Guide to Water Aerobics for Pregnant Women

It is highly recommended for pregnant women to take on a low-impact exercise routine throughout her pregnancy. It helps keep the body in shape as it undergoes its many changes, and keeping a healthy tone in muscles, stamina and flexibility should even help make things easier when it comes  to childbirth. However, pregnancy makes normal exercise more difficult, and the chance for injury can be greater and more dangerous. This is why water aerobics are a great choice when it comes to exercise during pregnancy. They are great for anyone, really, and especially appeal to those in rehabilitation from an injury, recovering from surgery, or those with arthritis. It's because it's the safest and least impacting way for resistance training, as 50% to 90% of the body is supported by the water (depending upon what depth of water you happen to be in), the risk of injury is extremely minimal, there is much less impact on tendons and joints, and it is just as great if not better than similar exercise on land. Also, as long as it's done in a pool and not a spa or jacuzzi (places which pregnant women should not be in, anyway), there is no risk of overheating.

Types of Exercises

Different types of water exercises may include walking, jogging or running in laps in the shallower area of the pool, which is generally twice as effective as doing the same thing out of the water. Just 30 minutes of such exercise can help burn 200-300 calories, and will circulate your blood flow and breathing into building a healthy stamina that is not just a good thing to have in general, but extremely useful when it comes to delivery. You also have a wider range of movement in the water, and accommodates flexibility and better balance than you would have on land.

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