AQUA YOGA. IT’S LOW ON EFFORT, HIGH ON IMPACT

You swear and yet you don’t. If you are yet to discover the joy of a workout like this, we’ll tell you where to head. For Radisson Blu MBD Hotel has designed just the perfect workout for you this summer -- Aqua Yoga. What makes this workout special is that not only does it help you stay in water and feel cool, but also that because of the buoyancy of water, the workout feels easier on the joints. All this with the benefit of helping you burn eight times more calories than a workout outside water would!

Interestingly the buoyancy of water also that helps one stay safe from injuries that one is otherwise prone to in high-impact workouts. Also, this gentle and low impact aquatic activity is great because the buoyancy of water complements the body in achieving optimum stretch. Muscles that are tight on land are stretched in water, whereas lax muscles are strengthened with water resistance.

Simply put, Aqua yoga is Yoga in water. It’s a full-body low-impact workout, which is easy on the joints, and provides peace of mind without any probability of injury. The results are more visible and faster as compared to conventional Yoga. Sonica Malhotra, Joint Managing Director, MBD Group, explains it simply, “The benefits of yoga are well known and Aqua yoga delivers the same benefits to its practitioners, with much more relaxation and leisure.”

Another plus for Aqua yoga is that you don’t need to know swimming. All you do is stand in water and do the asanas. The hydrostatic pressure (the force of the water against the body) acts like a massage, thereby helping the return of blood to heart more efficiently. Also, the very effort of standing in the water and doing the workout not only helps one learns balance better, but also works on your posture.

What makes Aqua Yoga popular among people of all ages is that it offers a greater range of motion and support to the body, which enhances flexibility; strength and muscle tone in less duration. Of course, as with most new workouts, you will have questions. We’ve tried to answer them in simple lucid terms:

Who is it for?

Anyone can do this workout. From the older generation to young people who are looking for new ways to have some fun workout.

That said, there are some groups who Aqua yoga is extremely suitable for. It can be advised for arthritis, joint and muscular pain, multiple sclerosis, anxiety, depression, sciatica, pre-natal, post-natal, post-surgery, and hip and/or knee replacements.

What are the benefits?

It improves cardiovascular fitness, decreased stress, heart rate, blood pressure and also improves sleep. It is a full body workout with focus on lower extremity including Gluts, quads, hamstrings, and calves giving the muscles shape and tone required. It improves the posture by working on the abdomen, obliques and over all core muscles.

Aqua yoga is a very good alternative for obesity since it helps in reduction of weight, enhances balance while giving support to the body and muscles.

Our columnist and fitness expert Kiran Bajaj Sawhney highly recommends Aqua yoga. “It is a low impact activity and hence places no stress on joints. Aquatic fitness is exercise modality that can accommodate all ages, fitness levels, band abilities through a variety of programming options. Water fitness is almost perfect means to condition the body; it not only stimulates the mind but also washes away the stress & rejuvenates the spirit,” she says.

BENEFITS OF AQUA YOGA

• Provides participant with feeling of weightlessness
• Provides natural massage and muscular tension release
• Impact injuries are less likely since buoyancy protects joints
• Improves posture
• Improves functions for activities of daily living
• Great cross-trainer, especially for highimpact land participants such as runners
• Great social activity
• Great stress reliever
• Improves flexibility, balance
• Effective means of rehabilitation
• Refreshing change from sweating on land
• Water provides natural resistance for improved balance, strength, and tone of musculature.
• Superior abdominal workout just by standing in water and stabilising the body
• Heat buildup is eliminated. Best for hot and humid climate.