basic move more interesting. It is also an
effective way of increasing the intensity
of a move.
When participants move in one
direction, for example rocking horse
to the shallow end, a flow of water is
created in one direction. Instructing
participants to quickly turn around
and run through this flow of water will
increase their energy output as they
move into the resistance created by the
heavy flow of water against them.
Instructing participants to stand still
after creating a strong flow of water, and
to complete an arm exercise with stable
legs and torso, will activate the core as it
works to hold the body still.
The same drag in the water can be
completed back and forth at the wall,
as we would do when performing a
‘Murray River’ (a strong rapid kick off
backwards from the pool edge, followed
by immediately running through the
turbulence and flow of the water back to
the wall.)
Sometimes something as simple as
teaching from a different spot poolside,
or getting participants to perform the
same move in a different place, can keep
participants better engaged.
Buoyancy
Our biggest point of difference in
aqua fitness, compared to land-based
exercise, is buoyancy. Participants love
the floating feeling. So, how can you
use the buoyant properties of water to
increase challenge?
One way is by incorporating equipment
into the workout. The greater the surface
area of the equipment, and the lower
it is taken into the water, the greater
the resistance exerted on participants’
muscles. For example, a donkey kick can
be enhanced with a kickboard. For a less
intense progression, have the kickboard
near the surface and slice it through the
water; for a significantly stronger move,
take the kickboard deeper into the
water and push and pull with the two
faces of the board. Be careful, however,
not to add equipment to a workout
just for the sake of it: always consider
whether it truly enhances a move before
introducing it. Movement direction – Complete
one repetition to front left corner then
front right corner, repeat continuously
throughout one block of music.
We can also use buoyancy to attempt a
move in suspension without equipment.
Keep in mind that for leaner body types
it can be more challenging to remain
buoyant as they have less fat tissue. Buoyancy – Adding dumbbells to the
hands will slow down the movement,
but because the muscles will need to
work harder it makes it much more
challenging. Adding just one dumbbell
and passing it between hands will add an
extra stability and cognitive component.
Weighted
Pool position – Travelling to the shallow
end and then running back to the start
position requires a large expenditure of
energy.
Could the move become weighted? By
keeping one or both legs still on the pool
floor and completing an exercise with a
stable torso, the core must work much
harder, changing the focus of the exercise. Weighted – The strong rocking horse
arms are an ideal move to use for a
stability exercise.
This also provides a good opportunity to
teach your participants how to properly
engage their pelvic floors and muscles
of the core. You may be surprised by
how many participants have never been
taught how to do this effectively. Base move – Flick the toes to the front,
reaching towards the toe with the
opposite hand (photo 3).
So, now we’ve covered the theoretical
application, let’s apply these elements
to breathe some new life into some
classic aqua moves.
The rocking horse
Base move – I usually complete the
rocking horse with long legs and long
arms scooping through the water
(photo 1).
The front flick kick
Hand shape – A double arm flat palm
push (photo 4) increases the resistance
against the hands, and therefore the
effort required to perform the move.
Lever lengths – Bending at the elbows
to perform a bicep curl/ tricep extension
adds some variety to the arm pattern.
Movement direction – One front kick,
one side kick (photo 5) is a simple way to
freshen up flick kicks.
Hand shape – Changing the hands
away from a scooping aqua hand
would make a rocking horse too
challenging to complete, as we rely on
the power in the arms to propel the
body forward and back. Pool position – Completing flick kicks
at the wall with toes lightly touching is a
great way to add variety and also change
the focus of the move. If you coach a
light toe tap and a still upper body and
hips, you will find participants need to
draw in and activate their deeper core to
perform the move correctly.
Lever lengths – Bending sharply at
knees and elbows creates a faster move
(photo 2). Buoyancy – As this is a naturally light
and buoyant exercise, encourage a
strong return of your participants’
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