Tag Archive for 'water aerobics'

Swimming – Lessons For Life

Published on April 19, 2013 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Swimming is a year-round activity, from indoor swimming in winter, family vacations, to beaches and pools in summer. When considering swimming lessons for your child you should feel confident in the swimming instructor, program and pool.

Enrolling your young child in swimming lessons can add to their positive personal growth and development. Swim lessons early in life sets the stage for children to be comfortable in water, whereas, the older child just starting swim lessons may struggle with fear of water before they can develop in to a swimmer.

Having formal instruction on basic water safety is one of many benefits to swim lessons. Knowing how to swim and how to keep oneself safe and aware while in and around water is crucial to reducing the possibility of drowning. It’s also important to understand that swim lessons are for year-round activities and not just summers in the pool.

Why Private Lessons?
Each child is different and has different needs. Also, each parent has different expectations for what they would like to see their child accomplish in the water. Private swim lessons and the swim instruction program can be tailored to your child. Whether they are scared of the water or future Olympians, private lessons cover it all.

Consider these important factors when choosing a swim lesson school for your child:
• Are the instructor’s credentials acceptable to me?
• Do I feel confident about the pool area?
• What class size am I comfortable with?
• How long are the lessons?
• How often are the lessons?
• Are there classes for advancement?

Swimming is fun and healthy only when it’s safe. Starting swim lessons at a young age builds strong bodies and lasting confidence.

Please visit the Future Fitness Swim Lessons section on our website to learn more about our Swim Lessons and Aquatic Programs.

Bored With your Workout? Try Aquatic Fitness

Published on April 19, 2013 in Future Fitness Programs & Classes. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

Water Aerobics at Future FitnessSo you’ve done the same cardio machines for a while and you’re feeling confident, but bored with your routine. It may be time for water fitness.

Swimming isn’t just going back and forth in lanes. There are a variety of other challenging and fun activities you can do in the water. Aqua fitness is a whole category of aerobic exercises which increases the heart rate and the body’s intake of oxygen.

This type of exercise was around for several years until it was developed in to what it is known today as Aquatic Fitness. Not only is Aquatic Fitness lots of fun, it also comes with benefits its land-based counterparts can’t offer.

Unique benefits
One benefit is that Aqua fitness allows a person to exercise every muscle and every joint in the body all at the same time. Water is 829 times denser than air so you will get greater resistance with a smaller risk of injury than if you were exercising on land.

Another benefit is that water aerobics cools off your body the entire time you are exercising. This is definitely a major benefit, especially during summertime temperatures, when exercising in a pool can hit the spot.

The last and probably most important benefit of aqua fitness is that almost anyone, any age, can perform water aerobics and still get the maximum workout. The reason for this is because the water causes your body to be buoyant, thus causing less strain and stress on your joints and muscles.

Knowing how to swim is not required
A person does not need to know how to swim in order to take advantage of Aqua fitness either. He or she can wear one of many devices that will enable them to stay afloat with little effort. This in turn enables the person to be able to concentrate on his or her routine. And, it helps to eliminate fear of a mishap in the water.

Aqua Fitness is generally performed in water that is up to a person’s waist. Water jogging, for example, is done in deeper water so that a person’s body stays submerged and maximizes the workout.

Which activity is for me?
Click here to visit our aquatics page. These should help you choose. And, check out this video to learn more.

Locations
The ideal location for Aquatics is in an indoor pool where the water temperature is controlled. Each of our 7 South Jersey locations has Aqua Fitness. Click here to find a location near you.

Safety
As with any exercise, talk to your health care provider first before you start.

So, if you need a new exercise routine to break the boredom and get different results, you might consider Aquatic Classes at Future Fitness Centers.

Common Sense Exercise Tips

Published on October 26, 2012 in Fit News, Future Fitness Programs & Classes and Healthy Steps for Fitness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

If you’re considering starting a workout routine and have reached this blog for some advice, congratulations! If you’ve recently joined Future Fitness and want to be sure you have every advantage in keeping your commitment to a healthy lifestyle, here are five simple tips:

1. Consult a fitness professional – Have a professional assessment to determine what types of exercise will be most beneficial. You may learn that following a program based on aerobics or resistance training will get you where you want to go. You’ll also learn the areas in which you need the most attention, and how to avoid injury.

Future Fitness provides free sessions with a personal trainer, plus the industry’s leading instructors for all classes and programs. You can begin your program with complete confidence that you’ll enjoy the maximum benefits – as long as you follow the subsequent tips!

2. Follow an effective exercise routine – The American Council on Exercise (ACE) surveyed 1,000 ACE-certified personal trainers about the best techniques to get fit. They recommended a combination of strength training to help tone the entire body, interval training and cardio/aerobic exercise.

3. Choose a fitness regime you enjoy – Don’t take up a program that you’ll approach like a chore, or a fad workout that’s getting all the media buzz (unless you find that it really is a good program for you, and not just the celebrity who made it famous). For example, spinning may appeal more to you than walking on a treadmill (or vice versa).

Future Fitness members have an advantage in being able to take free demos of classes and programs, and in discussing the range of activities they like with instructors who can recommend the appropriate exercises.

4. Set realistic goals and be patient – If you’ve been a long-term couch potato, don’t expect to see a new slimmer, toned and ripped “you” in a few weeks. Trying to do too much too soon sets you up for injury and/or a lot of frustration. Either way, you’re more likely to give up.

Also, don’t strive for perfection or a goal that’s improbable based upon your physical limitations (which we all have). Talk with your instructor or trainer about your fitness goals, and the process involved in reaching them.

5. Be consistent – Achieving physical fitness is a process, and progress is made in increments. Schedule a regular time (at least three times weekly) for your workout. No matter how good your program, you won’t get results unless you do it consistently.

Get in the Swim with Aquatic Fitness Training

Published on October 10, 2012 in Future Fitness Programs & Classes and Healthy Steps for Fitness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Aquatic exercise is all the rage as a new generation of fitness enthusiasts discovers its numerous benefits. Whether your goal is to improve your cardiovascular endurance, muscle tone, muscle strength, flexibility, blood circulation – or even your social life – following an aquatic workout program can help you achieve great results.

Also known as aquatic aerobics, aquatic exercise is ideal for the following:

  • Active baby boomers wishing to avoid further wear-and-tear on their joints through low-impact exercise
  • Those who have been inactive over the years but want to begin a fitness program
  • Those who have rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis or orthopedic disorders
  • Those who are unable to walk far enough to burn the necessary calories for losing weight

How it works: The buoyancy of water supports about 50 percent of body weight for a person immersed waist-deep, and 90 percent of body weight for a person immersed up to the neck. For this reason, aquatic exercise puts very little stress on bones, joints and soft tissues while still allowing for high levels of energy expenditure.

Also, water is a thicker medium than air. By moving in the water, the amount of resistance can range from 4 to 44 times that of air. This resistance can help in developing muscular strength and endurance for those who have been inactive, as well as helping to maintain strength for those who are currently active.

Other aquatic exercise benefits include:

  • Massaging effect – The hydrostatic pressure of the water on your body, joints, muscles and internal organs “massages” you while your exercise, greatly reducing the feelings of fatigue
  • Cooling effect – Because you’re immersed in cool water, you never feel overheated and sweaty
  • Social effect – Typically held in classes, aquatic exercise programs promote camaraderie among participants
  • Relaxation effect – Working out in water promotes a sense of general relaxation that eases the stress of daily life

Members of Future Fitness Centers can join one of our four fun aquatic workout classes. Experience for yourself the big difference that water exercise can make in your fitness level and sense of well-being. Any time is the right time for getting in the swim!

Reach the Next Level of Fitness with Cross Training

Published on September 20, 2012 in Future Fitness Programs & Classes and Healthy Steps for Fitness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Ready to take your workout program to the next level? Cross training can produce numerous significant benefits ranging from preventing burnout to improving overall fitness.

Cross training refers to a training routine that includes several different forms of exercise. It’s common to settle on one particular workout program when you begin a fitness regimen, but a lack of variation over time can lead to boredom (which means you may lose interest and stop exercising), and causes you to plateau at a certain fitness level.

Cross training allows you to vary the stress placed on certain muscles – as well as your cardiovascular system. This limits the stress that occurs on a specific muscle group because different activities use muscles in somewhat different ways. It also helps reduce the risk of injury from repetitive strain or overuse.

Other benefits of cross training include:

  • Flexibility in accommodating your training needs and plans
  • Produces a higher level of overall conditioning
  • Works some muscles while others rest and recover
  • Increases your basal metabolic rate
  • Improves your agility and balance

There are basic types of exercise that make up a good cross training routine:

  • Cardiovascular
  • Strength training
  • Calisthenics
  • Flexibility (stretching, yoga)
  • Speed, agility and balance drills
  • Circuit training, sprinting and other kinds of skill conditioning

A convenient way to get a total cross training workout that meets your needs and will help best achieve your fitness goals is to check out the classes at your favorite Future Fitness location. Our experienced instructors will lead you through a series of routines utilizing a variety of exercises and exercise equipment. You can achieve all the advantages that cross training provides in one convenient place!