Diabetes and Water Exercises
Diabetes and Water Exercises
Water Exercises is the easiest ways for a diabetic to improve their Fitness and Blood Sugar levels while having fun even if you are unable to swim.
Water Exercises has no age or weight limit, it can be practices by everyone and for the rest of your life – Just come down to Newton-park Swimming pool in Nelson Mandela Bay and see how many 80+year-olds are active in the water before 6 am in the mornings..
Swimming is especially great for people who don’t like the look and smell of sweating bodies, which you get when practicing at a gym.
Disclaimer: Before I continue the information here has all the usual disclaimers because I am not on your site to control the flow of information to you. I am also not a professional of any kind and all information here is on a “As is” basis. It is always best to get personalized medical advice from a medical professional whenever starting any new physical activities. Most of the information here comes from my personal experience as a “cough potato” trying to improve my own fitness levels.
I can tell you that testing the water will be the first step to better health even if you are over weight or have joint or balance problems and other physical limitations. With the reduction of gravity in water your weight is “reduced” by 90 percent and you will be able do certain aerobic movements for longer, normally not possible during an “on-land” aerobic session.
Water Routines
There are a couple of different activities you can practice in water to regain fitness again and to get better control over your Blood Glucose levels.
When you are not sure where and at what level you should start training rather make contact will you local Diabetes Group or Association they will be able to assist you with deciding which routine would be the best for you – pending your fitness, weight, disability and skill.
Different Water Routines
1. Water Aerobics: You don’t have to be able to swim and you will get a full body workout in the pool. Some of the resistance training will include:
- Water Jogging - Jog in one spot or you can move(jog) around in the water
- Jumping Jacks – In mid-chest water level, while jumping with legs apart and close again
- Cross country skiing – Hold arm extended like holding a skiing pole, do a slight jump while switching legs and arms
- Squats - Bend knees like sitting on a chairs and straighten off the chair (like standing up)
- Kicks – Chest high water, kick to the front, then to the back and the to both sides
There are many more exercises you will be doing but the nice thing about a splash class (aerobic) – with the music playing it feels like you are at a party while associating with like-minded people.
2. Resistance Training: With this training you to target specific body muscles with the use of devices.
a. Kickboard: Support you upper-body while holding a foam board in front of you. This works hamstrings, gluts and hips
b. Hand bars: Torso and arms get work using this routine
c. Fins: Gives more resistance on each kick. Personally I don’t like this exercise because it makes swimmers develop bad swimming styles.
3. Lap Swimming: With lap swimming you can burn as many calories as you would with running. 50 Meter swim is equal to a 100meter run – with less impact on joints and ligaments
- Ø Start slowly – Aim just to complete a 25 meter swim. My friend Linda once gave me good advice; “If you cannot make an activity a sustainable life changing healthy “Habit” and it is not fun – don’t do it”
Once completing a lab take a rest till you feel OK and then swim back with a different style like breast or back stroke. Aim to practice 3 times a week while Giving yourself a day between training and to let the initial soreness fade.
a. Build this routine up to everyday
b. Take it week to week. Each week you try and increase with 10%, so it you did 10 this week go for 11 next week.
Guide lines
- Swallow you frog first thing in the mornings. Once you get into the habit of getting up a little earlier in the morning it actually becomes fun and eventually you won’t be able do without this “me time”.
- Swim close to the walls just to give you that mental security should a situation develops
- Take precautions and above all have fun.
- Very important! Start off slow, don’t over do it by pushing yourself to hard. You run the risk of hutting yourself or just burning yourself out, then the fun will be gone and the couch/TV will start to look like at better options.
Once you have managed to swim 50 meter or more then it will be time to refine and refine your swimming style.
We will cover that in part 2 of this series. We will cover more about nutrition and I will tell you why my mmol/l started going up after swimming.
I hope you have a splashing time.
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Great post Pine. Exercise coupled with the right nutrition is so important for people who desire to have good health.
October 16th, 2011 at 09:32
Brett! thank you for the feedback – if we know that exercise is good for us why is it so hard to be consistent
October 17th, 2011 at 19:34
i had 2 knee surgeries and my doctor suggested my some water gymnastics. i wish to exist in my town a facility like yours. or maybe i just move close to you
November 10th, 2011 at 13:24