Aquatic training exercises

There are a finite number of Aqua Bootcamp exercises that one can use in an Aqua Bootcamp class. That is, you need to take into account the age of the people in the class, their swimming ability, and their familiarity with water exercises. Regardless of these issues, there are several water exercises that everyone can do.

One of my favorite aqua bootcamp cardio stations is using noodles.

• Sit on the noodle like a horse and keep your feet off the ground = suspend yourself in the water.
• Extend the right leg in front.
• The left leg will simply hang behind you.
• Hold the front of the noodles.
• Dig your right heel into the water, using only your right leg, and kick your way forward, from the edge of the pool to the rope (or other predetermined destination).
• When you reach the rope, turn around, switch legs, using only your left leg.
• Dig your left heel into the water and kick out to the side of the pool.

Depending on how much time is left, they can go back and forth for 2 minutes. Or using the same single leg concept, kick in a circle with one leg and switch to the other leg to circle in the opposite direction.

Perhaps another cardio station idea is:

• Take jump shots/hoop shots for 30 seconds.
• Froggers for 30 seconds.
• Tuck jumps for 30 seconds
• Ending with Tuck Jumps.

Another water camping exercise is a cardio station using dumbbells:

• Cross country ski legs (round trip), feet on the ground.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
• Extend your arms to the sides of your body, palms facing forward as you hold the dumbbells.
• While your legs are in CC Ski, the dumbbell arms will “clap” or come together in front of your body and come back opening your arms out to the side again, and repeat. Do this for 30 seconds.

The next 30 seconds:

• Cross-country ski holding the dumbbells and with the feet suspended/detached from the ground.

When the first minute is over, continue using the dumbbells. The next 30 seconds will be:

• Do Jumping Jack Legs (in and out, feet on the ground).
• Bring your arms out in front, palms down, holding the dumbbells.
• As your legs move in and out, your arms will move back and forth.

It will be followed by the last 30 seconds of:

• Jumping Jacks suspended with dumbbells.

Each of these cardio stations is followed by a 2 minute toning station. These are some of the aquatic exercises that I use to tone up.

• Lie on your stomach.
• Hold on to the edge of the pool.
• Legs are extended behind you.
• Kick your legs behind you.
• Use the whole leg to kick, not just from the knee or just with the feet, the whole leg kicks up and down.
• Do this for 1 minute.

For the next minute:

• Take a noodle.
• Turn onto your back.
• Lie on your back with the noodle around you and under your armpits.
• Extend the body lengthwise.
• Keeping your legs straight, kick your legs out, alternating which leg is on top.

Great toning exercise for the quadriceps and hamstrings, as well as the adductors and abductors.

Another of my favorite aquatic toning exercises is for the chest and abs.

• Take a noodle.
• Hold the noodles shoulder-width apart with an overhand grip.
• Bring your legs out behind you so that you are lying on your stomach.
• As you exhale, straighten your arms as you push the noodle down from your chest.
• Inhale and pull the noodle towards the chest.
• Repeat 12 times.
• Last time, hold the noodle down and make little pulses by pushing it down.
• Pulse 16 times and repeat for 1 minute.

For the next minute of toning at this toning station:

• Use the same noodles.
• Continue lying on your stomach.
• The arms are extended downwards holding the noodle.
• Keep the noodles stationary.
• Bring the navel closer to the spine and inhale.
• As you exhale, bring your knees into the noodle.
• Then kick your legs back.
• Repeat this exercise for 1 minute.

Using a kick board provides great resistance and offers great toning!

• Grab a skateboard.
• Hold the kick board at each end horizontally. (Not as if you were going to use it to kick).
• Place the surfboard in the water vertically, while holding onto each end.
• Place one leg in front of the other. Tight tummy. Shoulders back.
• Exhale and push the board forward (away).
• Inhale and pull it towards you.
• Keep repeating for 1 minute.

For the next minute, continue using the kick board:

• Lay the surfboard horizontally on the water.
• Place both hands on top of the kick board.
• One leg is in front of the other. Tight tummy. Shoulders back.
• Exhale and push the board down.
• As you inhale, control the board as it rises to the surface.
• Repeat by pushing the surfboard into the water and controlling the rise.
• Do not lean on the scooter to lower it! Stand tall and keep your upper body upright!

You now have several aqua bootcamp exercises. You can incorporate these 3 cardio and toning exercises into your Aqua Bootcamp class or perhaps sprinkle them into a regular aquatic workout. My next article will explain a suspended workout even if you have a shallower pool.