Aqua Aerobics vs Swimming for Perimenopause: Which Is Right for You?
Comparing aqua aerobics vs swimming for perimenopause? Both offer low-impact relief for joints, hot flashes, and mood. Find out which suits you best.
Why Water-Based Exercise Appeals During Perimenopause
Fluctuating hormones can leave joints achy, energy unpredictable, and body temperature all over the place. Water-based exercise addresses several of these challenges at once. The cooling effect helps manage hot flashes, buoyancy reduces impact on joints, and the resistance of water builds strength without heavy loading. Both aqua aerobics and swimming sit within this category, but they offer quite different experiences.
What Aqua Aerobics Involves
Aqua aerobics classes are held in the shallow end of a pool and are led by an instructor. Movements include jogging on the spot, jumping jacks, arm circles, and resistance exercises using foam weights or noodles. Sessions typically run 45 to 60 minutes. The social and structured nature of a class appeals to many women who find solo exercise hard to sustain. The moderate intensity suits those managing fatigue, joint pain, or low confidence in water.
What Swimming Involves
Swimming involves moving through the water using recognised strokes such as breaststroke, front crawl, or backstroke. It is a full-body cardiovascular workout that can be as gentle or as challenging as you choose. You control the pace entirely. Swimming laps can be meditative and gives a strong aerobic benefit. It also builds shoulder and upper-body strength more directly than aqua aerobics typically does.
Key Differences for Perimenopausal Women
Aqua aerobics tends to be more accessible for women who are not confident swimmers or who prefer company. It is easier to modify intensity mid-class and involves more lateral movement and coordination, which supports balance. Swimming delivers a stronger cardiovascular stimulus when done at a reasonable pace, which is beneficial for heart health, a genuine concern during perimenopause as oestrogen declines. Swimming also tends to be quieter and more meditative if you prefer solitude.
Who Each Option Suits
Aqua aerobics works well if you have significant joint pain, prefer group settings, are new to exercise, or need structure to stay motivated. Swimming is a better fit if you already feel comfortable in water, want a more intense cardiovascular workout, or prefer exercising alone. Both are suitable for managing hot flashes, improving sleep quality, and supporting mood. There is no wrong choice, and many women combine both across a week.
Getting Started and Tracking Progress
Most leisure centres offer aqua aerobics classes at beginner and general fitness levels. For swimming, aim for two to three sessions per week of 20 to 30 minutes, gradually building your laps over time. You can use PeriPlan to log your workouts and track your progress week by week, which can help you see how consistently you are moving. Over time, patterns often emerge between exercise frequency and symptom relief.
Related reading
Get your personalized daily plan
Track symptoms, match workouts to your day type, and build a routine that adapts with you through every phase of perimenopause.