Exercise - Free Fitness Library
The coolest place to workout - Aqua Fitness
Lydia Campell's Guide to the world of Aqua. Not everyone is exercising on land in a class, a gym, on a step, a slide or jogging; nowadays, vast numbers of people in this country and America have taken to exercising in the swimming pool.
Whatever level of fitness you are, there is an Aqua class for you. Leisure centres throughout the UK are time tabling a variety of aqua sessions to cater for different needs, as exercise in water has a wide appeal whether you are young, old, disabled, pregnant, fit or recovering from an injury. Water is one of the safest and most effective mediums to work in.
The magical properties of water are amazing and have been used by physiotherapists for years; even the Greeks and Romans recognised the value of water for exercise and therapeutic treatments.
Exercising in water is a different experience than on land. In some aspects it is easier as it supports one's own body weight, creating a gravity change as water is twelve times denser than air.
The buoyant property of water allows up to 90% of one's body weight to be supported and, due to this buoyancy support , one's body can almost feel weightless. In fact your whole skeletal system is affected; all your major joints lift and separate slightly allowing better circulation and a greater range of movement. Instant relief for back sufferers and pregnant mothers!
In an aqua workout one learns to use the property of water. Working forcefully, pushing and pulling water around in the workout creates a challenge for the muscles to work harder. There is continual water turbulance surrounding the body creating resistance of the muscles.
If one tries to run through shallow, knee deep water, it is easy. Try thigh deep it gets harder, jogging through chest deep water is even more so as the water resistance increases.
Powerfully moving your arm quickly whilst standing in chest deep water sideways and fast for one minute is hard work and your shoulder and arm muscles would fatigue easily, because you are working with water resistance. Simply allowing you arm to float out sideways and gently bring it back to you means you are only working with the buoyancy of the water.
HEART RATES
When training in water one's heart rate is lower compared to dry land aerobics. There are no conclusive studies as to why this happens but the following reasons partly explain lower heart rates;
1 - The supporting factor of water occurs inside and outside the body. Water acts as a compressor on your circulation, making your blood flow easier and reducing stress on your heart, lowering the heartbeat.
2 - A more efficient circulation means oxygen is easily absorbed by your muscles when exercising, reducing the heart's workload as more oxygen can be absorbed.
3 - The buoyancy effect of water or gravity change on the body makes it easier for the heart to pump blood back uphill through your system, lowering the heart rate. There can be up to a 13% difference in an aqua class compared to a land workout to the heart rate, or it can be up to 20 beats per minute lower.
4 - You can not monitor your heartrate easily in the pool because of the variations in pool temperature, water depth, body composition and the hydrostatic pressure of the water.
Water allows a greater range of movement without strain due to the rhythm created in the workout. Less co-ordinated individuals can exercise more easily and not feel embarrassed, as they do in an aerobic studio when they continually find themselves at opposite ends of a studio from the co-ordinated class.
The magic of water makes the muscles work differently than on land.
NO SORE MUSCLES
This depends on the intensity of the session in relation to your current state of fitness. There is certainly 'less likelihood' of serious muscle soreness. Aqua exercise is predominantly concentric muscle work.
MASSAGE
As you workout, the turbulence of the water massages your body, increasing your circulation, one reason why you want to pee after a class. as your whole system has been revved up through this massaging effect. An Aqua workout is ideal if you are carrying excess fluid with PMT or suffering from extreme circulatory problems such as varicose veins. On the other hand, it is not a cure for cellulite, but it can aid your lymphatic drainage system.
FAT BURNING
Research by Ruth Sova of the American Aquatic Exercise Association states that the average person uses 450 to 700 calories when performing an hour of aerobics in water. 77% of the calories burned come form fat stores, reducing fat body mass. Lean body mass of muscle tissue is stimulated to grow while working out with water resistance, a factor not, however, unique to aqua aerobic exercise.
Recent research by Mary Saunders of Speedo Aquatic Fitness International has shown that body fat was reduced and lean body mass increased in the old and young. Her study was carried over an 8 week period where the women only did an Aqua workout 3 times a week. The average body fat loss was 2.2 percent.
SELF ESTEEM
The confidence one gains while exercising in water is tremendous. Inhibitions are released as water surrounds and supports the body. There's no fear of intimidation from a mirror reflecting your shape or size. Water exercise creates one of the most secure working environments for the mind and body. People often laugh in an aqua workout behaving like children, and feeling uninhibited and free to work their body to its full potential. With no fear of competition, failure or pain, this type of behaviour is rarely seen in a gym or aerobics studio.
AQUA SAFETY
For your own safety, only exercise with a qualified instructor, and not if a lifeguard is nearby. Don't exercise in water that is too deep for your ability; the normal depth is chest level. If you are a nervous non-swimmer, tell the instructor that you prefer to exercise in slightly shallower water e.g. waist level.
Workout near the poolside and avoid joining in with group circle jogging until you can move strongly and powerfully through the water.
At the start of the class, the instructor should show you how to get up if you fall over, especially if you are using aqua equipment such as Hydrofit. Make sure that you practise the recovery procedure. By the way, if you are exercising outdoors in the sun wear a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses.
HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR WORKOUT
Get used to moving in water; this takes time due to the gravity change on the body. If you have a dense body with lots of muscle, it is easier to run through the water then if you have a large ratio of body fat. Don't worry about this because as you workout on a regular basis, your body to fat ration will change and your muscles will strengthen. It will thus become easier to move strongly and powerfully in the pool.
Practise moving forwards and backwards in the pool. As you stride or jog, use your arms and upper body to pull or push the water as you move. Also practise jogging on the spot with knees low. Be conscious of pressing your heels down to the pool floor; just running on your toes will lead to cramp and sore calf muscles in the days to come. Use the water all the time, don't limply move through each exercise. Make your moves direct, strong and dynamic and continually push and pull the water, as this creates muscular strength as you workout.
Avoid any pain while exercising, or snapping, jerky movements. Also, when jumping always land with a bent knee or soft knees to reduce the impact on the body.
The whole point of this article is to inspire you to take to the pool and workout, but water exercise is not for you if you have any of the following:
1- An open, weeping wound or sore.
2- Soft tissue infection.
3- Urinary tract infection e.g. cystitis.
4- Allergies to pool chemicals.
5- Suffer from uncontrollable seizures.
6- Severe uncontrollable cardiac (heart) problems. You need to workout on a one-to-one basis with a physiotherapist.
7- A fever or any other viral infection.
8- If you've had a lot to drink due to a business lunch, or after work farewell do. Alcohol increases your risk of injury.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A CLASS
Once you have the courage to pull on your cossie and submerge yourself in the pool, how do you know your are getting a good class?
The following guidelines will help you evaluate your teacher:
1- As you are new to class, the teacher should introduce him/herself and ask you about your health and current exercise programme. Some classes provide a health questionnaire and an advice pack on exercise. This is where you tell the teacher if you have major joint or back problem, suffer from an old injury or have a medical problem such as heart disease or asthma.
2- Does the teacher get into the pool to test the water temperature? Often the pool temperature is cooler than expected due to a recent back wash. The teacher needs to know what environment you are working out in, then he/she can decide what pace the class should be.
CLASS SPACE AND WATER DEPTH
Having you room enough to workout in? Has the teacher organised the class spacing? It's vital you workout with water at chest level to gain the full benefit of an almost impact-free workout. However, this does mean that you can't stand next to your friend who is maybe 5'11" tall, whilst being only 5'2" tall yourself.
Sometimes the class is restricted to a very shallow area with the water maybe at waist level; the shallower the water the more impact the body has.
An experienced teacher will modify the workout to minimise impact and if you find you are in a shallow pool with water up to your thighs doing lots of jumping, forget it; the body is not benefiting from water training at all.
Aqua Classes are not the same as doing a dryland class in the pool. The class structure can vary.....
WARM-UP
The class should start with a warm-up to prepare the body for the workout to come. This is done by stimulating and raising the body temperature and not achieved by doing a few shoulder shrugs and isolated movements in one place. This may be called an Active Stretch
Does the instructor teach in and out of the pool? Ideally, the instructor should teach new moves from poolside, but also be able to teach in the pool at times where he/she can give individual attention. A gradual active warm-up moving your limbs and working through all the large muscle groups is essential. If the class is including aerobics, Aqua Step or Deep Water training, the warm-up should include stretching at the end, particularly on the leg muscles.
CAN YOU FOLLOW THE TEACHER?
The teacher should teach at a pace you can follow; not if the moves and music are too fast as this is the most common mistake with inexperienced teachers. Does the aerobic choreography flow well? Does it feel good and do you have time to learn the moves before changing to a new step?
Does your teacher show you how to align your body and focus on certain muscle groups.
Often a good teacher will choreograph the class by changing the class movement directions. If you are water jogging in a circle or from one side of the pool to the other creating pool patterns interspersed with aerobic step combinations, the instructor is giving you an amazing workout as the turbulence in the water creates resistance for your muscles.
Is the aerobic class building up in intensity? When the aerobic section is nearly over, does the instructor bring the class down gradually allowing one's heart rate to adjust?
Your teacher may vary the intensity, combining interval training with aerobic and muscular strength.
If you go to a class where the aerobic section entails solely high impact moves, jumps, high knee lifts, high leg kicks and/or jumping jacks with a sudden start and stop, this is unsafe for the body, avoid this type of class. After the aerobic section a cool down should follow then stretching. Don't stretch for too long as the body temperature drops rapidly. The teacher is likely to stretch a muscle group then jog you gently to keep warm!
WIND DOWN
Finally, the class should have a final wind down using the relaxation properties of water e.g. floating.
WHAT TO WEAR AND BRING
As with any exercise programme, you need the appropriate clothing.
Ladies: Forget the bikinis! A good supportive swimming costume or leotard that doesn't turn transparent in the pool is a must. If you are well-endowed, a sports bra is vital to protect the breast tissue, even though you are exercising with water at chest level. Extra support is necessary, especially if you are a new mum: wear the sports bra under your costume. Bike shorts can be worn to cover thighs.
Guys: Swimming trunks of bike shorts are to be recommended, not shorts that balloon out with air in the pool. Avoid wearing wet suits or tights, heavy restrictive clothing and swimming caps should also be discarded as they could restrict heat loss. Sweating while you exercise helps to maintain an optimum body temperature for your muscles to function; overheating is dangerous. You do sweat during a pool workout, but it is not always noticeable. Suitable footwear is quite hard to find as major sports shoe companies are not, as yet, promoting aqua shoes. Rykä have Aqua shoes now available in the UK contact 0532 307737 for stockist.
Wind surfing shoes are ideal as they prevent any slipping, yet the foot is not cushioned or supported as in dry land aerobics.
Apart from wearing the right gear, bring a plastic bottle of water to drink, especially if you are working out in a hot, humid atmosphere, or are pregnant. Drink water an hour or so before the class, during and after to prevent dehydration: muscles work better if they are well hydrated with water.
Maybe you are still not inspired to grab your cossie as you think aqua is only for the unfit and timetable an aqua class into your workout because you think it is a soft training option. If pounding on an aerobic studio floor, running or going to the gym is your idea of a workout, consider this: why are race horses trained in water? Is it for fun or to increase their speed and muscular strength, whilst reducing the risk of injury? Look at our Olympic swimmer, Sharon Davies is one of the fittest women around.
Olympic athletes cross-train in the pool to reduce the risk of over-training and World Martial Arts Champion Geoff Thompson always included aqua training to develop flexibility, speed and strength without incurring the risk of injury.
It's time all you fitness fanatics gave your body the respect it needs, by opening your mind to cross-training in the pool.
If you can't find an Aqua class in your area, you can contact one of the Aqua Associations.
Aquacise - 0255 436932
ASA/Aquafit - 0509 230 431
Aquarobics - 081 8767789
AquaMotion - 081 741 0215
SplashDance - 0708 730431
Y A Qua - 071 580 2989
The latest classes around in Aqua may be a surprising experience with the added bonus of Aqua equipment, there are many wet powerful options to choose. You have everything to chose from Aquatic Step, Circuit training, Deep Water workouts with Hydro-Fit and Speedo to a Woggle workout from Aquarobics.
Speedo
The biggest name in the swimming world are launching their Aquatic fitness training courses for RSA teachers and swimming coaches. It is a comprehensive training program leading to certification as a Speedo Aquatic fitness instructor.
The course has been extensively researched, designed and written by Mary Sanders M.S. of the USA Director of Wave Aerobics. Speedo are providing Aquatic fitness training in conjunction with their Aquatic fitness products for shallow Step and Deep water workouts. The UK Speedo Aquatic training team will be headed by Lydia Campbell with the first major training course to be held at Fitcamps in London June 24th - 26th. For further information on Speedo Aquatic fitness training contact Speedo UK 0602 296131.
Splashdance
One of the longest standing training association around who have been training teachers since 1984, have just brought out a Splashdance video. The video takes you through a splashdance workout and gives you a taste of their splash step workout. It costs £12.99 and can be purchased direct through splashdance on 0708 730431.
Hydro-Fit is Aqua resistance equipment and a training system. The equipment allows one to exercise with variable resistance in either shallow or deep water, consisting of Buoyancy cuffs and Webbed gloves. The training system is headed by Pauline Ivens of Hydro-Fit, director of education. A full certified Hydro-Fit programme is available.
The Equipment is renowned in the States for enhancing the physical properties of water from Buoyancy to resistance. Hydro-Fit offers a complete training system from shallow to deep water. For information on training courses and products, contact Steph Toogood on 0983 840555.
To keep abreast with the Aqua world of teaching you can join the National Organisation for water fitness NOWFIT Tel: 081 878 9868.
Aqua Calendar
Conferences:
1- 15th May International Aquatic fitness Minneapolis, tel: 0298 26332
10 - 12th June Catch the Wave Canada, tel: 010 1 41 675 19823
24 - 26th June Speedo Aquatic Fitness Certification at Summer Fitcamps in London, contact Fitcamps on 081 741 0215
25 - 26th June Aquarobics Midwives course, tel: 081 876 7789
2nd/3rd July Aquarobics Specialist Modules, tel: 081 876 7789