The above video preview is for Deck Cueing Skills, posted on 8/10/15
Recently, I observed an aquatic fitness class being led by a seasoned group fitness instructor. The instructor was new to aqua and she energetically performed jacks, jogs, skis and more at full impact during the entire class. Ouch. My crystal ball tells me she won’t be doing that for long.
As a training specialist for the Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA), I get an eyeful while watching the exam candidates perform the group deck demonstration portion of the pool practical. The purpose of this group demonstration is for the candidates to demonstrate a grasp of tempo and movement demonstration on deck. Invariably many of the candidates perform the moves at full impact and I have to remind them to use low or non-impact demonstration.
The irony of teaching aquatic fitness is that the workout the students are doing in the pool is wonderfully low impact but leading the movement from deck is anything but. Teaching movements at full impact for a whole class will exhaust you and worse. The good news is that education and experience can help an instructor learn how to teach more sanely and safely from deck.
Since launching the video service 8 months ago, I have received several emails from new instructors telling me how much the videos are helping them and their classes. One of the emails contained a request for guidance in learning how to teach and cue movement from deck. Ask and you shall receive! The video, Deck Cueing Skills, is about protecting your body, your health and your voice from overuse and injury with three deck cueing skills - low impact movement demonstration, non-impact movement demonstration and visual cueing.
**Deck Cueing Skills: Main Points **
Learn how to teach two-footed moves with low impact lower body demonstration.
Discover how to teach one-footed moves with plantar flexion replacing weight transfer.
Experience movement demonstration from a chair.
Learn how to use arms as legs.
Explore ways to utilize props & signs.
Examine hand signals that convey movement.
Learn how to exaggerate performance to convey movement.
Discover facial expressions that convey movement.
Bringing new moves to your classes is always fun and exciting but learning new techniques TO MOVE your students is what creates the whole package. Watching videos and going to workshops provides you an opportunity to observe and absorb the cueing techniques of other leaders.
Stay tuned! Next week the video, Aqua Musicology, will post. Based on another request from a new instructor, this video will provide a ‘how to’ guide for teaching to the beat and phrasing of the music. An extended educational handout and AEA CEC quiz will be created for the cueing and music videos.