Last month I hurt my back. It was a combination of not 
stretching after a hard day gardening and upping the weights on my once weekly SMART session of the Body By Science workout. This is what I continue to learn…no matter what your age, one needs to take a moment to stop and listen to yourself.
Along with a few days of bed rest and over the counter medications, an intense massage therapy session to calm down the spasms and no formal exercise for three weeks, I slowly eased myself back into a working routine aimed at rehab rather than increased stamina or strength. That’s when I was re-introduced to the joys of water exercise.
Why is water so good?
- Offers a greater resistance to motion than air does, without the wear and tear on the muscles and joints.
- There is much less danger of jolting movements, which can cause damage to muscles and ligaments.
- Good for all body types.
- Improves heart and lung efficiency (cardio output), balance and muscle imbalances.
- Provides the body with buoyancy that promotes both physical and mental relaxation.
I knew all this, but what surprised me was the wonderful sense of grace I felt while striding, pulling and pushing my way to more mobility and less pain. I’m not a fan of getting into cold water and I did slip a lot but I’ll suck it up and buy a pair of water running shoes.
I’m hooked, again, on water training.