Buoyancy
When gravity is the force pulling you down, buoyancy is the upward
force that keeps your body afloat in the water. It dramatically
decreases the impact on joints and relieves joint compression forces.
Multi-dimensional resistance
No matter which way you move, the water offers support and
resistance in every direction, making it perfect for agility, strength
and stability training.
Double concentric workouts
The efficiency of loading muscle pairs, e.g. quads and hamstrings, in
the one movement makes water workouts unique.
Hydrostatic pressure
When submerged in water, the pressure can assist with returning
blood to the heart from the extremities, making heart function more
efficient and contributing to improved cardiovascular fitness levels.
Turbulence
The constantly changing flow of the water creates an unstable
environment that challenges the body to become stronger by
improving balance and stability.
Density and viscosity
Working through the thickness of water increases the intensity of
dynamic and plyometric workouts. With 12 times the resistance of
air, water creates a safe, low impact environment for athletes to train
with power and acceleration.
Drag
Drag is the force of the water pushing against the body’s motion.
Changing direction when running in the water is a challenging task,
as the body tries to move in one direction while the water continues
to flow the opposite way.
Suspension
Non-impact movements can be performed in shallow or deep
water. Through suspension, deep water workouts enable athletes to
continue intense training when recovering from injuries. Suspended
workouts afforded by water add a truly unique dynamic to the training
environment.
US-based fitness and sports performance specialist Dr Rick
McAvoy reiterates these extremely transferable benefits of working
in water, ‘The water is a tool for me, just like a physio ball, a Pilates
Reformer or a weights machine. I select the training tool that will
get the best outcome with my client and often this is the water. I
use the buoyancy, viscosity, drag and density of the water to tailor
each program.’ McAvoy is passionate about the water and adds,
‘The water is definitely a great place to go for balancing out muscle
groups. I use the water to accelerate progress by cleaning up those
movement patterns and improving mobility and stability’.
Aqua fitness disruptors
A number of fitness professionals are shaking up the traditional aqua
exercise market by delivering water-based training with a difference.
CASE STUDY 1: AQUACAMP77
Back in 2011 Miriam Smith from AQUACAMP77 on the Central Coast
of NSW decided she wanted to use her experience as a competitive
swimmer to train clients. A personal trainer, Miriam had been teaching
popular boot camp-style classes on land for over 12 months when
THE QUICK READ
• Highly successful sports stars often
include aquatic training as part of their
diverse strength and conditioning
regime
• The low-impact water environment
enables individuals with injuries to
safely resume training while recovering
• Water’s unique properties of buoyancy,
multi-dimensional
resistance,
hydrostatic pressure, density and
viscosity, turbulence and drag enable
suspension exercises and double
concentric movements to be performed
• A number of fitness professionals are
shaking up the traditional aqua
exercise market by delivering water-
based training with a difference.
she noticed irregular attendance due to
clients suffering from injuries. This triggered
a ‘light bulb’ moment. Miriam got certified as
an aqua fitness instructor, contacted a local
pool and set up a trial aqua boot camp class
for her clients, most of whom carried minor
injuries.
Nine years on, Miriam’s AQUACAMP77
classes are thriving and she now delivers
classes on four nights a week. AQUACAMP77
uses traditional boot camp methods and
tools, like medicine balls, resistance bands,
copper logs and truck tyres. Classes, which
have a capacity of 30, include both male and
female participants, with ages ranging from
12 to 72 years.
Miriam keeps riding the wave: ‘It’s been
an awesome ride. People just keep coming
back and this year is my biggest one to date.
It’s going through the roof! My participants
get excited being able to do stuff in the
water they would not attempt on land. Client
feedback is that they feel heaps better.’
Find out more about AQUACAMP 77 at:
bootcamp77.com.au/aquacamp77/aquacamp
/ instagram.com/aquacamp77 / facebook.
com/Aquacamp77
CASE STUDY 2: CAT Speed Athletic
Training
Director and Head Coach at CAT Speed,
Cathy Walsh, has been training elite
athletes and sports teams for over 25 years,
specialising in speed and agility training,
aqua fitness and pool rehab. Cathy tailors
NETWORK AUTUMN 2020 | 33