Water aerobics

[Rachel412 116]

I signed up for Water aerobics at the Y, starting in a few weeks. It's 3 mornings a week, 40 minutes per class. Now, hopefully this won't offend anyone, but I definitely associate Water aerobics with little old ladies in flowered swim caps I'm 32, and I have osteoarthritis in both knees. I was on antiinflammatories for them before surgery, but I stopped taking it since it was an NSAID. I was hoping by now my knees would be feeling much better, but they're not. So while I've been hitting the gym 2x weekly and doing the elliptical, it's still rough on my knees.

So has anyone here done water aerobics? Is it worth it or is it going to be a waste of my time? I really want the benefits of the water to help me with joint movement and resistance but I'm worried that it's not a good choice. I just don't know!

[brbm6 6]

I did it while pregnant and then again after a major surgery. I loved it! I got to the point that I wanted more of a workout so I hired a trainer (this was all pre-band). I have been thinking of signing up again. You will love the little old ladies...they are fun! They will think you are young and wonderful! Have a great time.

[Bodacious Barbie 5]

My mother who is 65 does them at the Y as well. She has lost 30 lbs since she started and looks great. She herself even laughs about how old the people are there. i asked her about the men, and she said they were so old, they had one foot in the ground (sorry!) she loves it though, and it definitely works. I just opened my pool and planned to get some cheap underwater weights from Five Below. I swim laps, but want to incorporate strength training while I'm swimming to. Hoping I'll burn more calories this way, plus like you the treadmills, eliptical machines and walks are murder on my knees. Water aroebics avoids that tension on our knees. You should definitely do it. i cant afford any gym membership right now, so I'm using my WII Fit and pool as my workout methods. Good luck! I heard those Y Memberships are costly too. Hopefully you can get some sort of discount.

[Rachel412 116]

We have a family Y membership and it's sooo much cheaper than any kind of gym out here (Boston area) so I'm lucky. It's nice because the kids and I can sign up for classes and my husband hits the gym.

Thanks to both of you for your replies!

[Jachut 487]

Like anything, you get out of it what you put into it. If you're fit, then you're going to struggle to get a really good workout, but if you're in more average shape and you push yourself, you will find it "exercise" even if not very strenuous.

I have a gym membership and sometimes I used to l do it ;particularly when pregnant, just for the heck of it, and follow it up with half hour of lap swimming afterwards - since the hardest part of swimming is actually the hassle of getting to the pool and then wrecking your hair and fake tan and nailpolish in the chlorine (lol) and you're already there so you may as well make the most of it. I swim intervals and really push hard.

The main thing that annoys me about Water aerobics is the poor quality music - lol - usually from a portable CD player and usually hits the 80's - and not the good ones! I personally think there's an opening for a really revved up style of Water aerobics for the under 50's - like Spinning or Body Pump - we need to get Les Mills onto this! My gym does ahve one deep water aerobics per week and THAT really is a pretty good workout.

The "little old ladies" can be surprisingly fit and they're generally great fun and just as normal as you or I - intent on getting a workout. Like any class everyone can work at their own pace.

Actually, I'm about to have another surgery to finish off my cancer treatment and you've put the idea in my mind that this might be a good way to ease back into it for a couple of weeks since I did really tire myself out running ten days after a massive bowel resection, lol.

[honk 780]

I normally do lap swimming. Three days a week however the high school swim team takes up 3/4 of the pool and the rest is Water aerobics. While I am also the youngest by 20+ years it still is quite fun. You def. get out of it what you put in. I am working it much harder than the rest of the class. Also you can ask the instructor for ways to make the work out harder. For example when doing arm motions under water; instead of making your hands into a fist leave you hands flat with the fingers close together. That creates more drag. See if the Y has weights to use in the pool. If not buy your own. They make the work out harder.

[roziecakes 20]

I'm 29, and I admit that I love Water aerobics! They have been really helpful since my back injury, and I believe that I owe part of being able to walk now to the strength that they provided me. And yes, I am almost always the youngest person in class. It's true...

[sorcia1 2]

Interesting...most of the people in my Water aerobics class were in their 30's and 40s....so give it a try, you might be surprised. I did find that unlike some cardio, YOU have all the control on how hard your workout is. You can take it easy with smaller movements or get a good workout in with larger/faster movements. Good luck!

[katrbro 1]

I have been banded two years this month. I started out with Water aerobics because I have lupus and Fibromyalgia. My first class I was so sore every part of my body hurt. I went back the next day and everyday there after for the entire summer. I took the high impact class after the first two weeks. It was awesome it set the start for a great workout habit. I am now past my goal weight and don't think I could have done it if not for starting in the water. Good luck to you...

[Debora Anne 3]

I love Water aerobics 9I just LOVE the water) It is a great work out - If you have an instructor that is good you will get a heck of a work out~ They even use Water weights - I have had back surgery and arthritis in my hips - Water actually will make the pain go away~ So I would say GO FOR IT~ OHHHH And it is FUN

I signed up for water aerobics at the Y, starting in a few weeks. It's 3 mornings a week, 40 minutes per class. Now, hopefully this won't offend anyone, but I definitely associate water aerobics with little old ladies in flowered swim caps I'm 32, and I have osteoarthritis in both knees. I was on antiinflammatories for them before surgery, but I stopped taking it since it was an NSAID. I was hoping by now my knees would be feeling much better, but they're not. So while I've been hitting the gym 2x weekly and doing the elliptical, it's still rough on my knees.

So has anyone here done water aerobics? Is it worth it or is it going to be a waste of my time? I really want the benefits of the water to help me with joint movement and resistance but I'm worried that it's not a good choice. I just don't know!

[LarraineM 6]

I signed up for Water aerobics at the Y, starting in a few weeks. It's 3 mornings a week, 40 minutes per class. Now, hopefully this won't offend anyone, but I definitely associate Water aerobics with little old ladies in flowered swim caps I'm 32, and I have osteoarthritis in both knees. I was on antiinflammatories for them before surgery, but I stopped taking it since it was an NSAID. I was hoping by now my knees would be feeling much better, but they're not. So while I've been hitting the gym 2x weekly and doing the elliptical, it's still rough on my knees.

So has anyone here done water aerobics? Is it worth it or is it going to be a waste of my time? I really want the benefits of the water to help me with joint movement and resistance but I'm worried that it's not a good choice. I just don't know!

I took a few water aerobic classes I was the youngest at age 53 my classmates were fun. I then just branched off to walking laps in the pool on my own.This was best for my work scheduel.46 laps = one mile became my montra. I did this for a yr. I graduated this yr to walking out of the pool by first participateing in social fun walks I can now do a mile in 15 mins.I do this every working morning followed by my 5k every Sat morning thru my neighborhood. I attribute my time in the pool to strenghtening my legs and back so that I could become more active. I have a ruptured disk in my back........my orto dr wants me to have a fusion.............Hell no ! 100 lbs lighter with the band and more physically fit than any other time in my life................I ve decided to just keep moving for the rest of my life.

[Rachel412 116]

Thanks for all the stories and support, ladies! My class starts Monday. At this point I'm in a pretty good groove of exercising 4 or 5 days a week, and my kids are used to the child watch at the Y so I'm now really looking forward to trying out Water aerobics. Now all I need to do is learn the pass code to enter the women's locker room