Sometimes you need something on the fly to insert into your class to give it a fresh look. How about a new ending? ShaDeep Core Finale just posted and features a core super combo that serves as a cooldown, along with a relaxing yoga stretch. This blog also includes a video tutorial on WHY a belt should be worn in deep water exercise.
Creating a new routine can be time consuming. Sometimes you just need a new warm-up, combo, drill, cool down or stretch to make it look like you did some lesson planning. And when we lack time to do even that, simply changing up the sequence of exercises can be a sufficient con job for making the students think the workout is different.
Short an express video this month, I had to step up to the plate and deliver some expedient aqua fitness action. Bored to death of my cool down and final stretch, I opted to create a new ending to serve as video content. The intent was to create a deep cool down and stretch since we have been short on deep-water content recently. However, I discovered the routine was a tweak or two away from also working in shallow water. Therefore, I began practicing the routine in my shallow water classes. This express video is now labeled “ShaDeep” because my shallow water students loved the suspended challenge this core combo provided.
SHA-DEEP CORE FINALE: VIDEO-AT-A-GLANCE
Segment 1: This segment shows the core combo being taught in the deep end. There are essentially four parts to this combo. Skis, jack tucks, frog tucks and regular tucks are first shown with spinal flexion and rotation occurring vertical. Each is then progressed to “vertizontal” and the core action becomes more pronounced in a reclined position.
Segment 2: The core super combo is now shown in shallow water with vertical demonstration as the modification for those students who do not want to remove their feet off the pool floor. The vertizontal version is then offered for those hearty students who love a suspended challenge. Suspended moves are water-specific, meaning they can’t be done on land and so this provides an aquatic thrill for your students.
Segment 3: A short 4-minute yoga stretch is demonstrated in deep water. The same stretch can be taught in shallow water.
WHY WEAR A BELT?
Having taught hundreds of workshops over the last 17 years, I can confidently state that frustrations regarding flotation belts are second only to chatty students in terms of instructor pet peeves. The frustration seems to stem from students who claim they got a better workout in deep water without a belt. The problem with this claim is that it is contraindicated from established guidelines, such as standards set by the Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA), the world’s leading certifying body of water fitness instructors. These standards clearly state that a belt should be worn for safety reasons. This makes total sense because sudden onset health crises, such as low blood sugar, seizures, stroke and heart attack can and do happen during exercise. If a person is stricken in the deep end without a belt on, an instructor has big problems on their hands.
However, when a student asks why they need to wear a belt and you reply citing safety reasons they typically roll their eyes and tell you what a great swimmer they are. Safety concerns aren’t going to sway them. Instead, you need to tell them how much more effective the deep-water workout could be if they attached neutral buoyancy to their waist. If you are dealing with a Doubting Thomas in your class, below is a short video tutorial explaining some reasons WHY a deep-water FITNESS workout is more effective with a belt.
Subscribers often reach out to me and ask for recommendations on belts. That is tough one because all bodies are built different and preferences from wide to narrow run the gamut. As stated in the video above, I prefer narrow ski belt styles and my current favorite is the Water Gym belt.
Also mentioned in the video above is the Water Horse, popularized by Karen Westfall and Waterworkout.com. Often times, students will claim discomfort as a reason they don’t wear a belt or in the case of obese students the belt may not fit. The Water Horse goes under the legs rather than around the waist.
Whether you teach this super combo in shallow or deep water, I think your students will enjoy this core inspired finale. And stay tuned…the product links above take you to the PoolFit Marketplace, but a Fitmotivation Marketplace is under construction and will include additional products specific to the needs of instructors.