5 ways to improve wellness in the water
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It’s hard to resist the call of the water at this time of year. Whether you choose to exercise in a peaceful lake, the wild ocean or your local swimming pool, H2O can be a gateway to health and fitness.
Water activities like swimming, rowing and surfing require skills, such as balance and co-ordination, and the resistance of the water forces our bodies to work harder. Water has a powerful effect on our brain, too. ‘Blue mind’, a term coined by marine biologist Dr Wallace J Nichols, describes the relaxed, Zen-like state we often experience when we’re in, or simply near, water. Listening to the waves, feeling the movement of water or just watching it ripple and flow activates parts of the brain that can help us feel calm and happy. So why not submerge yourself in some feelgood fitness this summer? Here's how...
Water activities to de-stress… mindful swimming
Swimming is one of the nation’s most popular sports, with 2.7m women enjoying a session at least twice a month. That’s no surprise, considering what a brilliant full-body, low- impact exercise swimming is: it can tone muscles in the arms, legs and core; lower blood pressure; improve heart health and lung capacity; burn calories; and help ease joint pain.
The mental health benefits are also impressive – according to a YouGov poll commissioned by Swim England, 1.4m UK adults said that swimming helped to relieve their anxiety and depression.
But if your local pool is busy, how do you ever find that inner calm? The trick is mindful swimming: allow your body to switch on to autopilot as you swim, stroke after stroke, lap after lap. Meanwhile, notice the splashes and ripples, listen to the sounds underwater… before you know it, your ‘blue mind’ is activated.
Hardy types may wish to take it up a notch with wild swimming, the wellness craze that’s impossible to ignore. Devotees love it for a host of reasons, from lifting their mood to easing menopausal woes – claims that are backed by a University College London study that concluded cold-water swimming (which, let’s be honest, means almost all year round in the UK) can significantly improve symptoms such as anxiety, hot flushes and mood swings.
Water activities to build confidence… surfing
Think surfing is all about young men riding big waves? Then think again. Surf clubs exclusively for women are booming right now, says surf coach Lucy Wheldon of The Wave, a tech-powered surfing lake that regularly hosts women-only sessions for all ages.
‘When you’re surfing, your body is constantly in motion,’ she says. ‘It’s an incredible full-body workout that combines cardio with flexibility, strength, co-ordination and balance. Surfing puts you fully in the moment; you can’t think about anything else when you pop up on your board and ride a wave.’
It’s not just about physical power – surfing can also boost your resilience and confidence. ‘For many people learning to surf, there’s a level of nervousness, so the feeling of exhilaration and achievement when you catch a wave is even greater. There will be wipeouts, but that’s a life lesson in falling off, then picking yourself up and going again. It really does improve your confidence both in and out of the water,’ adds Lucy.
Water activities for competitive fun... rowing
For those of you who head to the gym to use a rowing machine, why not test your oar-pulling skills on the water? ‘Your arms, back and shoulders are the areas that benefit the most from rowing,’ says Gareth Davies, Royal Yachting Association-accredited instructor and manager of North Yorkshire Water Park (northyorkshirewaterpark.co.uk).
‘The strong resistance that’s generated as you row means your leg muscles are activated throughout, strengthening both your lower and upper body.’
Messing about in rowing boats is fun, but for something more challenging, consider joining a club. The racing element will satisfy competitive types and rowing in a team is a good way to make friends. A study by the University of Oxford found that ‘social motion’ (that’s synchronised movement, such as rowing alongside others) promotes social bonding and helps increase our perception of togetherness, too.
Water activities to feel strong and centred.... paddleboarding
A decade ago, paddleboarding was little more than a niche sport, but nowadays you’d be hard-pressed not to spot someone astride an SUP (stand-up paddleboard) on a lake or calm sea come summer. With plenty of paddleboard hire and affordable SUPs available, it’s never been easier to take up this hobby.
Like any oar-based activity, paddleboarding will strengthen your arms. But it’s the wobbly nature of SUP that sets it apart – standing on a paddleboard requires balance, a key indicator of health as we age, which will improve as your core muscles strengthen and stamina grows each time you take to the water.
You can elevate the balance challenge with an SUP yoga class. Abby McLachlan, of East of Eden yoga studio (eastofeden.uk), is a fan: ‘Practising yoga on an SUP requires intense balance and deep focus when moving between poses and holding them,’ she says.
Water activities to think clearly.... waterside walking
If you’re more interested in reaching a ‘blue mind’ state without getting wet, then take a brisk stroll along a beach, river or canal. Walking is one of the best low-impact exercises you can do: it boosts heart and lung health; burns calories; and improves bone health and muscle strength.
A recent study discovered that walking just 4,000 steps per day is enough to reduce the risk of premature death – but increase the steps and you increase the benefits. Walking also helps problem-solving skills; according to a study by Stanford University, creative thinking improves by 60% while we walk, compared with sitting down.
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