By: Laurie Denomme, Water Exercise Coach
To maximize the benefits of a water exercise routine and reach desired weight loss goals, it is important to understand and accurately apply the correct intensity level.
Understanding how to tap into sensation and what to feel when you’re working out really helps you listen to your bodily feedback. And when you’re able to do this, your results become instantly bigger and better. You’re able to measure and modify the movements in your workout for weight loss, or heart health, or toning particular muscles. Not just that, but it ends up feeling much better, too.
Here are my top three ways I’d recommend to do exactly this:
- Get to know intensity. Intensity can be measured in 3 levels: light, moderate, and vigorous. Each level is equally important. Too high, too often increases the potential for injury and can risk not reaping the benefits of your efforts. Too low, too often means not enough of a stimulus to produce a positive change. Practice the full spectrum of effort so you can maximize strengthening, calories burned and even improve resilience to everyday stress.
- Feel the unique sensations of each level of effort. Take any basic move (like a ski, jog, or jumping jack) and move through graded levels of increased effort (low-moderate-vigorous). Pay attention to the breath, heart rate, and muscles; think about what level of intensity you’re working. Take a snapshot of the uniqueness of each level. Keep practicing. It takes time to really feel the difference of moving in and out of each level.
- Wear gloves for added resistance. Gloves help you feel the water. With the increased surface area you can now grab and move the water to get stronger fast (and this is just one of the amazing benefits of wearing gloves).
Remember, it may take several weeks or months for you to gain the confidence to accurately feel the intensity level, so it’s essential to respect your body and its capabilities as you undertake the journey towards improved fitness.
To help you get started on this journey, try this warm-up from my new workout: Cardio Jump Intervals, and I’ll teach you exactly what you should feel at each level of effort.
