FLUID FOCUS:
THE POWER OF MASME
By transferring elements of mindful practice to the warm water, you can help your clients profoundly
reconnect to their physiological capacities and psycho-emotional selves.
WORDS: TANJA LUCK
any people observing a mindful
aquatic slow movement exercise
session, such as Aquabalance,
would think; ‘This looks too relaxing to
achieve any real benefits. Isn’t faster
movement with intense effort far more
effective than slower movement with less
effort?’
It’s an easy assumption to make, but
appearances can be deceptive. Here
we’ll explore why mindful aquatic slow
movement exercise (MASME) programs are
profoundly beneficial, both physically and
neurologically.
Internationally, we are seeing a rise of
MASME programs such as Aquabalance, Ai
Chi, Aqua Kriya Yoga, Aqua Pilates, Water
Healing Dance, Watsu and Agua Hara,
to name just a few. So what do all these
programs have in common? They all transfer
elements of mindful movement practices
into a warm aquatic environment.
M
The warm water exercise
intensity effect
On immersion into warm water (29°C-35°C)
certain fascinating physiological responses
64 | NETWORK SPRING 2016
take place. As the body temperature rises,
the heart starts to pump faster, causing the
blood to warm and the vessels to dilate. This
is partly due to the hydrostatic pressure that
causes a dramatic shift of blood volume
from the extremities of the body to the
central thoracic region (Arborelius, Balldin,
Lilja & Lundgren). This increases the central
venous pressure, stroke volume and cardiac
output. Once acclimatised, however, it
leads to a decrease in heart rate. The
combined influence of water temperature
and hydrostatic pressure helps to explain
why, at a given VO2 (maximum oxygen
consumption), heart rate has been shown to
be 17 to 20 beats per minute lower in water
than on land.
Interestingly therefore, although cardiac
output may be less, training intensity and
physiological overload is not compromised.
The heart pumps effectively the same
amount of blood per minute as it does
during the initiation of exercise. In fact, no
movement at all is required by the individual
in order to achieve this ‘30 per cent exercise
intensity effect’. This is a welcome benefit for
those that are usually immobile, sedentary
or fearful of exercise due to chronic pain.
Immersion also has other benefits.
Blood circulation is enhanced, due to the
combination of buoyancy and hydrostatic
pressure. Muscular relaxation is also greatly
improved, which eases any nerves pinching
the blood vessels, and in the process, aides
muscles in ridding themselves of metabolic
waste. When muscles are released
and relaxed, and limbs are supported
by buoyancy, an incredible freedom of
effortless movement can be achieved.
Individuals with limited flexibility often
become exhilarated when experiencing a
sudden increased range of movement that
their joints are usually unable to perform on
land. This enhanced mobility helps to explain
the increased popularity of practising yoga
in water. By making practices such as yoga
accessible to more populations, aquatic
slow movement exercise has the potential to
deliver physiological and psycho-emotional
gains to a wider demographic, which can
only benefit our healthcare system.
Relaxation and pain relief
MASME programs that combine these
hydrodynamic properties may enable
clients to achieve efficient diaphragmatic
breathing (often incorporated in mindful
practice). Participants can realise effortless
flowing movements combined with mindful
breathing techniques, which can lead to a
deep sense of relaxation and, often, pain
relief. This stimulates the parasympathetic
nervous system, allowing for a greater
sense of awareness through movement.
On initial submersion into water, breathing
requires more effort, as the lungs are under
increased pressure, which assists in lung
expansion. Participants can sense their
breathing dimensions more keenly in water
than on land, which accelerates the mindful
awareness experience.
As the body moves through the warm
water, the sensory nerves on the periphery
of the skin are fully stimulated, considerably
increasing proprioception and kinaesthetic
awareness.
Interestingly,
studies
on
dementia have shown that slow movement
through water can also have profound effects
on an individual’s memory retainment, as
well as their personal dimension awareness.