Water way to fitness

Do you like working out, but want to try something different? Are you weary of sweating it out in this heat, but still want to stay fit? Well then, aqua fitness is just be the answer. The city has seen a rising number of people experimenting with aqua fitness sessions like aqua strength, aqua kickboxing, aqua bokwa, aqua spinning, aqua pilates, among others. "Not many people are aware about the benefits of an aqua workout as compared to a land-based workout. However, we have received amazing response for aqua spinning," says Juhi Dave, Head Master Trainer at AquaStrength.

What's the buzz about?

Apart from being a fun workout, there are no prerequisites for this, and surprisingly, one doesn't even need to know how to swim. These sessions are especially beneficial for people hoping to lose weight. A lot of fitness trainers across the city are recommending it to people dealing with obesity because it's a zero-impact workout. "Once you get into the water, you are just ten per cent of your weight. Ninety per cent of your weight is supported by water.

So for someone who weighs 100 kgs and finds it difficult to try a treadmill or any other equipment, aqua workout works well," elucidates Deepali Jain, an aqua specialist with two decades of experience. She adds that such fitness sessions partially unload the weight felt on the joints of the body, leaving the person feeling light.

Few trainers have also observed that this benefits a lot of young people in the city; who, due to sedentary lifestyles, often suffer from joint issues. Additionally, the water compression tries to compress the body; and so even when one isn't working out a lot, the core muscles starts building up. Due to the hydrostatic pressure in the water, one doesn't end up injuring oneself while working out, which is common when working out in a gym.

Making it interesting

While Mumbaikars are warming up to the idea and slowly embracing the trendy water-based exercises, trainers are leaving no stone unturned to make it more interesting. Props like thera band, dumbbells and gym cycle add to the excitement. "The key here is to make people find it interesting. So using various props and reviving the sessions periodically is something I ensure," emphasises Jain, who has recently introduced aqua bungee in her sessions. The props though are not just for fun, they plays a vital role in many ways. "If someone is looking for a tougher workout, then aqua sessions gives that chance as water resistance makes it a bit tougher for the body to workout. So by adding props, a tougher workout plan can be chalked out," explains Rajni Maker Fitness Coach and proprietor of The Body Craft House. Props help in challenging the level of workout, toning the body and scaling up the workout intensity.

Over a period of time, aqua sessions help even in reducing belly fat, which is the most difficult fat to tackle. It's one of the fewer workouts that cater to your full body and not just some portions of the body. "Water does help in losing a lot of weight as it is 13 times stronger than air, but this can also rip you out. People usually perceive it as an easy workout. In fact, it is more challenging. So one needs to ensure that the workout program is sound and caters to your need," cautions Maker.