Changing up your exercise routine is a great way to prevent boredom and keep yourself challenged. Plus, you might occasionally need to switch up your regimen while recuperating from an injury.

It might surprise you to learn that trainers and physical therapists often recommend pool walking to their clients. If you’ve never considered adding this type of movement to your exercise routine, here are three reasons you should.

Pool walking can improve cardio. Pool walking for 20 to 45 minutes is a great way to get your heart rate into the target zone for a cardiovascular workout. And since it’s a low-impact exercise, you can push yourself without worrying about injuries to your joints.

Pool walking can help you recover from an injury. If you’re recovering from an injury, placing excess strain on the injured area is the last thing you want to do. Pool walking can help you stay in shape as you heal, and the water helps you work on your range of motion without pain. And, you won’t have to worry about falls.

You can tailor pool walking to your ability level. Those who are new to exercise can simply walk back and forth in the pool, while those up for a challenge can turn their workout into a high intensity interval training session. Pool walking can be performed in the shallow end, with feet touching the bottom of the pool, or in the deep end using a flotation belt.

If you’re putting together an exercise routine, and want to include a challenging pool walking segment, try these modifications:

• Gradually increase your speed
• Walk a bit longer at each workout, to increase endurance
• Walk against a current
• Wear webbed gloves, that increase the difficulty of arm movements in the water
• “Walk” in the deep end, using a flotation belt
• Look for a Tabata-style pool class, or design your own workout
• Add weights
• Exchange pool walking for ocean walking (or lake walking)

Give it a try, and let us know what you think! And of course, please keep safety in mind. Never exercise in a body of water alone, if you go in over your head. Come see us for a health assessment, and we’ll discuss your exercise routine and (if applicable) weight loss goals.