Water aerobics is a form of exercise popular with people who have certain health conditions, including joint problems, arthritis and soft tissue injuries. It typically consists of aerobic exercises that are performed in a pool. This type of exercise offers the benefits of aerobic exercise with much lower risks of injuries to the muscles and joints. There are many kinds of water aerobics equipment that can be used, including foam noodles, buoyancy belts, kickboards, weights and gloves.
Noodles are one of the most commonly used types of water aerobics equipment. Made from lightweight, buoyant polyethylene foam, they are used in numerous water aerobics exercises. They are water resistant and can bend to assist in many exercise positions. Noodles provide balancing support and added resistance for both upper and lower body workouts. They are utilized in water jogging exercises as well as abdominal exercises.
A buoyancy belt is worn around the waist to assist a person doing deep water aerobics. It is very effective because it stabilizes a person’s center of gravity while in the water. This piece of water aerobics equipment also allows great range of motion, so arms and legs can be worked out at the same time. Many people use buoyancy belts during other types of water activities in place of life jackets.
Also called flutter boards or paddle boards, kickboards are a type of water aerobics equipment used to support a person’s weight when he is doing lower body exercises in the water. They typically are constructed of high-density foam. Kickboards can help build stronger leg muscles, improve kicking techniques and increase ankle flexibility. Kickboards also allow the exerciser to keep his or her head out of the water but still have a high-intensity workout.
Water aerobics weights can be water-resistant dumbbells held in the hands or worn on the wrists and ankles. They provide additional resistance to build arm and leg muscles. Many people simply hold or wear them while doing standard water aerobics exercises, and others do specific repetition exercises with them. Water aerobics weights typically come in many sizes and amounts of weight.
Some people wear water aerobics gloves, which have webbed fingers. They are made from flexible neoprene and typically have adjustable sizes to fit the person’s hands. This type of water aerobics equipment is utilized to build stamina and strength during a water aerobics practice. They work in two ways, including protecting the hands from becoming shriveled in the water and providing increased resistance during the exercises.
