Swimming and the aquatics, in general, bring powerful, no-impact health benefits to the body. There’s no need for specialized equipment nor is there a steep learning curve. For the elderly population with joint pain, swimming is a great way to alleviate that pain. The resistance in water allows for greater flexibility without added pressure (thank you, buoyancy effect. On a deeper level, swimming of all kinda can lower blood pressure as well as cholesterol levels. It can regulate the health of your central nervous system, cardiovascular system and more. Now, we know you’ve heard of yoga, Bikram yoga, and hot yoga. Knowing about prenatal yoga may come down to a coin toss, but what about aqua yoga? Imagine combining yoga exercises with a swimming pool and you’ve got yourself a real exercise known as aqua yoga!

Aqua Yoga Benefits

Just like with traditional classroom yoga, you can perform poses to center your mind and your body. Yoga itself is used as a meditation technique. Secondly, it helps with core stability, an increased range of motion, and overall flexibility. In our opinion, it’s a great compliment to any exercise—be it biking, strength training, running or CrossFit. The weight and subtle pressure of the water can assist in stretching and … breathing. While we advise never to breathe in underwater, aqua yoga can help with breathing, believe it or not! According to Platinum Pools based in Houston, Texas:

“Breathing is another benefit of Aqua Yoga. It helps you control your breathing rhythm, and also helps you to release stress. Don’t forget that simmering in water is a healing practice, and some say that it helps with pain relief, and cultivates a more significant connection with the physical body. Many people believe that the immersion in water helps a person cultivate a more profound, smoother and more mindful breathing, allowing them to become more absorbed in their experience.” —Source: Platinum Pools

If you have ever held your breath and sank below the surface, it’s quiet and peaceful. Temporarily removing yourself from the loud and stimulating world around you is very calming.

Start With A Class

We are by no means yoga fanatics. However, we are a resource for anything and everything backyard and pool-related. Exercising definitely plays a role in any pool (large enough that is). If you’re new to aqua yoga or any yoga of that nature, start with a class. Any instructor-led class can be helpful if you’re a first timer and are unsure of what to expect. By being underwater and calming your body, it could be beneficial to have help nearby.

As it turns out, many poses done on land can yield a much different result when held underwater. Sometimes, poses and stretches can be easier. Other times, they can be more difficult and push your muscles in ways different from gravity. Due to buoyancy, you may battle a lateral force from movement through the water compared to a downward push of gravity on your yoga mat. “In the water, there is a constant yet changing motion against you that triggers the body’s reflexive reactions,” said Blythe Knapp, an aqua yoga instructor at Asphalt Green in New York City. — Source: Health.com

Local Studios

Between the Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, and Sarasota areas, there are quite a few yoga studios. These would be great to explore if you’re a beginner to any kind of yoga. Perhaps ask the instructors if they know of places that hold aqua yoga. Another route to go would be to learn the poses on land and apply them on your own underwater. It would be smart to do this with a partner. That way, you bring the element of safety to your underwater exercising.

• Local to Sarasota? Bikram Yoga Sarasota in downtown Sarasota has a well-designed Bikram yoga studio.
• Thavma Yoga in Lakewood Ranch is another Bikram yoga studio which has received some great reviews on Google.
• One more for you to check out is called Body Heat on Fruitville Road in mid-Sarasota county (don’t forget to check Yelp!)

Aqua yoga can be a great exercise to try in your own pool (once you practice the poses under supervision). It’s something you can do on your own schedule from the comfort of your own home, too. Don’t be afraid to get out there and meet people. For those times, you can’t make it to class, make it easier on yourself and step outside your back door for some mindfulness exercising.

Erik’s Aquatic Care is always here to answer questions you may have as a current or future pool owner. Cheers!