Network Magazine Summer 2016 | Page 51

AQUA INSPIRATION By thinking outside the box and using the edge of the pool as a training tool, you can deliver an awesome and original aqua workout. WORDS: DEBI GODFREY ow many times have you turned up to instruct your aqua class with a class plan in mind, only to be told that ‘due to restrictions in the pool today, you only have one lane available’? Well, it’s time for Plan B to look like a wellpolished Plan A. One constant that we have in the pool is an edge. So, the edge of the pool/wall/barre is where we should focus our exercises. For an entire 45 minutes? Yes, why not? The wall of the pool offers some fantastic advantages: • It is the perfect place to hold on to, lean against, aim for, and hang off. • It is the perfect place to provide an amazing amount of turbulence. As you push water towards the wall it pushes it right back at you. • Participants cannot talk to each other easily, so it cuts out the chit-chat. • As instructor, you have a great vantage point to check participants’ technique. H Upper body Let’s begin by looking at some simple moves for the upper body that use the wall as a training aid. With participants facing the wall, keep them at arm’s length from the wall for a move that I refer to as ‘hand taps’. By using this term, as opposed to ‘hit’ or ‘punch’, participants will only touch the wall lightly. This movement requires your participants to engage their stabilising muscles. Variations on this exercise can be alternating taps, cross taps, single arm taps, unison taps, and diagonal tap with a triceps kickback. Another favourite is the reverse breaststroke arm movement. This is very effective, as it forces the water into the wall and therefore causes a great amount of turbulence as the water pushes back to the participant. Variations on this movement are both arms in unison, alternating arms and infinity arms. Lower body Moving to the lower half of the body, the options are limitless. Keep your participants at leg’s length from the wall for the movement I call ‘foot The 30-second article • The edge of the pool can serve as an anchor point for participants to hold onto, and can also enable high levels of turbulence to be created • The wall enables effective upper body exercises such as numerous variations of ‘hand taps’ and the reverse breaststroke, as well as lower body ‘foot tap’ variations • Changing participants’ direction so they are facing sideways or with back against the wall enables additional challenge to be created • Even if you never have to deliver a class against the wall, you can add variety and interest to workouts by including one or two wall combinations in your classes. NETWORK SUMMER 2016 | 51