Although some forms of exercise can become more challenging as we age we do need to continue to exercise on a daily basis.

As a senior in Dubai or Abu Dhabi there are effective ways of getting some extra exercise into your daily life and swimming is one of the best.

Abu Dhabi personal swimming trainer Jason can work with any age or swimming ability in Abu Dhabi on a 1-2-1 basis or as part of a group.

Question: Because regular exercise benefits us throughout our lives exercise shouldn’t stop just because we are getting older. The kind of exercise we do though might need to change. Many seniors in the UAE choose swimming and water based exercise because they are seen as gentle forms of exercise. As a professional swimming coach in Abu Dhabi do you think swimming benefits the elderly.

Most definitely yes. Swimming in the UAE is a good, full body workout for everyone no matter what your age.

As we get older we lose flexibility and muscles get weaker.

Swimming is known to help with flexibility, muscular strength and cardio strength these are the three things that anyone in the fitness industry or even doctors will say helps to a good lifestyle.

Swimming for seniors – the health benefits

Question: What are the overall health benefits for swimming or water based exercises for seniors, for example improved flexibility etc?

The overall benefits for swimming or water based exercises for Seniors help with a few areas in fitness.

They improve flexibility, gives you resistance training, controls breathing, blood circulation and core

Swimming lengthens the muscle so you will see that most swimmers are flexible so as a “Senior swimmer in the UAE” this will help with just normal movement and having some sort of flexibility.

With training in water no matter what form of exercise the water gives you an added resistance. This resistance is the same as using weights on land just not as strenuous on the body, so intern you are doing weight training without using weights.

With regards to swimming(freestyle especially), you forced to control your breathing not like any other activity you can breathe when every you want to. With this control of ones breathing, this works on making your lungs stronger, even doctors would recommend swimming if you have asthma to help control your breathing.

Any form of exercise no matter at what age gets your heart rate up which helps with blood circulation within the body which is good for a person no matter what.

Being in water, even just standing in water works on your core area. In the past few years in the fitness industry, this has been one of the big talks, that if your core is strong your body is strong.

With the resistance of the water and your body trying to “find its place” with the lack of gravity you are working your core without even knowing it.

Question: How often would you recommend seniors participate in some form of water based exercise in the UAE?

How long is a piece of string? That will all depend on each individual and what their reasoning for be doing exercise.

If one wants to change their routine once a week is good enough, if they want to do a form of exercise just to keep fit three times a week is good, if they want to see the benefits of swimming or any other water based exercise on a long term bases six days a week is great.

Any water based exercise is like any other exercise the more you want to get out the more you must put in. Everyone makes out that any form of water based exercise is easy, when it’s not, one of the biggest factors which would affect someone’s ability in water surprisingly in the UAE is the fear of water.

Only once one has gotten over this hurdle could they only start to feel all the benefits of water based activities.

Are group swimming classes for seniors better than 1-2-1 coaching?

Question: Do you think that participating in group water based exercises (aqua aerobics etc) are good for the elderly – does the group environment provide encouragement and support?

Yes I Do think that taking part in a group water based exercise or swimming classes in the UAE is good for the elderly.

Going to a group class can feel intimidating as you don’t know what to expect and there are a lot of new faces that you encounter.

Once you go to a group class you can start making new acquaintances and training friends, instructors will try and create an enjoyable training environment where you can train with like minded fitness individuals and can motivate and encourage each other to do their best at training.

Some days you just don’t feel like training but if you know someone is expecting you to come to a class, that will give you motivation just to get to the class that is half your battle won.

If you train by yourself one normally gets bored and does the same routine over and over, with joining a class you don’t need to think of what exercises you need to do, it’s all done by the instructor, that makes training just that little bit easier.

So all you will need to do are the exercises.

Other water based exercises for seniors in the UAE

Question: Can you provide some examples of water based exercise routines that would be suitable for seniors in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and also advice on how these exercises are of benefit.

Most exercises can be done by seniors, you put the limits of what you can’t do on yourself. A few water based exercise routine for seniors are swimming, aqua aerobics or also known as aqua tone, aqua cycling and something new is Float Dubai.

Swimming and Aqua aerobics I’ve listed the benefits earlier for you.

Aqua cycling- is pretty much like indoor cycling but the difference is that the stationery bikes are in the water with you.

The benefit with this form of exercise is that with you being in water and gravity taken away from you so the stresses on your knees is not as hard as its in normal cycling.

Float Dubai- This is a new form of exercise. Its where you stand or kneel on a stand up paddle board and do yoga. This exercise is where you can have fun and laugh at yourself as you try and balance. Like I said earlier, any exercise can be done as long as you have got an all clear from the doctor. Go out and have some fun in the water.