Walking in water is beneficial for the body.

Is walking in water as good as swimming? “Yes,” says fitness pro Shabnam Agarwal.

With the human desire to live beyond the methods and means which we are not naturally endowed with, we could not leave the waters and the skies out of our reach. Looking back, conquering water was far easier than the skies. Not only did we choose water as a mode of transport we drove straight into the deepest of oceans and swam their lengths.

Water has been used for exercise for centuries. The buoyant and resistive properties of water make it a useful tool for a variety of exercises. But the full utility of exercising in water can only be availed if the goals are well defined.

Walking in water is beneficial for a variety of reasons. But then so is walking on land! So what you need to know is how walking in water is superior to land walking. Both increase your cardio-vascular fitness which results in general well-being. But water has an edge over land because it offers variations to suit your goals and body requirements.

When walking in water, design your own exercise programme to suit your needs. Your goal is dependent on the following factors:

Water depth

The effect of buoyancy on walking is that of making the body “weightless”, thereby reducing the amount of physical work in walking. Someone with pain due to degenerative joint disease (arthritis) may find walking in deeper water easier because of the additional unloading of buoyancy. Hence, for people with lower limb joint pains, or post joint replacement, it is a good idea to start walking in waist-deep water to minimise the effect of the body weight on stressed joints. Overweight people will also benefit from walking in water. For increased-intensity walking, one should attempt to walk through knee-deep water.

Position or direction of movement in the water

When moving through the water, the body experiences a frontal resistance proportional to the presenting surface area. The surface of the body moving against the water is also important. Less resistance is encountered in side-stepping than in forward or backward walking because of the more streamlined shape in coronal plane movement.

Speed of movement

Slow movements through the water produce little drag, and resistance is minimal. However, when moving rapidly through the water, much resistance can be encountered that is proportional to the speed of movement. Individuals can progress resistance incrementally by gradually increasing speed.

Floatation or weighted equipment use

To increase the effect of buoyancy, one can tie floatation cuffs around the ankle and wrists. Using weight cuffs around the ankle can increase the intensity of your training.

In addition to these factors, walking in water requires concentration, which improves balance and co-ordination. Various muscle groups behave synergistically as well as antagonistically during walking. Here too, water aids some muscle groups, while others have to work against the resistance offered by water.

So, the next time you jump into the pool, forget your attempt to swim like a fish. Try to behave like a human instead and walk!


Shabnam Agarwal, t2