Roll out the noodle cart and treat your class members to a triathlon challenge. Help your participants channel their inner athlete with pool noodle exercises that simulate swimming, biking, and running. Triathlon Training with Jackie Lebeau is a 50-minute aquatic fitness instructor video that showcases innovative class programming and creative noodle ideas.
POOL NOODLE CREATIVITY
Who knew you could recreate a triathlon in the pool with a simple noodle? As instructors know, a pool noodle is the most versatile piece of water fitness equipment you could have for your classes Pool noodles can be used for resistance training and they can also be used as buoyant support as shown in this Triathlon Training video. Even better, noodles are also the most affordable water fitness equipment, which is why almost all instructors have access to pool noodles. The noodle used in this video was purchased at the Dollar Store for less than $2.00. You don’t need expensive noodles to create a fun and challenging aquatic fitness class.
AQUATIC FITNESS CLASS-AT-A-GLANCE
Triathlon Training is a 50-minute water fitness instructor video that includes a short warm-up and cool down and six triathlon circuits that feature a 3-2-1 exercise format. Fitmotivation has featured this 3-2-1 format in other videos because it is an easy way to create circuits that include various fitness components or activities. Each circuit in this video includes 3 minutes of swim-inspired exercises, 2 minutes of biking and 1 minute of running. This video was produced in shallow water but can be easily adapted to deep water. Watch Jackie talk more about Triathlon Training in the video below, and then read more about what is involved with the individual activities of swim, bike and run.
SWIM
Swimming always comes first in a triathlon event, followed by biking and running. Therefore, Jackie designed the circuits to feature the swim-style activities first. The swim portion is performed for 3 minutes, with 90-seconds devoted to kicking drills and 90 seconds for upper body pull techniques. According to Jackie, many of her class members are also swimmers, but she says there are many in her classes who do not have strong swim skills. “I wanted to create a workout that was inspired by swimming but still accessible for non-swimmers,” says Jackie. The noodle provides buoyant support that helps to support the non-swimmers in the horizontal kicking drills.
BIKE
The biking portion of each circuit is performed for 2 minutes and executed on a pool noodle in various positions. “Those variations don't mimic true biking technique, but it does make the workout more interesting,” claims Jackie.
RUN
The running/sprinting portion finishes up each circuit and is performed for 1 minute. In the video, Jackie performs three of the runs in shallow water and three in deep water with the buoyant support of the pool noodle. However, he sprints can be performed all in one depth. “We spend the least amount of time on this sport, but with it being at the end of each circuit as the finisher, the expectation is that your class members will really push themselves with a hard sprint,” says Jackie.
Fitmotivation extends a big thank you to Jackie for sharing a creative triathlon-inspired aquatic fitness class with subscribers. Check out her library of Fitmotivation videos. Stay tuned for two more videos with Jackie posting this winter/spring. Below, check out a fun video of her November 2023 filming adventures in Sarasota, Florida.