● Submerge body part being exercised.
● Move the body part slowly and gently.
● Begin and end with easy exercises.
● Follow through complete joint range of motion if possible, but do not force movement. Stop if you experience any sudden or increased pain.
● Do three to eight repetitions as tolerated.
● Pain that lasts for more than one to two hours after exercise may indicate overuse. Cut back next time.
● Remember the weakening effects of heat when exercising in warm water.
● Start slowly and don't overdo.
● Any individuals who have severe joint damage or joint replacement should check with their doctor or surgeon before doing any of the following exercises.

Swimming is good exercise (that's obvious). Swimming is a lifetime sport that benefits the body and the whole person! But what is it that makes swimming good, specifically? That depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

Why do you swim? For the health benefits to your heart and lungs? For the chance to be with some of your friends at the pool? Because you like the feeling of floating and gliding through the water? Or is it something else? If you are looking for a break from the heat of the summer, then a dip in the water is exactly what you need; swimming is a way for you to cool off. It fills a wonderful recreational need for individuals and families, from beach and pool fun to water parks.
Maybe you are a runner, training on a regular basis, and want to find an activity that keeps your heart rate up but takes some of the impact stress off of your body. Perhaps you have been doing some other form of land exercise, and now an injury prevents you from putting weight on a knee or ankle. Swimming can help you. Kicking workouts, water aerobics, pool running, or a regular swimming workout can all give you a great exercise session without the weight of your body pounding you with each move.
Regular swimming builds endurance, muscle strength and cardio-vascular fitness.

Swimming can serve as a cross-training element to your regular workouts. Before a land workout, you can use the pool for a warm-up session. Swimming with increasing effort to gradually increase your heart rate and stimulate your muscle activity is easily accomplished in the water. After a land workout, swimming a few laps can help you cool-down, move blood through your muscles to help them recover, and help you relax as you glide through the water.
Swimming does burn calories at a rate of about 3 calories a mile per pound of bodyweight. If you weigh 150 lbs. and it takes you 30 minutes to swim one mile (1,760 yards or 1,609 meters), then you will be using about 900 calories in one hour. However, many swimmers do not swim that quickly, and many cannot swim for that distance or duration.
Spending time in a group workout, whether water aerobics or a master's swim practice, is a great social outlet. Exchanging stories, challenging each other, and sharing in the hard work make swimming with others a rewarding experience.

There are other psychological benefits to swimming, if you allow them to occur. Relax and swim with a very low effort. Let your mind wander, focusing on nothing but the rhythm of your stroke. This form of meditation can help you gain a feeling of well-being, leaving your water session refreshed and ready to go on with the rest of your day. Many swimmers find an in-direct benefit from swimming. They develop life skills such as sportsmanship, time-management, self-discipline, goal-setting and an increased sense of self-worth through their participation in the sport. Swimmers seem to do better in school, in general terms, than non-swimmers as a group.

Hit the Pool for Pregnancy Pool Exercises! Working out throughout your pregnancy is one way to help ease the transition of your normal body transforming into your pregnant body, as well as prepare your body for its ultimate endurance test: labor. One of the best ways to keep fit and stay comfortable throughout pregnancy is swimming. Swimming makes you feel weightless in the water, relieving the pain that you may be feeling from your growing belly. It can provide a great cardio workout, and you may not even notice how hard you're working! Best of all, it can be done during all three trimesters, meaning that you won't have to make drastic changes to your workout schedule. The key to successful pregnancy exercise is to make sure that you don't push yourself too much. When exercising, pay attention to how your body feels and stop immediately (and call your doctor) if you experience vaginal bleeding, chest pain, dizziness, headaches, decreased fetal movement or contractions.

One thing swimming is not good for is losing a lot of weight. The on-line Merck Manual explains that swimming is not the best way to lose weight due to the cooling effects of being in the water. While you do use a lot of calories swimming, once you get out of the pool much of that calorie burning stops. Doing land based exercise like running or cycling may use about the same amount of calories per hour as swimming, but once you stop exercising the land-based workout usually leads to continued increase in calorie use for as long as 18 hours after the workout. Why? Because when you are in the pool you don't heat up as much as you do on land, and your body does not have to work to cool you down as much once the exercise session concludes. Swimming does exercise almost the entire body - heart, lungs and muscles - with very little joint strain. It is great for general fitness, just not a great way to drop excess pounds.

Why water exercise?
●  The soothing warmth and buoyancy of warm water make it a safe, ideal environment for relieving arthritis pain and stiffness.
“Spending time in a group workout, whether water aerobics or a master's swim practice, is a great social outlet.”
●  Immersing in warm water raises your body temperature, causing your blood vessels to dilate and increasing circulation.
●  Water exercise is a gentle way to exercise joints and muscles.
●  Water supports joints to encourage free movement, and may also act as resistance to help build muscle strength.

Exercise in the pool:
When first entering a spa or pool, relax and enjoy the soothing water. When your muscles and joints feel more comfortable and relaxed, slowly begin your exercise routine. Allow enough time after exercising to relax muscles again before getting out of the water. Water Exercise Programs: The Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program is a water exercise program designed for people with arthritis and related conditions. Classes are usually conducted 2 to 3 times per week at local indoor pools for 45 to 60 minutes. Joining a water exercise class gives you the opportunity to exercise in warm water, with guidance from a trained instructor.

Precautions:
Because there are many effective and safe ways to minimize pain and loss of motion from arthritis, you need to work with your doctor and other appropriate health professionals to develop an effective, individualized treatment program. Your specific program will depend on:

-  The type of arthritis you have
-  How it affects you
-  The severity of the disease
-  The joints affected

We have two locations in Fort Collins that carry this specific program. The first is at E.P.I.C., (970) 221-6683 and at the Fort Collins Senior Center, (970) 416-2413. If people want more information regarding the schedule or any cost to participate they should call the facilities directly. Also, if they need any information regarding the Arthritis Foundation and our programs and services, they can visit www.arthritis.org or call (800) 475-6447.