Aquafitness

Give your workouts, or those of your clients, some variation!

• If you’re healing from an illness or accident, ease into exercising.
• Avoid training with high impact on the body.
• Have fun while you work out; the majority of aqua fitness workouts are done in groups or teams.
• Be a specialist in fitness who has a wide range of knowledge.

What you must understand!

• There are several health advantages to swimming.
• Targeted muscle groups are stretched and toned.
• Resistance training and isometric exercises develop muscles.
• The use of weights underwater is one of the possible routines.
• The water’s resistance makes the exercise more effective.
• Exercises done in the water are less likely to harm your muscles or joints.

This is the perfect course for professional development because it is thorough and will guide you through:

• the advantages of aquatic exercise, how it varies from other forms of exercise,
• what is required to conduct a class,
• the sorts of exercises and programme layout, aqua fitness principles,
• safety and health,
• and class leadership in fitness.

For greater results, apply fresh and creative ways to your work.

• Physiology and occupational therapy in rehabilitation
• Coach of sports
• Teacher of Physical Education
• Individual Trainer
• Swimming Instructor

 

Lesson Structure

There are 7 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction
   • Scope and Nature of Aqua Exercise
   • Characteristics of Water; Buoyancy, Cooling, Decreased compression forces, Hydrostatic Pressure, Increased Resistance, etc
   • Respiratory Fitness
   • Aquatherapy; for flexibility, strength, muscle re-education, balance, muscle spasms, etc
   • Physiology of an Aqua Exercise Session; stages 1, 2 and 3
   • What Affects Fitness
   • Managing Aqua Facilities
2. Equipment and Facilities
   • Pool Conditions
   • Pool Design
   • Clientele
   • Atmosphere
   • Financial Constraints
   • Overall Arrangement of Pool Facilities
   • Type of Pool
   • Reception and Office
   • Pool Tank Design and depth
   • Swim Jets, Rails, Rings
   • Pool Renovation
   • Toilet and Locker Room Facilities
   • Water Quality
   • Managing Aquatic Facilities
   • Equipment; kick boards, float belts, goggles, neck supports, flippers, face masks, ear plugs, balls, paddles, floatation bar bells, webbed gloves, stretch chords, weights, mats, aqua lungs
   • Clothing and Sun Protection
   • Hats, Caps, Sunglasses, Heart monitors, Stop Watches, etc
   • Appropriate Student Numbers
   • Music
   • Safety in the Pool
   • Public Pools
   • First Aid
   • Teaching Swimming
   • Life Guards
3. Types of Exercises
   • Stretching
   • Calf muscles
   • Pectoral girdle
   • Hip flexor
   • Triceps
   • Hamstrings
   • Biceps
   • Quadriceps
   • Lower and upper back
   • Types of Exercises
   • Aerobic Exercise
   • Anaerobic Exercise
   • Exercises for Shallow Water
   • Exercises for Deep Water
   • Deep Water Running
   • Intensity Variables; speed, power, range of movement, elevation
   • Teaching Deep Water Running
   • When You Get in the Water
4. Hydrostatic and Hydrodynamic Principles
   • General Principles of Aquafitness
   • Specific Gravity, Pressure, Flow, Energy, Momentum
   • Buoyancy in the Water
   • Warm Up
   • Recovery
   • Winding Up an Exercise Session
   • Cool Down Stage
   • Muscle Conditioning
   • Weight in Water
   • Body Alignment in Water
   • Knee Safety
   • Training Heart Rate
5. Safety & Health
   • Exercises for Special Groups
   • Health Disorders
   • Aged People
   • Overweight People
   • Arthritis, Asthma and Diabetes Sufferers
   • Pregnant Women
   • Fibromyalgia Sufferers
   • Safety and Health
   • Pre Exercise Screening Checklist
   • Legal Liability
   • Insurance
   • Contributory Negligence
   • Occupational Health and Safety
6. Program Design
   • Requirements to Deliver Appropriate Aqua Based Programs
   • Process for Program Design
   • Improving Cardio Respiratory Fitness
   • Building Strength
   • Improving Flexibility
   • Duration of Sessions
   • Examples of Types of Programs
   • Stages of a Program; Introduction, Warm Up, Main Body, Intensity Levels, Recovery
   • Concluding a Session and Cool Down
   • Writing a Program Plan
7. Leading a Program
   • Leading a Class
   • When you Teach from the Pool
   • Teaching out of the Pool
   • Teaching both In and Out of the Pool
   • Introducing New People to an Aqua Class
   • Leadership Concepts
   • Leader Communication
   • Common Communication Barriers
   • Appropriate Numbers in a Class
   • Preparing for a Class
   • Tips for Running a Class

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school’s tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

What You Will Do

• Learn the differences between aquafitness exercises and other forms of exercise.
• Acquire the abilities and information necessary for choosing, utilising, and managing the facilities and equipment needed for aquafitness activities.
• Learn about a variety of different aerobic and anaerobic motions that can be used into aquafitness regimens.
• Learn the concepts that guide the creation of a suitable aquafitness programme.
• Find out what special needs groups need in terms of aquafitness training.
• Discover the value of creating appropriate aqua-based programmes and how to deliver them in order to maintain or increase your aerobic fitness.
• Learn the abilities that will improve your ability to lead an aquafitness programme.

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The market urgently needs water fitness instructors, so broaden your skill set.

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The buoyancy effect of water counteracts the force of gravity when a person’s body is partially submerged in water (ie. the water pushes you up to the surface – or causes your body to float, countering gravity which pulls you down). Overall, the body’s up and down motion is less abrupt (than on land). While having the same workload and motion, the water resistance makes it seem more soothing. This combines the benefits of a low impact workout with a high impact workout. For older folks looking to exercise, water is a great option. In this situation, the water serves as a support and permits movement and flexibility that might not be possible on dry land.

Cooling Water
Depending on the water’s temperature, exercising in the water can help the body cool down more quickly than exercising on land. However, it is crucial that the water you are exercising in is not too cold because being submerged in really cold water can cause you to lose too much body heat quickly.

Reduced Compression Forces
On land, the body’s weight tends to compress joints (eg. Weight above the base of the spine causes the joints at the bottom of the spine to squash together). When the body is submerged in water, these compression forces are much reduced.

Even hydrostatic pressure is applied to the body.
At any particular water depth, the body is under an equal amount of pressure from all sides. This reduces any harm caused by abrupt or erratic movement. Water dampens, buffers, and slows down such movements. There is less wear and tear on the joints when the body is submerged in water because these forces of compression are greatly reduced.

Blood Movement May Be Affected by Hydrostatic Pressure
The pressure on the skin of any submerged bodily part will be greater than the skin’s usual air pressure. Because of this, the heart must pump blood more forcefully to reach blood vessels near the skin’s surface. Exercise’s principal purpose is to raise heart rate, therefore doing so makes it easier to achieve the requirements. But it also needs to be closely monitored, especially if any of the participants have a history of high blood pressure issues.

Greater Resistance to Moves of the Body
When compared to the same movement in air, the resistance to motion in water can be up to 830 times larger. The main focus of water fitness regimens is just this. Water training is perfect for all age groups and fitness levels since it combines a higher work load with a softer, more encouraging environment. The physical condition and level of fitness of professional swimmers and triathletes provide evidence that water sports can be physically taxing. But, it may also be moderate, making it a good kind of exercise for almost everyone. It can also be increased as one’s level of fitness grows.

 

FITNESS FOR RESPIRATION

Aquatic exercise is very good for the lungs. Any exercise, whether on land or in the water, that raises heart rate also raises breathing depth. Lung capacity is gradually raised by breathing in deeper. However, unlike activity on land, severe exercise can be prevented by the water’s ability to cool the body down and reduce excessive sweating (and rapid water loss).

Lung capacity is divided into three categories: residual volume, tidal volume, and vital capacity. The air that remains in the lungs after all air has been exhaled is known as residual volume. About 25% of the lungs still hold some air even after we have physically ejected all of the air from our bodies. The amount of air that is inhaled and exhaled during a regular breathing rhythm is known as tidal volume. The total amount of lung space available for holding air is known as vital capacity. It is the total of the tidal volume, the inspiratory reserve volume, and the residual volume, or the amount of air that can be inhaled but is not necessary for normal breathing (like taking a deep breath before diving in a pool.)

Swimming is very beneficial for expanding lung capacity since it encourages deeper breathing in addition to stimulating the body to breathe more, especially while swimming underwater or in laps. Swimmers frequently have a higher vital capacity than non-swimmers.

 

AQUATHERAPY

Aquatic exercise is very beneficial as a therapeutic technique for persons who are recovering from an accident or have another issue that prevents them from exercising on land. A person’s capacity to engage in more traditional exercise can be hampered by a variety of factors (such as surgery, excruciating pain, and various disabilities), but water exercise, when correctly recommended, may be a highly suitable alternative. Every sort of exercise should be started after seeing a doctor or physiotherapist, especially if there are any unique circumstances. Also, they might be able to recommend specific workouts to attempt and those to avoid. The water might decrease the impact, but it can also hide soreness or pain if muscles are overworked for an extended period of time. This is a worry.

 

Flexibility
When submerged, the body may move more naturally because the effects of gravity are lessened. This might make it possible to stretch an injured body part more while yet minimising pain. For older folks, exercise can be challenging due to limited flexibility as well as pain from wear and tear, arthritis, etc. Stretching can be crucial for improving recuperation or enabling more flexibility in movement, both on and off the water. Hence, flexibility can eventually grow as a result of water exercise.

Strength
Muscles will become stronger as they are moved through water because the resistance it provides is more than that of air. Several actions taken, particularly during aerobic exercise, not only result in a rise in heart rate and the associated aerobic advantages, but also in an increase in muscular tone due to the extra resistance. The same can be said when contrasting running with swimming. While still using the legs, swimming will provide a much greater upper body workout than running or jogging, which primarily uses the legs (and, to a lesser extent, the arms from swinging in time).

Retraining of Muscles
The way that some muscles move may change after surgery or a catastrophic injury, and the affected body part may need to be taught how to move correctly again. Muscles can become extremely weak, challenging to function, and easily harmed after a period of minimal (or no) activity.
In water, where the muscles are supported by buoyancy and consequently more easily manipulated, this re-education may be more simpler.

Balance
Because the body moves more slowly when in water, a person has more time to correct for loss of balance. This improves movement coordination and lessens the possibility of falling-related injuries. Although the activity will slow down in the water, it will be simpler to maintain proper form and posture, which is frequently a challenge to getting the greatest benefits, particularly in aerobics.

Spasms of muscles
Muscle spasms can be brought on by a variety of diseases, some of which are mild while others are severe. Cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and strokes are a few examples. Movement is frequently considerably simpler in water than on land for people with these impairments. The benefits of buoyancy are not the only ones; if the water is warm enough, the muscles can be maintained warm throughout training, which reduces muscle spasms since blood circulation is improved.