Fitmotivation welcomes Monique Acton and her vast experience with her debut video, Aquatic Gut & Glute Camp. This 60-minute aquatic fitness video is broken into three parts, cardio intervals that emphasize abs and glutes, pool noodle water exercises for the abs and pool noodle water exercises for the glutes.
Monique comes to the Fitmotivation platform with 30 years of experience. She has been educating and certifying aquatic fitness instructors for the Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA) since 1995. Based in Venice, Florida, she also operates her own business, The Personal Health Trac, Inc, where she offers aquatic personal training and aquatic fitness classes.
How to use this video as a class resource
Yes, it can be hard to carve out 60 minutes to watch a video. However, I would like to remind instructors that you don’t have to watch a video in its entirety. Have you been using the video chapters? This is a new feature we launched in early 2023 and it has been a game changer for many busy instructors. Hover over the video timeline and you will see that it is broken into chapters that correspond directly to the notes. Each chapter represents a different segment of the notes. The chapters are titled the same as the segments in the notes. Consider printing out the notes and watching just one video chapter (note segment) at a time. The video will stay in your Continue Watching list (new 2024 feature!) while you watch bits and pieces at a time. None of the videos need to be taught in their entirety. This video in particular can be cherry-picked for short ab & glute segments.
Aqua Fitness Class at-a-Glance
Aquatic Gut & Glute Camp includes a warm-up, cool down and several exercise segments for the three main sections that are 15-20 minutes each.
Main Section 1: Cardio Intervals (Aquatic Intervals 1-4)
This section includes four exercise segments that provide cardio endurance training that emphasizes the glutes and the abs. In each segment, three cardio exercises are performed back-to-back for 1 minute each, followed by a 1-minute recovery exercise that also targets the abs or glutes.
Main Section 2: Pool Noodle Resistance Training for Abs (Aquatic Gut Work 1–4)
This section also includes four exercise segments, each featuring four 1-minute exercises that target the abs with the use of a pool noodle. The exercises are performed standing, seated, prone and reclined.
Main Section 3: Pool Noodle Resistance Training for Glutes (Aquatic Glute Resistance Training)
All of the glute exercises using a pool noodle are included in one longer 18-minute segment.
Below, Monique provides more insight into the creation of Aquatic Gut & Glute Camp
Aquatic Gut & Glute Camp Inspiration
By Monique Acton
The idea behind this workout comes from teaching mixed-level water fitness classes with class members who are ready to progress. This format takes moves they are already familiar with and advances them into next-level movements. During the first main section, we focus on the gluteal muscles by instructing higher intensity cardio intervals. We then follow that up with abdominal work using lower-intensity cardio intervals. The intervals are set up in progressive fashion, with each of the four exercises getting more advanced. This allows your class participants to stay with the movement they are familiar with or advance to the next exercise/level. Utilizing 1-minute exercises allows individuals to work to their fullest while listening to their bodies. They always have an option to dial back whenever needed. Many of the moves are suspended, which is what makes them more advanced. But participants can touch down and then return to the suspended position whenever possible. However, if someone is not comfortable taking their feet off the pool floor at all, be prepared to provide modifications. The interval portion of the class does not require any special equipment, instead it uses a powerful combination of grounded, bounded and suspended moves.
The second and third sections of Aquatic Gut & Glute Camp focus on targeting the abdominal muscles (Aquatic Gut Work 1-4) and the gluteal muscles (Aquatic Glute Resistance Training), using a pool noodle for resistance training. I created these two sections because almost everyone has a pool noodle to bring to the pool to exercise, and almost every instructor has access to pool noodles at their facility. During the abdominal resistance training segment, the body is in various positions, including vertical, modified supine, and modified prone. During the gluteal resistance training segment, the pool noodle is placed under the foot. The leg then moves in various ways to target the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus, along with other lower body muscles depending on the multiple joints involved during the exercise. The gluteal exercises can be progressed by first performing the exercises without a noodle and then advancing to a lightweight noodle, and ultimately to a larger, denser noodle.
I hope your class members enjoy this video as much I did creating this workout.
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Fitmotivation extends a big thank-you to Monique for sharing her vast experience and excellent cueing skills with subscribers. Stay tuned for more videos with her in 2024.