Make a Splash
Now that Bermuda is home to a heated Olympic sized swimming pool, you can enjoy water sports all year round without your lips turning blue or having to invest in a wetsuit.
Water aerobics instructor Michelle Viera explains some of the benefits of a water-based fitness programme and why you shouldn’t be put off by the cooler weather:
• Water aerobics can be for anyone, whether you are a beginner or advanced, because all the exercises can be modified.
• It is easy on your joints. You can take a lot of the impact out of some of the exercises by changing the depth of the water.
• The hydrostatic pressure of the water on your body helps you sleep better and also helps circulation.
• Your heart rate is lower doing an exercise in the water than when you do that same exercise on land. It is therefore good for people with a heart condition.
• Water is 12 times more resistant than air and it is denser so your muscles have to work harder.
• There is a lot of core work.
• The water is heated to 80 degrees at the National Sports Centre pool so it may feel a little chilly when you first get in, but once you start moving it’s comfortable.
Dive In For Your Health
Swim England, the national governing body for swimming in England, published a study entitled The Health & Wellbeing Benefits of Swimming in June 2017. It found that in a study of over 80,000 people, swimmers had a 28% lower risk of early death and 41% lower risk of death due to heart disease and stroke.
The 5 Secrets of Pilates:
The Pilates principles are the key to physically perfecting the body. I think of Pilates as the ‘cherry on top’ for everybody who wants to improve themselves. With the correct instruction by a certified Pilates Instructor, you learn the foundation invented by Joseph Pilates.
1. Concentration: By focusing your mind on your body and how it is moving, you create a better response to the muscles.
2. Breathing: Using the correct breathing patterns and rhythms actually help the body become calm and helps the correct muscles respond.
3. Centering: By centering our thoughts on our core we achieve the key to moving properly in Pilates – and life.
4. Control: In Pilates all movement is performed with precision and in a controlled way, with an instructor’s supervision to improve your alignment.
5. Flow: Pilates movements should flow easily and smoothly, helping strengthen the muscles, joints and tendons and move in balance with breath and alignment.
— Caroline Tee, Owner, Horizon Health
Follow these links to learn more about types of exercise, local classes, and which fitness program is the best fit for you:
Fitness Reboot
The Classics
Cool Classes
Bend & Stretch
Get Your Fight On
Feed Your Fitness
Motivational Music
Local Fitness Directory
