Do You Need Special Equipment for Water Aerobics?
The answer to the above question is yes and no – you don’t really need special equipment for basic water aerobics, but for certain exercises, you do need special equipment. It does not have to be complicated, but adding on certain items can enhance your water aerobic workout. Here are some examples of the equipment you might use in water aerobics, and the particular exercises that require this equipment.
1. Noodles
Noodles are quite versatile. They are hollow tubes of stiff, lightweight foam. They may be ridged on the outside or smooth. They can be cut to various lengths, bent into U-shapes, and used in all sorts of ways.
Noodles are usually used in an exercise called water jogging. In water jogging, your feet don’t hit the bottom of the pool, so you need to be floating in deep water up to your shoulders. Noodles provide the flotation necessary to perform the exercise.
Abdominal exercises may also make use of the noodle. Pushing the noodle down under the water by bending forward works the abs.
2. Buoyancy Belt
A buoyancy belt is worn around the waist and helps you stay upright in the water. If used correctly, the buoyancy belt holds you upright in the water so that your hands and legs are free, and your feet need not touch the bottom of the pool.
Water jogging can also be done with a buoyancy belt, as can jumping jacks, weight lifting, and any exercise that requires you to be upright.
3. Dumbbells and Weights
For upper body workouts, dumbbells and weights can enhance the experience. Dumbbells are held in the hands; weights are strapped to the wrists. Because of the decrease in weight in the water, some people like to strap weights to their ankles as well.
Exercises like push-and-pull, biceps and triceps curls, and other toning exercises can be done with weights in the hands or on the wrists. Water jogging, kicking, scissor-kicks, and other lower-body exercises can be made more challenging and effective with ankle weights.
4. Kickboards
Kickboards are great for lower leg workouts. You can kick your way around the pool, or remain stationary while kicking. You can vary your kicks to work different muscle groups – frog kicks, flutter kicks, etc.
5. Gloves
For added resistance in the water, water aerobics gloves have webbed fingers. They have an additional benefit, too – they prevent the wrinkling and “prune hands” from a long time in the water!