Exercise - best in water or out?

[groo]

I've never been a gym person, but I've always maintained a reasonable of fitness. Over the past twelve months my body has taken a few fairly serious knocks, I am way out of condition and can not perform many of the tasks that once came easily to me.

Of late I've been under the tutelage of an exercise physiologist, who has had me  doing a series of a terrestial exercses and a physiotherapist, who has been giving me much the same exerciase routine as hydrotherapy, performed in 34C water.

The latter is more physically satisfying, but does either procedure have any physical advantage over the other? I am considering taking out a 12 months membership of our local pool.

[Q-pee]

You're less likely to injure yourself in water because the water resistance means you're less likely to tip, fall, or have any kind of high impact injury.

You can still injure yourself, eg shoulder sprain.

Also if you get your breathing right for swimming it's very satisfying... and good for aerobic fitness.

[ozziegiraffe]

I need to exercise in water because I can’t sustain weight bearing exercise for any length of time, due to arthritis practically everywhere. One of the reasons I chose the retirement village I did.

[sophie]

I do water walking which was recommended by both a doctor and a physio.. no weight bearing (this is done in a dive tank so very deep) but all joints get a good work out. I also swim lengths which gives me a good work out. I really like the water routine; I will probably continue after my knee surgery once my wounds heal.

[lisamnz]

Water adds resistance to exercises, and minimises impact injuries.

I'd totally go with the pool membership.

[Webs]

Water. You don't realize you're sweating.

[ozziegiraffe]

Sadly I have difficulty swimming any stroke but breaststroke or dog paddle these days, because my shoulders are so bad. And I discovered my kick has no power, since both knees were replaced.
However, I have a whole spectrum of water exercises from various aquarobics and hydrotherapy classes.

[psw]

All this is reminding me that I need to get back into the water for all the reasons above-mentioned. Swimming was the only sport I ever enjoyed or was any good at. I loved scuba diving, but that's an expensive vacation from the frozen north.

The club I used to belong to closed during the pandemic, so I am left with the town swimming pool in the summer months or distant facilities with limited hours year round. My basic complaint about water exerise is logistics: I spend much more time coming and going, changing clothes, etc., than actually swimming and doing PT exercises. If I had the space and the money I'd build one of those endless pools, the swimming equivalent of a treadmill, attached to my house. Not gonna happen, obv.

[whothingie]

Water. But if you are prone to excess that may cause a problem. I had to give up the class because my except flared badly.

[lisamnz]

I'm guessing Who meant eczema!

[ozziegiraffe]

Yes, one of my friends can’t use the therapy pool at the local private hospital, because the chlorine gives her eczema. (Autocorrect tried to turn that into excess too!)

[Liiisa]

I'm prone to excess (I also have eczema)

[whothingie]

Blasted auto correct

[romily]

Water gives you resisatnce and less risk of fallin, but you have a risk of overdoing things I guess because it does not feel so hard.

I hate the logistics and haven't been to a pool for ages (besides the fact they are full of screaming kids), getting changed, getting wet (doh), getting hair wet and having to wash it and all that palaver. But loved playing in the ocean in Barbados.

But generally I am more a out of water exercise person, may it be hiking or weight lifting, as I feel more in control of my movement.

To amuse you, with the "exercise" my physio gave me for the next weeks to build up my glutes laterally is standing hip width apart, and without moving your feet acting as if you would pull your feet apart. Hold for 5 seconds, release. It feels really strange, your muscles obviously engage, especially thighs and glutes, but you are not actually moving so it feels as if you are doing nothing. But as simple leg raises set off my glutes in autumn that's what we start with when it comes to lateral movements. Non lateral movements like squats are ok (back to 40kg in 3 weeks) but the lateral moving ting is an issue. Let's see if it works! Bonus - I can do the exercise anywhere, as nobody notices! My biggest challenge is not doing it all the time as it feels I do nothing, even though I do.

[ozziegiraffe]

One of the reasons I haven’t been to the public pool near me is the risk of it being full of screaming kids. I’ve learnt to take a wrap and shower when I get home!