Exercise your entire body with that amazing equipment called - WATER. Italian IAFC presenter, Andrea Gilardoni, uses a precise superset formula to train anterior and posterior muscles groups for the lower and upper body using the water’s resistance. This cardio toning pool workout also includes a core segment.
Last month, Miff Hendriksen shared her own style of aquatic superset training and now it’s Andrea’s turn to showcase a method of combining exercises that target opposing muscle groups while providing an effective aerobic workout. Submerged movement against the water’s resistance is ideal for training opposing muscle groups that are paired on the shoulder, elbow, hip and knee joints. Movement in water – without equipment or with drag equipment - is resisted in all directions. If you push your arms forward in the water from the shoulder joint, the anterior muscle groups are targeted, including chest, anterior deltoid and biceps. The arms automatically must pull back and when they do, the posterior muscles – lats, triceps and posterior deltoids are targeted by the water’s resistance.
Superset training in the water is simple and effective thanks to submerged resistance in all directions. You can leave the handheld equipment in the storage room because there is no need for adding any equipment to this workout. The water itself is a powerful form of equipment and instructors and class participants should become proficient in using submerged resistance. Adding foam hand buoys would completely change the outcome of this workout – and not in a good way. Drag equipment, such as webbed gloves or Aqualogix belles and blades can be used in the workout but only after participants become proficient at using the water’s resistance.
H2O POWER TONE: VIDEO-AT-A-GLANCE
This workout includes six Power Tone segments, two for legs, three for upper body and one for core.
LOWER BODY FORMULA – 6 Progressions
- ½ Water Tempo Movement
- Water Tempo Movement
- Repeater 3 with bounce center
- Repeater 3 & hold (balance)
- Repeater 3 & jump
- Repeater 3 & kick combination
UPPER BODY FORMULA
- Four movements performed bilateral
- Same four movements performed unilateral
- Repeat and add tempo (speed) variations
Power Tone #1: Lower Body – Sagittal Plane
The first segment targets opposing muscle groups of the lower body with flexion and extension of the legs at the hip joint. The first six moves feature a front kick (hip flexion) and target the hip flexors and quadriceps. The second six moves feature a rear kick (hip extension) and target the glutes and hamstrings.
Power Tone #2: Upper Body – Chest
This segment features four bilateral pressing (shoulder flexion) and horizontal (transverse shoulder adduction) movements that target the anterior muscles of the upper body, including chest and anterior deltoids. The same four movements are then performed unilaterally.
Power Tone #3: Lower Body – Frontal Plane
This segment targets opposing muscle groups of the lower body with hip abduction and adduction. The first six moves feature a side kick (hip abduction) and target the hip abductors (outer thigh). The second six moves feature a cross kick (hip adduction) and target the hip adductors (inner thigh).
Power Tone #4: Upper Body – Back
This segment features four bilateral pulling (shoulder extension) and horizontal (transverse shoulder abduction) movements that target the posterior muscles of the upper body, including lats and posterior deltoids. The same four movements are then performed unilaterally.
Power Tone #5: Core
This segment targets the core with a more linear presentation of exercises that include spinal flexion with unilateral and bilateral tucking movements, as well as pausing and rotation.
Power Tone #6: Upper Body – Biceps & Triceps
This segment features two shoulder/elbow flexion bilateral movements that target the biceps and two shoulder/elbow extension bilateral movements that target the triceps. The same four movements are then performed unilaterally.
Fitmotivation extends a big thank you to Andrea Gilardoni for once again sharing his aqua passion and for providing subscribers with some high octane Italian energy. Be sure to check out his other videos, including Aqua Functional AMRAPS, Aqua Fusion and Aqua Combat Cardio Mixes.