Summertime workouts are not over yet! Are you getting bored of those road walks, trail walks, and the like? Have you tried walking on water yet? Okay fine, walking through water?
Water walking can be a great aerobic and calorie burning workout. In fact, if done correctly, you can burn up to 550 calories in one hour by walking in water. Water can have great benefits over walking on pavement. It is less strenuous on your body than constantly pounding on pavement. It is a very effective way of exercising if you are currently nursing an injury. Plus, it can feel much cooler on your body than exposing yourself to the heat of the summer!
Water walking also helps with muscle imbalances as you will be working your upper body and  lower body at the same time, rather than focusing on your thighs. Being submerged gives all of your muscles 12 to 14 times the resistance of air, which can be a workout in itself.
You do not have to completely submerge yourself to water walk. There are two types of water walking, deep water and shallow water. In deep water walking, your feet do not touch the bottom. You can mimic walking up hills, doing sprints, and walking backwards. You can even run in water! To start, it might be helpful to wear a flotation vest or belt. This will help to keep you stable so you can focus on your form rather than staying afloat.
Shallow water walking is a bit easier, but it does keep you from being completely submerged! Shallow water is usually done in thigh or chest high water. Your feet can touch the bottom in shallow water walking. One challenging way to do shallow water walking is in the ocean. You might find yourself fighting the waves, but that just adds to the experience! If you would rather focus and walk in the shallow end of a pool, you can do that too! If you sticking to a pool, you might be limited in space when it comes to walking in the shallow end. One way to overcome this is to tether yourself to one side of the pool using a bungee cord or a stretchy band. If this idea bores you, bring a friend, read a book, or set up a movie to watch!
Walking does not always have to be done on hard terrain. Water walking is a fantastic alternative that has its benefits. If you are just starting out, it might be useful to take a few courses first. As with all exercises, it is important to get the form down. The better your form, the more effective your workout will be.
