Abstract
The main purpose of the present study was to verify the effects of a 12-week water aerobics program in a real-life context on health indicators and physical fitness in adults and older adults. Fifteen volunteers (58.80 ± 14.32 years old) were part of an experimental group (Exercise), and eight volunteers (59.00 ± 12.26 years old) were part of the control group (Control). The Exercise performed 45 min of water aerobics twice a week for 12 weeks; no physical exercise was permitted for the Control during the same period. The evaluations were performed the week before (pre-training) and after the training program (post-training). The primary outcomes were the strength and cardiorespiratory fitness variables and the secondary outcomes included body anthropometry, lipid profile and blood pressure. Adjusted analysis for age and baseline values showed no differences between Exercise and Control in post-training moment. However, there was a moderated tendency for increased explosive strength of the upper limbs (ηp2 = 0.17), reduced body fat (ηp2 = 0.17), reduced systolic blood pressure (ηp2 = 0.14) and triglycerides (ηp2 = 0.19) in Exercise. Within groups changes showed that the training program caused an increase mainly in explosive strength in the upper limbs (0.26 m, 95% CI, 0.03, 0.49; ES = 0.63) In addition, there was a significant decrease in fat mass (-0.89%, 95% CI, -1.74, -0.03; ES = 0.61) and in the systolic blood pressure (-0.83 mmHg, -1.46, -0.19; ES = 0.71). Nonetheless, no significant changes were observed for the lipid profile. These results suggest that 12 weeks of water aerobics performed twice a week in a real-life context seem to benefit the explosive strength, body composition, and blood pressure of adults and older adults but is insufficient to alter cardiorespiratory fitness and lipid profiles.
Highlights
Over the years, there has been a widespread recommendation for all people to participate in physical activity on a regular basis
In the beginning of the training program, there were no significant differences between control group (Control) and Exercise in age (p = 0.97), anthropometric characteristics, lipid profile and blood pressure
No significant differences were found in physical condition between groups, excepting for the explosive strength of the lower limbs
Summary
There has been a widespread recommendation for all people to participate in physical activity on a regular basis. Certain limitations may restrict people’s ability to participate in exercise programs, obesity, low levels of physical fitness, locomotion difficulties caused by aging, orthopedic or neurological disabilities, or pulmonary disease [1, 2] Given these difficulties, health and sports professionals have recommended water-based exercises as an alternative to traditional dry-land exercise, leading to a significant increase in physical exercise performed in an aquatic context [1]. Water aerobics is among the aquatic programs most widely recognized by health specialists, sport professionals, and practitioners [6, 7] This recognition could be due to the organic changes caused by hydrostatic pressure, buoyancy and thermodynamics and to the variety of movements that can be carried out using the properties of water to create resistance to movement with reduced neuromuscular activity required from the antigravity muscles [6, 8]. Studies with a short duration and lower intensities, even with experienced practitioners, have found contrary results [6], and further research should be developed
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