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Water Exercises for Losing Weight

Exercising in the water is a great way to lose weight and tone the body. There are many benefits to water exercises. Many people find water workouts more enjoyable and even easier than those performed on dry land. Water acts as a natural cushion and ensures that your workout is easy on the joints and bones. Because of this, water exercise is often recommended for arthritis patients. You might also hear water exercise referred to as hydrotherapy.

As you may already be aware, cardiovascular activity is essential for weight loss. Swimming is fantastic cardio and is one of the most effective ways to burn calories and fat. Swimming also helps tone every part of the body, especially the arms and legs. Even swimming for as little as 20 minutes three times a week can provide substantial fitness and weight loss results.

Strength training is an important part of any fitness program. The more lean muscle that you have, the more efficient you are going to be at burning calories and melting away fat. There are lots of ways to strength train in the water. You'll find dumbells, arm weights and leg weights all designed for water use. To tone the arms, choose lightweight dumbells and hold one in each hand. With your arms extended in front of you, gently roll them in a circular bicycle motion for one minute, then reverse direction for another minute.

Leg toning in the pool is easy. Not only does swimming tone the legs, but there are other exercises you can do as well. Try holding on to the side of the pool for balance and doing leg raises. You can do front raises, side raises, and even back raises. Another way to tone the legs is to hold on to the edge of the pool, extend legs out behind you and kick vigorously for three minutes.

You can even do ab exercises in the water if you have a special weighted ab belt designed for water use. The jack knife is a great water exercise for the abdominal region. You will want to recline the body in shallow water with the hips submerged. Use your abdominals to bring the chest towards the knees, keeping legs straight. Gently lower back to starting position. Another easy ab toner is the modified plie, which is done by placing heels together and turning knees out. Lift and lower the heels, keeping the abs tight and tucked in during the exercise.

For more fantastic water exercises, try taking a class at your local gym. Water exercise is quite popular these days, because it's fun and effective. You'll be amazed at how much easier your workout can be when done in the water. It may not feel like you're doing much, but don't be fooled. Working out in water is one of the best ways to lose weight and achieve the gorgeous toned body you've always wanted!