Many people choose aqua classes because they want to exercise pain-free. Exercising in shallow water can still cause quite a bit of joint impact unless the class is specifically designed to reduce impact. Australian Aqua Expert, Dom Gili, is back with 21 more aqua fitness combinations that remove the impact but leave the challenge and benefits. And this time his low-impact formulas include hand buoys and noodles.
Anti-Aging Aqua (part 2) includes 7 segments, each featuring 3 combinations: 1) Coordination challenge mixing up arm & leg movements 2) Single-buoy asymmetrical formula targeting strength, balance & stability 3) Grounded & suspended noodle core work.
Every aquatic fitness instructor should be educated and empowered with the knowledge to cleanse gravity and impact from their shallow water classes. Many of the students attend class because they want to exercise despite having an assortment of aches and pains. Jumping jacks, cross country skis, moguls and hops are all high impact moves that can exacerbate aches and pains if precautions are not taken to remove the impact.
There are essentially three ways to remove impact from a shallow water exercise program. The first strategy is to include a healthy amount of grounded/anchored movement. A move is grounded when one or both feet remain on the pool floor at all times. The emphasis shifts to upper body. The second solution is to cleanse the gravity from the movement by exercising in neutral or Level II position. Performing a semi-squat and lowering the shoulders to the surface of the water so that the body is in full buoyancy achieves this. The third method is to perform the movements in zero gravity by fully suspending the body with feet off of the pool floor.
The Anti-Aging Aqua series (Part 1 & 2) utilizes the methods above and provides instructors with 42 different combinations that are low impact yet retain benefits for cardio, coordination, balance, core, muscular endurance and agility. An expert at educating instructors on the “why” behind the movements, Dom’s delivers a “must-see” educational tutorial that strips out impact but leaves plenty of creativity and challenge.
ANTI-AGING AQUA 2: VIDEO AT A GLANCE
The 21 combinations are divided into 7 segments, each featuring a lower body base move. The 7 segments each include three combinations/formulas.
Formula 1: Coordination Challenge
This formula is broken into 3 parts. 1) Introduce the lower body base pattern without arms. 2) Demonstrate an arm pattern in three without using the legs. A move in three is cued as single, single, hold. 3) Combine the lower body base move with the arm pattern in three. Legs continuously moving while arms remain rhythmically in three (singe, single hold). Repeat all 3 parts with a new variation of arms in three. Try to choose arm variations in a different movement plane.
Formula 2: Single Buoy
Each buoy segment starts with a single buoy handover. 1) The buoy is simply transferred from one hand to the other without any lower body movement. 2) The same lower body base is then combined with the single buoy handover. 3) The alternating lower body base move is then performed with an arm movement first in right hand only – and then in left hand. Repeat all 3 parts with a different arm movement. Choose arm variations in a different movement plane.
Formula 3: Noodle
The same lower body base move is adapted and performed with the noodle in various body positions. When possible, the move is first show with feet touching the pool floor and then suspended. It can be broken down into 4 parts: 1) Alternating/reciprocal lower body base move 2) Bilateral symmetrical lower body base move 3) Unilateral lower body (right) 4) Unilateral lower body left. Repeat all four moves suspended for optimal core challenge.
Instructors who like to teach with structure and with a template will love the Anti-Aging Aqua series because of the pre-formatted formulas. Templates such as these allow instructors to mix & match and insert their own favorite moves into the pre-formatted formulas. Older adults appreciate formatted programs because they represent predictability, which increases confidence while exercising.
Fitmotivation extends THANKS once again to Dom for sharing his passion and knowledge with subscribers. Check out Dom’s other Fitmotivation videos, including Anti-Aging Aqua (part 1). Looking for AEA CECs? Dom’s Video, So You Think You Can Aqua, includes a CEC handout and quiz worth 2.0 AEA CECS. You can follow Dom at his website, Aqua Fitness Online, and through the Facebook page.
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