So what can we do to encourage children to put down the electronics and exercise? Group aquatic exercise classes may be a reasonable answer. of the water provides extra support, making balance easier and offload- ing weight from the joints – import- ant when talking about sedentary, and possibly overweight, children. The added support of the water will make it easier for children who have little experience with physical activity to feel more comfortable and confi- dent as they exercise. Another plus is that the water will resist movements in every direction, making even the simplest movements beneficial to gen- eral fitness. For this reason, there is no need to add equipment, although it is always an option to make exer- cises more challenging or fun. When comparing water programs to exercise on land, water immersion requires less of a physiological demand, including heart rate (Benelli, 2004). This will allow the participants to be able to work at higher intensities than they are used to on land. The aquatic environ- ment makes it easy to tailor the pro- gram to the needs of each individual. Depression and a lower health-related quality of life are attributes associated with obesity (Morrison, 2014) and liv- ing a sedentary lifestyle. Children who are overweight are more likely to be bullied in school and therefore have a poor self-image, lower self-esteem, fewer social interactions, and lower quality relationships (Beck, 2015). Exercise is known to release endor- phins, or “feel good hormones”, that can help reduce stress, depression, and anxiety, as well as boost overall mood. Simple immersion into water has been suggested to have a similar effect, creating a more relaxed and calm feeling to many people (Berger, 1992). Group exercise encourages social interaction among participants, as well as with the instructor, which can increase the feeling of social sat- isfaction and encourage the forma- tion of friendships. Programming can also be organized to encourage the use of teamwork and leadership skills 10 | Akwa | December 2017 / January 2018 to further promote socialization and friendship. Sometimes it can be challenging to keep children exercising and push- ing at a moderate to heavy intensity (O’Neil, 2012). However, children often associate pools with play time. If we incorporate fitness into the pool, it can be a fun and exciting place to exercise and burn calories. One key to keeping children interested in phys- ical activity lies in the disguise of exer- cises as games. Group Activities • Simon Says • Marco Polo • Red Light, Green Light • Rainbow Tag • Monkey in the Middle • Volleyball • Basketball • Deep Water Running Relays • Noodle Relays • Swimming Relays (various strokes; adding kick boards or other equip- ment) Programs can use various group activ- ities interspersed with flexibility exer- cises or stretching to improve the over- all fitness. Movement through games and fun activities can help achieve a wide range of physical, psychological and social improvements. Areas of Improvement • Socialization • Teamwork skills • Critical thinking skills • Endurance • Muscle tone • Strength • Circulation • Range of motion • Balance and stability • Confidence • Self esteem As a society, we need to address the lack of physical activity among our younger population. A sedentary life- style can lead to many health issues including depression, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Introducing children to group aquatic programs could be the key to reducing medical problems and increasing their overall health and wellbeing. Many children view the aquatic environment as a place to play and have fun. By design- ing aquatic exercise programs with this in mind, we can turn physical activity into an exciting part of their day. Group aquatic exercise programs could be a happy, fun, and enjoyable pathway to the improved health of our youth! n Resources Astrand, P. 1992. Why exercise? Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 24(2):153-162. Beck, A. 2015. Psychosocial Aspects of Obesity. NASN School Nurse. 31(1). Benelli, P, M. Ditroil, and G. de Vtio. 2004. Physiological responses to fit- ness activities: A comparisonbetween land-based and water aerobics exer- cise. Journal of Strength and Condi- tioning Research. 18(4):719-722. Berger, B.G., and D.R. Owen. 1992. Mood alteration with yoga and swimming: aerobic exercise may not be neces- sary. Percept Mot Skills. 75(3 Pt 2): 1331-43. Cote, A, K. Harris, C. Panagiotopoulos, G. Sandor, and A. Devlin. 2013. Child- hood obesity and cardiovascular dys- function. Journal of the American Col- lege of Cardiology. 62(15). Morrison, K, S. Shin, M. Tarnopolsky, and V. Taylor. 2015. Association of depres- sion & health related quality of life with body composition in children and youth with obesity. Journal of Affective Disorders. 172:18-23. O’Neil, M, M. Fragala-Pinkham, R. Ideishi, and S. Ideishi. 2012. Community- Based Programs for Children and Youth: Our Experiences in Design, Implementation, and Evaluation. Physi- cal & Occupational Therapy In Pediat- rics. 32(2):111-119. Author Emily McCoy, BS, is a recent graduate from West Virginia Uni- versity where she majored in Exercise Physiology with an em- phasis in aquatic therapy. She is currently a certified AEA aquatic fitness professional and an Arthritis Foundation program leader. Emily actively volunteers throughout her community and enjoys spending time outdoors.
