Customizable Aqua Circuit Format

Tuesday, July 25 2023

Just posted! Stephanie Newberry, founder of AquaGym Fitness showcases a simplified circuit format for cardio, muscle conditioning and core training. Each circuit includes three exercise stations that can easily be customized to reflect the equipment you have on hand, preferred depth and intended fitness goals. The exercises are performed for 1 minute each followed by 15 seconds of recovery and then repeated. This 50-minute class format includes 5 circuits.

 

 

Truth be told, I can honestly say that I have actively avoided instructing circuit training formats over the last 25 years. However, I do recall having to teach circuits formats on the road for aquatic fitness events and it nearly killed me. Having my students doing different exercises at various stations around the pool is a chaotic cluster I wouldn’t wish on anyone. Apparently, Stephanie has discovered this herself over the years. Hence, she has invented an easy-to-teach circuit with just three stations and a simple timing ratio. 

CLASS-AT-A-GLANCE
Simple Circuits is a 48-minute aquatic fitness video that includes a warm-up, cool down and five circuits. Each circuit includes three different exercise stations. All exercises are performed for 60 seconds minute followed by 15 seconds of rest, and then all three exercises are repeated one more time. Repetition helps improve class members’ form and fatigues their muscles more efficiently.
Below are the three exercise stations in the five circuits:
Exercise #1:  Aqualogix belles - upper body and core training.
Exercise #2:  Foam dumbbells - upper body training.
Exercise #3:  No equipment - water’s resistance for total body and core conditioning. 
Watch Stephanie talk more about Simple Circuits and learn how you can customize the template.

 

 

CUSTOMIZING TEMPLATE
The brilliance of a simple template such as this is that it can be easily customized and reused with different fitness goals, exercises, formats and equipment. If you don’t have Aqualogix belles or foam dumbbells, consider using webbed gloves, pool noodles, kickboards, the pool wall or whatever you have on hand. Obviously, the exercises will have to be modified to reflect the changes you implement. The consistent 00:60/00:15 timing ratio makes it easy to simply select some of your personal favorite exercises. Customizing allows you to reinvent this simple circuit template over and over.   

Fitmotivation extends a big thank you to Stephanie Newberry and the AquaGym Fitness team for another challenging class template.  Check out Stephanie’s Fitmotivation video library.

Author: Mark Grevelding is the founder of Fitmotivation. He is also a training specialist and consultant with the Aquatic Exercise Association’s (AEA). Mark has been active in the fitness industry for 22 years as a group fitness instructor, personal trainer, international presenter and a continuing education provider for AEA, AFAA & ACE.