This can't be right -- water aerobics vs swimming

DrJanet98

I'm going to go do water aerobics tomorrow, and was curious about how many calories it's likely to burn. Looked it up in the database, and then looked at swimming....

60 min Swimming laps, freestyle, light/moderate effort: 887 calories
60 min leisurely swim: 761 calories
60 min water aerobics: 507 calories

Okay, water aerobics isn't as vigorous as swimming laps at a regular speed, but to say it's not even as much work as a *leisurely* swim just doesn't seem right!

So what about land-based aerobics?

60 min Aerobics, low impact: 634 calories
60 min Aerobics, general: 824 calories

Again, higher calories burned with low impact than water aerobics? When there's water providing resistance to every move? Maybe whoever did this particular evaluation of calories burned was using some sort of more leisurely version than what I learned, but can we at least get a more vigorous option to go with it?

JeninBelgium

I feel like the water aerobics classes I have had thus far are much less intense than swimming and much easier than land based aerobics- yes you do get resistance from the water but you are also supported by the water, have lower impact and my heart rate does not get nearly as high with the aquafit classes I have had- then again every class is different- my garmin is not water proof but my old polar is, but the battery is dead- I will get a new batter and then let you know what it says for me for calories burnt for the water aerobics, if you would like

knk1553

I think that sounds right, and I feel like even though estimates are kind of high (obviously all depends on weight and such). The highest calories burns I can tend to get with my HRM at 135lbs is about 10 cals/min, and thats me going all out panting for breath, sometimes I can get 12, but not for an extended period of itme.

I was a competitive swimmer and have done water aerobics, and I just don't find water areobics very difficult, its hard to say what they believe to be light, moderate effort and a leisurely swim. For me leisurely swim would be about an hour of laps with no specific goal or requirements, like a cool down swim, and light, moderate, effort is a recovery day, or an endurance day for me.

When I've done water aerobics, I haven't really felt like it was "hard" or any burn or stress like I do when I have done step aerobics, or power hour or whatever, I know you do have water resistance, but I just have never felt my heart rate getting up high and being short of breath like I have with other activities. I don't believe my HRM is water proof (it may be though, I'll have tho check) and if it is I'll try to take a water aerobics class and let you know

Doesn't mean any of this is right, just my opinion, and it is hard to tell what MFP classifies as all the areas of swimming, I think its always better to underestimate than over though

ahamm002

Obviously the aqua aerobics are going to be highly variable, and therefore the calories burned are highly variable depending on the intensity and your current fitness level. Same thing with swimming. Although, the numbers look like good rough estimates.