It has been widely acknowledged that exercising helps to reduce anxiety and provides relief from stress. Water exercises are specially helpful in relieving stress due to the soothing and therapeutic effect of water. Water exercises are, however, beneficial in more than one way. Exercising in water reduces chances of injury and almost anyone can benefit from exercising in water. Elderly people, people suffering from various diseases or recovering from injuries can also take the help of water exercises to remain fit while reducing stress level. Here, we bring to you 9 such amazing and helpful quick water exercises that help tremendously in relieving stress without taking away much of your precious time.
Water walking
This is probably the easiest but one of the most effective water exercises for stress relieving. You do not need any equipment for water walking. However, if you try to water walk on the deep end of the pool you would require floatation belts. Walking in water is similar to walking on land. Make similar hand and leg movements that you would do to walk on land. You can also try walking in shallow water, but waist-deep water would be advised for water walking. As you get comfortable with the depth of the water you can try to walk in deeper or chest-deep water. You must remember that the more the depth of the water you walk in the more strenuous your exercise becomes. Start with duration of 10-12 minutes of water walking which you can increase once you get comfortable with this time span. You can hold the edge of the pool as you walk in water. You can also try to walk sideways or backwards for a better workout. Water walking not only helps to relieve stress but also improves body posture and balance, increases muscle strength, reduces stress on joints and burns more calories than walking on land.
Swimming
Swimming is a fun way of relieving stress. It is one of the most popular and strongly effective exercises that is used to reduce stress. Swimming gives a complete workout to all the muscles of the body. Elderly people, women going through stress during labor or even handicapped people can engage in swimming and derive benefits from it. The risk of injury in swimming is extremely low and it is also helpful for those who are trying to protect injured joints. A 30 minute swimming session can reduce stress to a great extent and make you feel relaxed. There are different strokes, dives and turns that can keep away boredom if you are engaging in swimming on a regular basis. However, breaststroke swimming has been found to be specially helpful in reducing anxiety and stress. To make swimming more interesting you can also include equipments like fins, kick-boards and foam noodles in your swimming session.
Jumping jacks
To do jumping jacks you need to stand in water that is chest-deep. You can also try to perform this exercise in shallower water to reduce strain. Stand straight with your legs put together and your hands by your sides. Jump in the water and stand with your legs at a little more than shoulder-width distance. Your arms too should be positioned at your sides a little away from the body. However, remember that your arms should be submerged in the water and not raised above the water surface. Jump again to return to the initial position. Repeat this for 16-32 rounds. Start with lesser number of repetitions and increase the rounds as your endurance level increases. Keep your head up and your shoulders straight during the exercise. Jumping jacks are highly effective in reducing stress and anxiety levels.
Water ball exercise
Water ball exercising is effective in strengthening the arms apart from being helpful in relieving stress. You just need a beach ball or water ball to perform this exercise. Position your feet flat on the pool ground during this exercise. Hold the ball in both hands while standing in chest-deep water. Extend your arms straight (while holding the ball) to bring them right in front of you. Lower your arms and the ball into the water without bending your arms. Then move your arms to the right side of your body while keeping your arms straight. Move your arms towards the left side of your body. Move your arms from right to left and vice versa for 5-10 times. Thereafter, make circular motions while shifting the ball from one side to the other. Follow it up and end the exercise by making a movement with the ball to make figure- 8 in water for a few number of times.
Water kick
Water kicks are simple kind of water exercises. They are helpful in toning and strengthening muscles while increasing flexibility and cardiovascular endurance apart from providing relief from stress. Stand in chest-deep water in a straight posture, tight abdomens and relaxed shoulders. Kick in the water straight, at the sides or backward without bending or arching. You can use a kickboard for this exercise as kickboards provide additional support so that you can kick longer. While using a kickboard hold the kickboard in front of you and by taking its support lean forward in the water so that you are positioned horizontally. Now with pointed toes kick in the water. Alternate legs while kicking. Start with around 6 kicks of each leg and increase the repetitions gradually as your endurance grows and you become more comfortable with the exercise.
Arm circles
Stand in water that is chest-deep or neck-deep. Keep your legs firmly planted on the pool floor while keeping a gap between the two legs. Stretch your hands by your sides so that they are just below the surface of the water. Start by making small circles with both arms together in a clockwise motion. After making 10 circles clockwise move your arms anti-clockwise to make 10 circles. Lower your arms by your side and rest for a minute. Repeat this process for 5 times. You can increase the size of the circles and make circles of various sizes starting from small to larger ones. While making circles move your arms vigorously for better impact. Arm circles help to tone arms and shoulders while making your mind relaxed and freeing it from stress.
Leg swings
Stand in chest-deep water close to the edge of the pool to perform this water exercise. Stretch your arms by your sides so that you can touch the edge of the pool with one hand. Start with your right side. Hold the edge of the pool with your right hand and swing your left foot forward and backward. After swinging for 10-12 times in a backward-forward motion swing the leg across the body and in front of your right leg for 10-12 times. Switch to the left side and hold the edge of the pool with left hand and swing your right leg first in a forward & backward motion and then across the body. While swinging legs lift your legs as high as you can while keeping the legs straight. This exercise gives a workout to the muscles that move the hip joints of the body apart from relaxing the mind.
Yoga Warrior Pose in water
Yoga warrior pose is a very strong stress relieving exercise. It also gives an excellent workout to the body. This exercise relaxes both body and mind, removes stiffness from waist and rib areas, stretches and strengthens thighs, calves and ankles, strengthens arms, legs & back muscles and stretches the entire body. This exercise, when performed in water should be done in waist-deep water. Stand in the water with your feet at a leg-length width. Take a step or with a light jump take one leg forward at a distance of around 4 feet from the other leg. Slowly raise your arms perpendicular to the pool floor and then lift them up towards the ceiling. Turn your left feet 45-60 degrees at the right side and your right foot to 90 degrees at the right side. Turn your body to the right and align your left feet with the right feet. Bend your right knee over the right ankle while making sure that your knee doesn’t get past the ankle. Stretch your rib upwards while sinking your lower body in the water. Keep your arms straight and if possible join the hands. Push your tailbone towards the pool floor while tucking your pelvis in. Remain in this position for 10 seconds to one minute and slowly return to the initial position. Repeat with the other side.
Pool plank
Pool plank mainly works on your abdominal muscles apart from making your body and mind stress-free. To perform this exercise stand in the shallow part of the pool. Take a pool noodle and hold each end of it in one hand so that you hold the pool noodle in a vertical way. Push the pool noodle down in the water and lean forward taking the support of the pool noodle. Let your body lean forward at a 30-degree angle. Remain in this position for a couple of minutes and return slowly to the standing position. Repeat this process for 2-3 times.