Feeling bored with your classes? Try cutting up some of your older noodles into quarters and reinventing your cardio segment with some added resistance. Whether you are substituting the quarter noodles for hand buoys or trying something new, the quarters noodles can be used in a variety of ways in your aqua fitness classes.
Instructors and facilities often have to be thrifty with their limited budgets. Cutting older noodles into quarters is an economical way to provide added resistance if hand buoys are not available or are too bulky for your more deconditioned students. Belgian Aqua Expert, Martine Flamen, first gave us quarter noodle ideas for toning, balance and core in the video, Quarter Noodle AquaFit. Martine is back with a super cardio combo in the express video, Quarter Noodle Choreography.
Noodle choreography is not new and has been shown in other videos, including Noodle Cardio Mixes and Choreography for the Core 2. However, movement can be limited when using one long pool noodle. Cutting a noodle into quarters provides shorter pieces that can be moved in more directions for enhanced creativity and function.
Quarter noodles used for cardio should definitely be the less dense, cheaper (Dollar Store) types of noodles. Larger, dense noodles would be hard to grip and too buoyant for faster paced choreography. Likewise, most hand buoys would not be a suitable replacement due to the size, shape and density of larger foam dumbbells. Smaller hand buoys could be considered. For more information on quarter noodles, please read the blog for Quarter Noodle AquaFit.
Fitmotivation extends a big THANK YOU to Martine Flamen for once again sharing her talents and passion with subscribers. Martine has become known as somewhat of an “influencer & innovator” on Fitmotivation. In 2016, her video, Aqua Ball Workout, caused a mad rush to the Dollar Store to buy small plastic balls. In 2017, she introduced “parachuting” to video subscribers with her video, Aqua Plastic Bag Workout. In 2018, she showcased a hybrid swim and aquafit class in the video, Aqua Fit Swim.