Pooling Efforts for Better Workout

Fitness faddies are hitting the pool for a different kind of lap. Strap on a buoyancy belt, slip into some resistance footwear, arm yourself with DeltaBell hand weights and get ready to jump in.

Aqua jogging is a low-impact workout that decompresses joints and rehabilitates muscles. A buoyancy belt puts users in deep water at 10% of their body weight, so it’s easy to exercise with a full range of motion.

The wet workout was developed 12 years ago at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eugene, Ore. It was first used to rehabilitate athletes such as Carl Lewis and Mary Decker. AquaJogger, also based in Eugene, brought the aquatic fitness equipment to the retail market in 1990.

“It’s a great low-impact workout for older people,” said Lyle Laver, AquaJogger vice president of sales and marketing. “But younger people are embracing it, too. Almost 50% of health clubs in the U.S. are now offering water fitness classes.”