Slide show: Take the plunge with aquatic exercise

Aquatic exercise is a low-impact activity that takes the pressure off your bones, joints and muscles. Everyone can benefit from aquatic exercise — even people who don't know how to swim. Aquatic exercise is a prime option if you have arthritis or other joint problems, if you're overweight, or if you want to ease into an exercise program.

Water offers natural resistance, which strengthens your muscles as you push against it. And since the effects of gravity diminish in water, you can do stretching exercises that may be impossible on land.

Jump in. The water's fine!

Water walking is as simple as it sounds. In water that's about waist-high, walk across the pool swinging your arms like you do when walking on land. Avoid walking on your tiptoes, and keep your back straight. Tighten your abdominal muscles to avoid leaning too far forward or to the side.

To increase resistance as your hands and arms move through the water, wear hand webs. Water shoes can help you maintain traction on the bottom of the pool.

With deep-water walking, you start out in water up to your neck. An inexpensive water toy called a noodle can help you stay above the water, and hand webs can increase resistance just as they do in shallower water.

Place the noodle between your legs so that it's higher in back than in front. As you walk, move the opposite arm and leg forward. Avoid tilting too far forward, backward or to the side. If you don't know how to swim, wear a flotation vest or float belt instead of a noodle.

For a more intense workout, consider jogging in deep water.

Hand webs can help you strengthen your biceps and triceps. Stand in waist-high water with your arms down, your palms up and your elbows close to your body. Raise your forearms to the level of the water, keeping your elbows close to your body. Then switch direction and push your hands down until your arms are straight again.

Here's another way to use a noodle. Tie the noodle into a knot around your water shoe. Stand with your back to the side of the pool in waist-high water, placing your arms on the pool ledge for stability. Straighten your leg in front of you. Then flex your knee to about a 90-degree position. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Water weights are foam barbells that create resistance as you move them through the water. Start with your arms at your sides. Grip the bar of the water weight with your palms facing up. Raise your forearms to the level of the water, keeping your elbows close to your body. Then turn the barbell over so that the palms of your hands face the bottom of the pool. Push your hands down until your arms are straight again.

Kickboards provide another type of resistance. Standing up straight with your legs comfortably apart, tighten your abdominal muscles. Extend your arm to the side, and hold the kickboard on each end. Keeping your elbow close to your body, move the kickboard toward the center of your body. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Aquatic exercise can be fun for people of all ages, sizes and fitness levels. Classes typically include music and choreography. Like what you've seen? Get your doctor's OK to begin an exercise program, sign up for a class and give it a try.