Dive in and plan your aquatic workouts!

Water sports have always been on top of the list when it comes to activities done to obtain health benefits; not only because of the adrenaline rush it creates in thrilling waves, but also due to the admirable tan and tone, your body achieves and the peace your mind gains outdoors, under the sun with fresh air! 

To pen this article we obtained the views of Dr.Upul Madahapola, Registrar in Sports and Exercise medicine, and attached to the
Teaching Hospital, Kurunegala. 

“The triad of Adrenaline, sunlight and fresh air (Oxygen) blended with the turbulence of water do wonders for people who engage in water sports; including swimming, diving, surfing, water skiing, Canoeing and Kayaking, rowing, fishing and sailing” explains Dr Madahapola.

Swimming being one of the mostly practiced sports in the world is defined as the act of moving through water, using arms, legs and the body in motions called strokes. Diving is the act of plunging into the water; usually off a diving ‘board’. Both these acts bring a myriad of physical and psychological benefits at almost every stage of life. In fact the energy expenditure of swimming during a given distance is about four times that of running the same distance. Surfing, the act of riding on waves, also provides a full body workout while creating an extra ordinary adrenaline rush, boosting blood circulation and revitalising mental health. Rowing, which is a method of moving a boat through water by using oars, also provides a full body work-out. It provides more exertion on the upper body, enhancing the stamina, dexterity and muscle strength. 

Full body workout
Almost all the water sports provide you with a full body workout impacting not only on limb muscles and quads, but also the back, chest and abdomen and they enhance your aerobic fitness, stamina, strength and flexibility. Such disciplines slot themselves at the top of the list of sports favouring good health.

“An average 185-pound man can burn about 266 calories in 30 minutes during a swimming session depending on the effort. This is more than walking at a 13-minutes-per-mile pace or using a gym stair machine” highlights Dr. Madahapola. 

“This resistance training also helps to improve age related skeletal muscle atrophy called sarcopenia while paving the way to maintain the perfect body shape thus giving you a good self-esteem” he adds.

Breathing and circulation
According to studies, Archimedes’ bathtub epiphany explains why we start reaping benefits right from the moment we step into the pool. According to him, the upward force on a submerged body is equal to the weight of the water the body has displaced. This force, buoyancy, makes us feel lighter in the water than on dry land by creating an upward pressure which enhances the oxygenation of blood. Additionally warmer water than the body temperature relaxes muscles where cooler water prevents over heating during strenuous exercises while enhancing total lung capacity, respiratory muscle strength and endurance. Also moist air helps asthma, preventing bronchospasms.

Bone and joint health
Stiff, achy joints benefit a lot from the fluidity of water where low-impact activities like swimming and snorkelling help to keep the diseased joints mobile and flexible without causing much strain. Hydrotherapy is one of the most effective methods of treatment available for rheumatoid arthritis. Also treadmills and strenuous gym exercises might not work so well on post-menopausal women and old individuals, so in such cases aquatic activities do wonders on bone density and the effective functioning of the musculoskeletal system.

Non-communicable diseases
The collective gains of water sports on the body and the mind reduce the incidence of chronic debilitating conditions like heart diseases, diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Also, already affected individuals can keep the progression of these pathologies under control with planned aquatic workouts. In fact, swimming is widely practised as a therapeutic intervention for cardiac rehabilitation.

Hydrotherapy
Defined as external or internal use of water in any of its forms for health promotion or treatment of various diseases taking into consideration under temperatures, pressure, the duration and site this is one of the most widely practiced naturopathic treatment modalities currently hogging the limelight in the medical world. Hydrotherapy is currently used to improve immunity, pain management, cardiac and respiratory diseases (asthma, COPD), obesity, hypercholesterolemia, hyperthermia and labour.

“Understanding the biological effects related to hydrodynamics including density, hydrostatic pressure, and buoyancy would help coaches to design not only fitness programmes, but also protocols for post-exercise recovery and sports rehabilitation” says Dr Madahapola on a parting note.