With people becoming more health-conscious, fitness trends are aplenty. One such trend that has picked up massive popularity is aqua yoga. Given the numerous benefits it boasts, it’s easy to see why it has become so popular.
Yoga is a popular fitness activity, and aqua yoga is a variation of it. Yoga in the water has good resistance and low impact on joints and muscles. Moreover, it’s an engaging activity conducted in a pool or beach, making it all the more fun!
If you love experimenting with different exercises and activities, aqua yoga could be just your thing. And the best part? It takes hardly any time to master the moves. To get you started, here are some popular moves of aqua yoga.
Chair Pose
This pose is gained by standing in shallow water with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then, lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor, like you are sitting on an imaginary chair. After that, stretch your arms upwards and hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds.
Boat Pose
Place two pool noodles on either side of you and gently push them down into the water using your arms. As they break through the water and go down, stretch your legs in front of you. The boat pose is excellent for working your core muscles.
Big Toe Pose
Balancing on the side of the pool as you stand straight, grab the bottom of your foot or your big toe and extend it out while maintaining a straight-back posture. Don’t worry; the water will help support your balance until you release the wall.
Cobra Pose
Face the wall with your feet a couple of feet away from it. Hold onto the top of the wall with your forearms parallel to the structure, arch your stomach to align with the wall, and tilt your forehead back. Hold this position for a few seconds.
Lotus Pose
Sit chest-deep in the water and cross your legs into the lotus position. Slowly feel the release of your weight onto the water’s surface and find yourself floating. This pose encourages mindfulness and relaxation while also enhancing the flexibility in your knees and hips.
The Benefits of Aqua Yoga
Now that we have examined some of the popular aqua yoga poses, let’s explore their benefits.
Helps Manage Weight
People who struggle with weight issues can significantly benefit from aqua yoga. Excess body weight can put a lot of pressure on the joints and limit your range of motion, but a pool or body of water can be the ideal setting for mindfulness practice. Water is buoyant, so it minimizes joint stress and helps support weight more easily.
Offers Body and Mind Relaxation
Water is known for its healing properties and detoxifying abilities, and by using water as a medium, yoga becomes an exercise of mindfulness. It brings a magical calmness and serenity to the body and mind.
Strengthens the Immune System
Any exercise or movement stimulates the immune cells to move to other parts of the body and detect bacteria and viruses so they can destroy their harmful properties before they cause illness. The poses of aqua yoga stimulate the movement of the white blood cells to work faster, thereby strengthening the immune system.
Increases Mobility
Since aqua yoga is done in water, there is little to no impact on knees, hips, ankles, and joints. So, aqua yoga is the ideal solution for people who have pain issues but would like to maintain an active lifestyle. Seniors with limited mobility or balance issues can do aqua yoga easily since there is a relatively low risk of falling.
Relieves Stress
Yoga, in and of itself, lowers stress and increases the quality of life, and aqua yoga delivers that doubly. People who participate in it regularly actively experience less perceived stress and find it easier to relax. They also exhibit better self-control, increased mindfulness, and interoceptive awareness.
Enhances the Health Of The Heart
Heart diseases are among the top causes of death globally, and one of the leading causes of heart disease is a sedentary lifestyle. Aqua yoga is a great way to break away from laziness. Hitting the gym or jogging in the park can sometimes feel tiresome and even torturous, but aqua yoga is fun. Since it’s done in water, there is enough resistance so your joints are not overworked. It’s also less strenuous, making sticking to your fitness goals more manageable.
Why Aqua Yoga Is Great For Summer Fitness
When the heatwave strikes, it’s tempting to skip your sweaty exercise session and pick up a sugary cold beverage instead. Staying active in summer can be very challenging, but it’s vital to incorporate the right exercises into your daily routine. We get it—sweating it out at the gym with the sweltering heat sounds torturous. But it shouldn’t be an excuse to put a stop to your fitness!
To help you stick to your fitness goals, try switching it up to find something you enjoy – and nothing works better than aqua yoga. It lets you cool off the summer heat while building your fitness and helping you de-stress. The best part? You don’t even need to know how to swim to do aqua yoga. All you need to do is make a splash in the pool and get your aqua yoga instructor to guide you. You can even have soothing music or lively tunes to make the session more entertaining!
