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Word around town is there is a new superhero in town! Here to save you from the heat and your body goals when you don’t feel like leaving home while fighting high blood pressure. Clearly the coolest around town, this superhero is called Aqua Aerobics!

Aquatic exercise makes for a great cardio workout, while also increasing your strength, endurance, and flexibility. The water resistance provides additional support for muscles and joints, enabling you to train harder without putting any extra strain on your body.

Here are a few super easy exercises you can do in the pool:

Water walk: This is a good way to warm up. It also has a wide variety of benefits, including stronger knees and better sleep.

1. Stand in the water facing the opposite end of the pool at chest level.
2. Place one foot in front of the other and walk at an increasing pace back and forth across the length of the pool.
3. Use your arms in motion as if you were power walking.

Skipping Rope: A great cardio exercise, all you need is a hollow pool noodle.

1. Stand in the water at shoulder level.
2. Hold the hollow noodle at its end in each hand.
3. Bring the noodle in front of your body.
4. Sweep the noodle under your body while jumping at the same time and make sure your knees touch your chest.
5. Sweep the noodle over your head until it's back to position one.

Treading Water: A bit more challenging, but a great full-body workout.

1. Stand in the water at chin level.
2. Paddle your arms and kick your legs until your body rises off the bottom of the pool.
3. Swim in place without letting your feet touch the ground.

Side Shuffle: The trick is to keep your squats low, this is a thigh and butt muscle exercise, including your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

1. Stand in the water at thigh level facing the opposite end of the pool.
2. Bend your knees into a half-squat position.
3. Quickly shuffle sideways across the pool while keeping your upper body steady.
4. Once you’ve reached the side of the pool shuffle to the other side of the pool.

Alternating Scissor Jump: When executed in good form this exercise should look like underwater jogging.

1. Stand in the water, feet shoulder-width apart at chest level.
2. Kick your left leg forward as you jump, with the opposite elbow at a 90-degree angle raised.
3. Simultaneously kicking your right leg and left arm back.
4. Land in the starting position you started in.
5. Repeat the exercise switching limbs.

Get fit with Bestmed Tempo wellness programme

All Bestmed beneficiaries have access to personalised consultations with a Bestmed Tempo partner biokineticist as part of the Bestmed Tempo wellness programme. All you need to do is complete your free Health Assessment (previously HRA) at Dis-Chem, Clicks, Van Heerden or Alpha Pharm.

Source: https://www.livestrong.com/article/384749-list-of-water-aerobic-exercises/

https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/pool-exercises#pool-exercises-to-try