pregnancy without trying to reach peak fitness level or train for athletic competition. Patients should choose activities that will minimize the risk of loss of balance and fetal trauma. As swimming and water aerobics satisfy these prerequisites, they can be recommended to prenatal and postnatal patients.”
A water environment creates a safe and even comfortable place to work out and to relax. Reducing the weight automatically reduces the stress on joints and alleviates the aches and pains associated with pregnancy. In the pool, you can exercise at your own pace without the worry of losing your balance and falling. The cooling affect is also appreciated in this tropical climate.
“Exercise can be difficult for pregnant women because of the weight of the gravid uterus. When exercising upright, the gravid uterus places additional load on the joints, which tend to be lax during pregnancy. When exercising in the supine position, the gravid uterus can impede the return of blood to the heart. Water, by eliminating the effects of gravity, circumvents these problems, providing mothers-to-be with a safe form of exercise that literally takes the weight off their feet.”
Dr Ben Tan
Head & Consultant Sports Physician, Changi Sports Medicine Centre Medical Director, Singapore Sports Medicine Centre
All you need to get started is a swimsuit. There is no fuss with new equipment. However, if you want to go all out you can get the swim cap, kick board, noodle, aqua running shoes, aqua jogger and water weights. The chances are you’ll use it if you have it.
But what do you do if you can’t swim?
The wonderful part of water exercises/workouts is that you need not be a swimmer. Swimming is a great exercise that works out all the muscles in your body without impact or strain. However, some people find it solitary and a little monotonous. With water workouts/exercises (water aerobics), there can be a variety of movements that can be done in chest deep water which you can do so without getting your hair wet. There is no need to worry about learning strokes and it can also be as social an affair as you choose.
You’ve gotten wet, now what do you do in the water?
There are some basic exercises that can be done without any equipment in chest deep water. Walking, jogging, squats, cross country skiing movements, jumping jacks and most aerobic movements that you will do on land that do not require you to bend down into the water and get your head wet. The movements seem easier because of the reduction in gravity but because the resistance is higher in water, you are getting a better toning work out.
It is best to join a class, at least for a while, so that you can learn some new exercises and to make sure you are doing them correctly. Instructors will put together a nice range of exercises including a warm up and cool down section. They will help you to adjust each movement so that you get the maximum benefit from each exercise. Some classes use flotation devices to aid flotation or resistance when needed. You may want to learn how to use these properly.
The sun’s rays in Singapore can be harmful so applying a good sun block is important or even perhaps a sun hat since you can work out without submerging your head! Of course, to best avoid the direct sun, get in the water in the early morning or late in the afternoon. Many classes are late in the evening so that your daily schedule isn’t interrupted.
As with most exercises, it is most important to have fun!
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