Water Exercise vs. Water Aerobics – What’s the Difference?

Have you heard of water aerobics but not water exercise? Or maybe the reverse is true. Many people assume that any exercise performed in water is only for elderly people, or for those with physical problems. While water exercise and aerobics are great for those groups, it’s for others, too. New innovations in water exercise and expansions in the types of workouts offered have broadened the appeal of exercise done in water. There is something for all kinds of age groups and fitness levels, whether it’s water exercise or water aerobics.

There is a difference between the two. The fact that aquatic exercise has expanded recently has acted to divide the activities into two main categories.

Here is an explanation of water exercise and water aerobics, and their differences.

1. Water Aerobics or Aquatic Aerobics
Water aerobics are basically like a land aerobics class. Lasting about 30 to 45 minutes, participants do a range of aerobics exercises. The workout is low-impact by nature, because the water provides so much buoyancy that your joints do not get stressed, even with exercises that involve jumping.

Water aerobics are generally considered safe for most levels of fitness, although you want to make sure you choose one that fits your individual level. They are also good for burning calories and overall weight loss; the resistance offered by the water provides an additional challenge and augments calorie burning, sources say.

Cardiovascular health is also said to be enhanced by water aerobics. The heart rate is raised but stress is reduced – studies have shown that exercise in water reduces stress. So the combination of a raised heart rate and reduced stress may be ideal for someone recovering from a heart ailment or who otherwise has a compromised cardiovascular system. (Of course, it’s good for those with “normal” cardiovascular health, too!)

Flexibility is enhanced by water aerobics, say experts. This is probably due to the support water offers – you can move joints in a wider range of motion when water helps hold you up.

2. Water Exercise or Aquatic Exercise
Water exercise is generally more about strength training and target toning. It describes the actual exercises that are aimed at improving muscle tone and strength. Water exercise makes full use of the resistance of water – it’s basically resistance and strengthening exercise. Water exercise, like water aerobics, is low-impact.

Legs are strengthened and toned with exercises like squats, where you bend your knees and hips while holding on to the edge of the pool. Running, walking, and jogging in the water are also components of water exercise.

Upper body strengthening might involve pushing a buoyant ball under the water repeatedly, or using weights to tone arms.

Both water aerobics and water exercise are viable, healthful ways to exercise in water.