Think aqua aerobics are just for grandma? You're all wet!

THOUGH OFTEN dismissed as an "old lady exercise," water aerobics deserves your respect. Even elite athletes like Olympic Gold Medal winning sprinter Usain Bolt incorporate water aerobics into their routines.

So if you're looking for new ways to invigorate your training, try water aerobics this summer - it's the perfect change-up your body needs after a long winter's exercise (or no-exercise) grind.

Swimming, aqua-aerobics' cousin, has long been considered one of the best aerobic exercises, and there is no doubt that it can benefit your overall fitness and health. Another major benefit of working out in the water is there are no age restrictions, Everyone can join in on the fun.

As with swimming, aqua-aerobics uses all of your major muscle groups and can provide a vigorous cardiovascular workout, too. Innovations in water aerobic resistance equipment - like aqua-dumbbells, aquatic fitness jogbelts, and pulling ankle locks - not only provide variety but can give you a nice resistance workout.

Aqua aerobics is particularly beneficial for the overweight, obese, expectant mothers, individuals rehabilitating an injury, and those managing conditions like arthritis or joint pain.

Why is aqua aerobics particularly beneficial to the above groups? In a word, buoyancy. Exercising in water causes your body to become buoyant, which minimizes stress on joints and muscles. When you exercise in water you are 90 percent lighter, according to the American Council on Exercise.

But that doesn't mean exercising in water is the lazy way out!

Water offers up to 15 times more resistance than air as you move through it, so your body works a little harder, though you will barely notice it.

When starting out, you will want the resistance-training part of your aquatic workout to emphasize low weight with high repetitions. Try using some of the equipment I mentioned above. As your aquatic fitness level progresses, raise the bar by either increasing your time or your intensity.

Yes, you'll burn calories doing water aerobics, but how many varies a lot, depending on how much you weigh as well as how long and how intensely you exercise. Now, if you are crazy or courageous, you can burn slightly more calories by exercising in cold water.

Brrr, no thank you! I can't imagine jumping into a cold pool just to burn a few extra calories.

On the conservative side, in a warm pool, a 150-pound person exercising moderately can burn about 145 calories in 30 minutes. An hour would burn nearly 300 calories.

Isn't that great? You can singe a bunch of calories, boost your cardiovascular health and strengthen your major music groups - all the while being gentle on your joints and experiencing a fun and noncompetitive environment.

So the next time you hear somebody pooh-poohing water aerobics, remind them that aqua aerobics offers a multitude of benefits, and at every level of fitness. Whether you are looking to improve your health, get fit, or shed a few pounds, aqua aerobics may be just the boost your old exercise routine needs.

Kimberly Garrison is a wellness coach and owner of One on One Ultimate Fitness in Philadelphia. Her column appears on the first and third Wednesdays monthly.