A Fun Way to Stay Healthy in the Summer Heat

Article by: Jennifer Clark, PA-C, MPAS

May 2011

Summer is here and it is going to be a hot one! We have all been told many times over how important cardiovascular exercise is for our health, but lets be honest, the hotter it gets, the more we all seem to find an excuse to forego our exercise routines.because after all the heat makes it way too hard! So instead, we go through the drive through at our favorite fast food restaurant, grab an extra large milk shake and go home and lay on the couch in the air conditioning. As great as this may sound, it is not the healthiest way to avoid the heat. Most every Panama City resident would agree, there is no better way to combat the scorching heat as getting in the cool and refreshing water. What if there was a way to enjoy the water and exercise at the same time? There is! Water aerobics is a great way to cool off and provide our bodies with the cardiovascular exercise that is so important to a healthy lifestyle. Despite how fun this may sound, often people still find reasons why they feel they would not be able to perform this exercise. Lets take a minute to discuss some of those common excuses, the benefits of water aerobics, and why you CAN do it.


I cant do that because I am way too old!


Water aerobics knows no age! In fact, the older you are, the more benefit you are likely to receive. The water provides buoyancy and support making it much easier to exercise as compared to more traditional methods. In fact, the water actually supports up to 80% of our body weight making it much easier for elderly individuals.


But....I have a bad back and knees and exercise just hurts!


This is a non-weight bearing activity and it is easy on the joints making it ideal for people who suffer from joint pain or who are injured. It allows the joints to move throughout a much wider range of motion without pain. 


WellI have terrible balance and can hardly walk, let alone get in the water!


The resistance of the water increases core strength and improves muscular endurance and balance so it is beneficial in multiple ways.




I think that it will be a waste of time, I dont think it will do much to help me lose weight


Actually quite the contrary! Water aerobics actually burns fat more effectively than many land exercises, keeping the heart rate lower which allows increased fat burning. It is also a huge calorie burner, helping you to burn from 450-700 calories in an hour! 


Physical fitness is so important for us allit helps build our muscles and increases the blood flow through the legs which helps improve our circulation. Water aerobics is a fun and effective way to exercise and is available at multiple locations throughout town. It is also easy enough to do in your own pool; there are multiple routines available for download on the internet and inexpensive water resistance weights are sold at many stores locally as well as online. So get out of the heat and into the pool and start enjoying a fun way to improve your quality of life!