Water Jogging

Workouts when done in or underwater are very beneficial and help to build lean muscles. The beauty of water exercises like water jogging, water aerobics or swimming is that there is there is reduced possibility of any injuries to the body, as the buoyancy of water cushions the body. This workout is gaining popularity these days and is a great workout choice for people with injuries and for people looking for workouts in summers.

There are many benefits of this workout, apart from the reduced possibility of injuries. Some other benefits of water exercises are improved strength and flexibility, with improved circulation and increased energy levels. Water exercises will also help to tone up your body, and build lean muscles and help to control your weight. By performing water jogging exercises properly you will have a stronger heart, and an enhanced body posture. Here are the things you need and some steps to get you started on water jogging...

Things You'll Need

The gear you will need to start this workout are:

• A good swimsuit, which fits you properly and doesn't need any adjusting during the workout.
• The aqua jogger belt or some other buoyancy flotation belt, which comfortably suspends you at shoulder level, deep in the water and allows free movement.
• A water body like a lake but preferably a swimming pool.
• A waterproof stopwatch.
• Water runners for your feet, to add variety to your exercise program.

How to Start It?

It is similar to working out on a treadmill. There are three important things one needs to observe when opting for these workouts, to perform correct range-of-motion exercise, keeping your body relaxed and achieving a good rhythm in your workout. Initially start on continuous low intensity levels and then switch to medium and finally high intensity level workouts. Here are the important steps and tips you need to follow when jogging in water.

• Start with a warm session which lasts around 5 minutes. Keep treading the water with your legs and arms slowly to warm up your body.
• Go into deep water and start jogging with your flotation device on your body. Keep your form straight, with your back and shoulders straight. Keep jogging for 5 minutes and then switch to running exercise at a steady pace for 10 minutes.
• To add intensity to your workout start performing sprints, make your motions longer and kick your feet up till your buttock height. Perform sprints for around 5 minutes.
• Return to normal running for 5 minutes, then perform jogging for another 3 minutes and slowly, return to a normal walk.
• Take off your flotation device, and to cool down your body and keep swimming slowly for 2 - 3 minutes.

These were the important steps you need to follow when water jogging. Jogging in water can be extremely tiring and your legs may pain a lot after the first workout but do not quit and persevere. A person weighing about 70 kilos can burn up to 560 calories in an hour of water jogging session. For more information on jogging in a pool, read various workout guides and look for some video tutorials online. This workout can get a bit boring so whenever you are performing it or running exercises, visualize that you are running which also helps to maintain a straight posture and play some music near the pool if possible. If you have any injuries and want to opt for aquatic therapy then make sure you consult your doctor, before opting for water jogging workouts.