? about aquatics

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NeuroRN76

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I did my first workout in the pool today. It was great! I spent an hour in the "channel" -- basically a circular area where people walk/jog laps in 4ft deep water. I went against the current for a better workout. I could feel every muscle in my body working. I did a variety of exercises... from walking, kind of "doggie paddle" swimming, backstroke, walking backwards. There was a lot of resistance and it really felt good.

So I'm assuming I get all the benefits of cardio, without overheating or losing my breath or damaging my joints... plus I am toning my muscles at the same time, almost like adding weights, right? So I just have a few questions... generally speaking, did I burn a lot more calories, than just running on a treadmill for the same amount of time? (1 hr.) And since this seems to be my "niche" -- perfect way for me to work out.. how often should I do this? Keep in mind that I walk briskly at my job for a good 4-6 hours per night (if not more) 3 times per week... and I am doing Pilates, maybe 3-4 times a week. (I haven't resumed this yet since I've been ill, but I plan to.)

I don't want to lose weight, just inches. I cannot afford to lose any more weight. Can someone give me a sample plan of how many days I should do aquatics and Pilates, and how long each session should be so that I only tone and strengthen and lose inches, not shed pounds? Thanks... sorry, lots of questions, but I'm still so new at this.
 
I saw no mention of weightlifting, which should be an integral part of your program. The resistance offered by swimming, although an excellent choice of exercise, cannot replace the benefits of heavy weight training. I suggest you look into that before you start on a program without it. You won't get the results that you're after if you don't.
 
I will add weights in time, baby steps. When I get my strength back through aquatics and Pilates, I will add weights. I don't want to do too many things at one time because I already threw myself into exhaustion once. (Just getting over a flare up of an autoimmune disorder.) I don't really have that far to go. I did Pilates for one week and already see a big difference in my muscles. They are noticeably more firm than before, and when I walk, I feel stronger. Which motivates me to really use my muscles when I'm walking and reminds me to work on my posture. I've noticed a lot of improvements in a short time, but I basically want to know, for now... what is a good length of time for working out in this fashion, and how many times per week? And is it significantly better than cardio, or is it still important to have some cardio in there somewhere?
 
NeuroRN76 said:
I will add weights in time, baby steps. When I get my strength back through aquatics and Pilates, I will add weights. I don't want to do too many things at one time because I already threw myself into exhaustion once. (Just getting over a flare up of an autoimmune disorder.) I don't really have that far to go. I did Pilates for one week and already see a big difference in my muscles. They are noticeably more firm than before, and when I walk, I feel stronger. Which motivates me to really use my muscles when I'm walking and reminds me to work on my posture. I've noticed a lot of improvements in a short time, but I basically want to know, for now... what is a good length of time for working out in this fashion, and how many times per week? And is it significantly better than cardio, or is it still important to have some cardio in there somewhere?
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Congratulations in overcoming your recent issue. :) Swimming is cardio, so you could do it as often as you'd like; however, recovering from an autoimmune disorder, you need to be concerned with how much is too much, because at this point everything will represent a potential for neural fatigue (depending on just how far along you've come). However, if you're able to perform pilates, i would assume that you're well on your way. Therefore, the real answer becomes: As often as you need to in order to achieve your goals. And that is determined by the rest of your routine, diet, and genetics.

Having said that, if you're able to practice pilates, I still don't see why that should replace actual weight training. For a number of reasons, I'm not a huge pilates fan, and i would urge you to consider returning to actual weight training. Since weights are adjustable to your abilities, I don't see why it would be an issue.
 
My Pilates video is only about 15 min long, it really doesn't seem very strenuous, yet I've seen some results, so it must be working. I remember doing nautilus weights a few years ago, and my arms were in severe pain for 3 days afterwards. (Which means I overdid it.) But I overdid it because I didn't have anyone there to coach me on technique or reps, etc. It really wasn't an enjoyable experience overall, so I gave up very quickly. I don't want to set myself up for frustration at this point. I am enjoying the aquatics and Pilates, so I will stick with that until I gain some strength back. Right now I am having trouble even lifting 3 pounds. My arms and back are the weakest part of me. My doctor recommended aquatics, and I'm glad I gave it a shot. I can feel the strength returning, so it won't be long before I can add weights too, this time with a personal trainer! I'm thinking in another 3-4 weeks, I can start off lightly. But for now, I think I will just do aquatics twice a week for an hour, and Pilates 4 times a week. I want a get a new video though, and do it for at least 30 min, then move up to the class at my gym. I guess my body will tell me if that's too much. I just didn't know if this routine would be setting myself up for more weight loss because it's burning too many calories.

I know weights are a great way to burn fat and be healthy, but I don't have much fat to burn. My goals are to become more flexible, toned, and firm. I used to swim when I was younger, and I had an incredible body with nicely toned muscles. (This was before childbirth, LOL)... and I never did weights back then either. My body type will respond to this type of exercise quickly, and achieve the results I'm looking for. But I WILL add weights in anyway, just for the sake of being healthy and fit.

Thanks for trying to answer my question!
 
Have you considered a few appointments with a physical therapist? That might be very helpful to you in your rehab.

Also, nautilus is awful, if you're talking about the original "variable resistance" machines that were the original product.
 
Yeah I have been ordered PT several times... but they are closed by the time I wake up. I work nights, so I have to sleep during the day. I get up around 6pm. I value my sleep, so I just work out at my own pace and do what I can.
 
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