Underwater walking, jogging, and running strengthens the muscles of the hips and the legs (quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals) and develops cardiorespiratory fitness. Start out in the shallow end of the water and gradually move to thigh-deep water. Use the water as resistance and land with a heel-ball-toe motion as you travel through the water.Next, move to chest-deep water, keep correct body position, and pump your arms at your sides as you would if you were walking on land. Once you have developed proper body technique, walk, jog, or run for 20-40 minutes.
In addition to aerobic fitness, weight loss may be an unexpected benefit. The following are the estimated calories burned for a 30-minute workout:
* Walking on land–135 calories
* Deep-water walking–264 calories
* Jogging on land–240 calories
* Deep-water jogging–345 calories
Check out your local pools and YMCA for water aerobic classes.