Christine Alexander is the author of 2 books on water exercise each published by Human Kinetics.
Water Fitness Progressions (2019) was written for water fitness instructors and aquatic personal trainers. It describes how to use periodization to help class participants and clients progress in their level of fitness. It contains lesson plans that illustrate how to progressively increase intensity for both cardiorespiratory endurance and strength training.
Water Fitness Lesson Plans and Choreography (2011) was written for water fitness instructors. It has 36 class ideas for shallow water exercise and 36 class ideas for deep water exercise. Individuals may find the exercise descriptions and photos useful for building a personal exercise routine.
Nearly every pool has noodles. They are inexpensive and available every summer in many different kinds of stores. They come thick or thin, with or without holes in the middle, and in many different colors.
You can also spend more for denser noodles from Hydro-Fit or square Sqoodles from AquaJogger. These provide more buoyancy, resistance and support than the regular pool noodles.
The uses for pool noodles are almost endless. Hold them in the hands for upper body strength training. Sit on it like a swing, wrap one around your lower back, or ride it like a bicycle for suspended exercises. Recline on the noodle lengthwise for crunches. Stand on a noodle for lower body strength training and balance work. Noodles are also great for partner work. If you have more than one type of noodle to choose from, the noodle you use for a specific exercise will depend on your goals.
Upper Body Strength Training.
if your focus is muscular endurance, use the smaller noodles and perform more reps. If your focus is muscular strength, use the more buoyant noodles and perform fewer reps. Hold the noodle with your hands shoulder distance apart. If the hands are too narrow, the shoulders are rounded. If the hands are too wide, the shoulder blades are out of neutral. Some exercises you can do are row, push forward, push down, triceps extension, push-ups leaning forward with the toes on the floor or suspended, and burpees. For a video demonstration of how to do burpees in deep water, click burpees. In shallow water, jump up instead of flutter kicking to elevate the shoulders. Use one hand to press a noodle down, or perform jumping jacks or cross-country ski. Hold the ends of the noodle like a rainbow and touch the ends in a chest fly, or hold the ends together and perform shoulder flexion. Wrap the noodle around your waist, hold it in that position with your elbows and perform a rotator cuff sweep.
Suspended Exercises.
For suspended exercises, a smaller noodle will work, but the denser noodles provide more support. Sitting on a noodle like a swing challenges balance. In this position you can perform seated kicks, unison kicks (mermaid), seated jacks with legs straight, bent knee jacks, seated leg press, bicycle, flutter kick, point and flex the feet, and hip hike. You can do most of the same exercises with the noodle wrapped around your lower back (also called positioned in a posterior sling) which provides more stability. Do not position the noodle in the arm pits because that causes impingement in the shoulder joints which may lead to a rotator cuff tear. With the noodle wrapped around the lower back do a waist twist instead of a hip hike. Try a Pilates move, such as single leg stretch (see the center photo). Stretch the arms side to side and you can do side-lying moves such as bicycle, jog, flutter kick and cross-country ski. If you want to do suspended travel, sitting on a noodle like bicycle is the way to go. You can bicycle, or reverse pedal to go backward, and travel with seated jacks, seated kick and cross-country ski. Cross the ankles and row using only the arms for canoe races.
Recline on the Noodle.
If I’m going to do crunches, this is the noodle position that I prefer. Reclining on the noodle puts you in the correct position to perform crunches. Focus on bringing your chest toward your knees which contracts the abdominals rather than bringing your knees to your chest which works the hip flexors. Participants with osteoporosis should not do crunches because forward flexion compresses the discs of the spine and may cause microfractures. This is why I seldom do crunches with my classes. More often we focus on core stabilization. Put the noodle between the knees, then raise and lower the knees until you find neutral.
Stand on the Noodle.
With lower body strength training, the smaller noodles are best for focusing on muscular endurance, and the more buoyant noodles are best for improving muscular strength. The Sqoodle is easier to manage under the feet because of its flat surfaces. Put one foot on the noodle and perform a leg press in front to work the quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves. Perform a leg press to the side to work the inner thigh. Keep the leg straight and perform a small hip extension for the glutes; the noodle flies out from under the foot with a larger hip extension. Perform squats standing on the noodle with both feet. Do a reverse squat by lifting the feet (and the noodle) off the floor. Lift one foot at a time and use the noodle like a stair climber. Stand on the noodle and drop the toes to the floor for the calves and the heels to the floor for the tibialis anterior. Balance with one foot on the noodle and the other leg lifted in front or extended to the back.
Partner Work.
Noodles are great for partner moves. For a partner bicycle ride, have one participant sit on the noodle like a bicycle while her partner wraps the noodle around her chest, becoming the handle bars. The partner in front runs while the one in back bicycles. Make a train by having four or more participants wrap their noodles around their chest; the ones in back hold the ends of the noodle of their partners in front. The partner in front is the train engine. Everybody runs to one end of the pool, Then the train engine goes to the back of the line to become the caboose, and a new engine leads the train back to the starting point. If you have several trains, turn it into a race, and keep going until everyone has had a turn being the engine. A variation is to have four or more people straddle their noodles and put the ends of the noodle of their partner in front between their knees. Now you can have crew boat races with everyone rowing. Let the last person in the boat call out the strokes. Create a centipede by having everyone straddle their noodles and get in a line one behind the other. Each person uses their hands to hold the end of the noodle of the person in front. Everyone bicycles while the person at the head of the line performs a breaststroke and leads the centipede in circles, or spirals or zig zags.
This list of noodle exercises is not exhaustive. You can find lesson plans with noodle exercises in both of my books, Water Fitness Lesson Plans and Choreography and Water Fitness Progressions. The first book is out of print, but you can find copies on Amazon, or get it as an e-book. If you have a favorite noodle exercise, put it in the “Leave a Reply” box below.
If I could use only one piece of equipment for my water workout, it would be webbed gloves. Webbed gloves increase the surface area of your hands, creating more resistance and increasing the intensity for your upper body. Since you are not holding the equipment in your hands, as with other pieces of resistance equipment, your fingers do not get cramped, and your elbows and shoulders are able to move more naturally. You can adjust the amount of resistance by changing the position of your hands – slicing through the water for the least resistance, making a fist for moderate resistance, and making the palms face the direction of motion with the hands open for the greatest resistance. Sculling with the palms flat helps you balance in shallow water, and helps you stabilize in deep water. The added surface area of your hands enables you to travel faster, especially in deep water. Sculling with webbed gloves or accelerating the hands toward the bottom of the pool in deep water provides lift when you want to increase the intensity of your cardio by elevating the shoulders out of the water. Click on the links below the photos to see video demonstrations using webbed gloves.
Webbed gloves provide drag resistance in all directions. You can lift the water up, push it down, sweep it to the side, or move it in a diagonal pattern. You can use webbed gloves to strength train any muscle of the upper body. If you want to focus on one muscle group, you can spread your fingers and contract that muscle against resistance, and then return to your starting point with a slicing motion. For example, if you wish to target the middle deltoids, spread your fingers and lift your arms to the sides (abduction), then slice back down. You can target both muscles of an opposing pair by keeping the fingers spread. In the previous example, you work the middle deltoids with your lift to the side, and then pause and press back down with fingers spread to work the latissimus dorsi. For more information on the benefits of using webbed gloves, see Laurie Denomme’s blog post Water Weights for Water Exercise: The Secret Tool.
There are two main types of webbed gloves for water fitness: fabric gloves and neoprene gloves.
Fabric Gloves. I prefer fabric gloves because they allow more freedom of movement in my hands and they are more comfortable. I get my webbed gloves from Hydro-Fit. They make Wave Web Pros and Wave Mitts with holes for the fingers to extend through. Their website has information on how to choose the right size, sample exercises using webbed gloves, and a video showing how to remove the gloves to extend their life. Laurie Denomme likes H20 Wear‘s Chloroguard Gloves. Other companies that make fabric webbed gloves are AquaJogger and Water Gear.
Neoprene Gloves.Neoprene is a family of synthetic rubber; it maintains flexibility over a wide range of temperatures. Neoprene is much thicker than the chlorine resistant fabric, and so it is not as easy to bend the fingers or make a fist. You can get neoprene gloves with closed fingers but most of the ones I have seen have openings for the fingers. Some companies that sell neoprene gloves are Speedo, Theraquatics, and Sprint. Put “webbed aqua gloves” in the search bar at Amazon and you will get pages of webbed gloves all colors and prices. Most of them are neoprene. A few are nylon, which will not last long. And there are some made out of silicone which would be way too stiff for a water fitness class.
Which do you prefer: fabric or neoprene? Let me know in the comment box below. Also let me know if you have a favorite brand. You will enhance your workout with webbed gloves no matter what type you prefer. My book Water Fitness Progressions has lesson plans designed specifically for use with webbed gloves, but you can use them for most of the lesson plans in the book, and for any water workout.
If you’re like most people, you don’t wake up thinking, Today, I’m going to overhaul my life. You just want to feel a little better — to move through your day with more energy, more joy, and maybe a little less mindless scrolling. The truth is, well-being isn’t a grand, impossible summit to climb. It’s the collection of small choices you make over and over. When you know where to lean in, you create a life that feels a lot better without blowing up the one you already have.
Start with Morning Rituals That Belong to You
Your day starts before your feet even hit the floor. How you wake up — not just when, but how — shapes your mental landscape. If you’re reaching for your phone while half-asleep, you’re borrowing someone else’s chaos before you’ve even made your own coffee. Instead, create a morning ritual that’s yours. A few deep breaths, a journal scribble, or even five minutes of stretching can act like a seal around your peace before the world barges in.
Reinvent Your Path with Purpose
Sometimes well-being demands a bigger move — like stepping away from a career that leaves you feeling hollow. If you’re dreaming about making a change, the good news is that online degree programs make it easier than ever to earn your degree while still working full-time or caring for family. Choosing to pursue a path in healthcare can be especially meaningful, allowing you to make a lasting impact on the health of individuals and families. You can explore a range of online healthcare degree opportunities that fit your schedule and your desire to build a life that matters.
Build “Micro-Movements” into Your Routine
You don’t have to spend an hour at the gym to say you’ve moved today. Some of the healthiest, happiest people treat movement like seasoning: they sprinkle it all over their lives. A few squats while waiting for your coffee, a short walk during your lunch break, even a quick dance while brushing your teeth — these tiny bursts of movement tell your body it’s alive and celebrated. Momentum builds through micro-movements, not marathon sessions.
Understand the Power of Intentional Eating
Eating well isn’t about discipline; it’s about design. When you stock your kitchen with foods you love and that love you back, you’re choosing nourishment over negotiation. Start thinking about meals as tiny self-care packages rather than battles to be won. A handful of blueberries, a slice of good bread with real butter, a crisp apple — those small, joyful choices add up faster than you think, and they keep your energy clean and steady throughout the day.
Find Your Own Water
One of the most overlooked yet powerful ways to rejuvenate your mind and body is simple: get in the water. Water fitness isn’t just for competitive swimmers or senior center classes — it’s an energizing, full-body reset that anyone can embrace. If you’re curious but a little unsure where to start, check out the Plano Parks and Recreation online catalogue and put Water Aerobics in the search bar. Chris Alexander’s shallow water aerobics class is at 6:30 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Oak Point Recreation Center. Her deep water classes are at 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM at Oak Point. The next 4-week session begins May 5. You can register now or up to 2 weeks into the session. Late registrations are pro-rated. Registrations for the summer sessions begin May 3 for Plano residents and May 5 for non-residents. Summer classes begin June 2. Chris’s 8:00 deep water class moves to 7:45 AM in June and July. There are lots of other options offered by the Plano Parks and Recreation Department. Check out Aqua Spin, Aqua Yoga, Board Water Fitness or River Aerobics. You can also buy a membership and visit Oak Point Recreation Center or the Plano Aquatic Center during open swim hours. Floating, stretching, even just walking through water can turn a heavy day into something weightless.
Curate a “Feel-Good” Library
Your brain needs fuel just like your body does, but it doesn’t always get a say in what you shove into it. One way to quietly improve your mood and outlook is to curate a library of books, music, podcasts, or even Instagram accounts that genuinely lift you up. Instead of defaulting to whatever algorithm is shouting loudest, build your own private stash of inspiration. Five minutes with a poem you love can heal a part of you that no productivity hack ever could.
Create Spaces That Breathe with You
You don’t need to live inside an Architectural Digest spread to feel good at home. What matters most is that your space supports your energy rather than sapping it. Clear a small area that feels like a refuge — a corner for reading, a nook for yoga, even just a chair by a window. Give yourself somewhere you can land without judgment. When your physical spaces feel nurturing, it ripples into every other part of your well-being.
Commit to “Off” Moments Without Guilt
You’re not a machine, and you don’t need to justify resting. One of the most radical acts of well-being you can offer yourself is the ability to stop — on purpose, without apology. This isn’t laziness; it’s maintenance. Even two minutes of real, conscious stopping — no phone, no TV, just you breathing and being — can change your internal weather forecast from stormy to clear. Give yourself permission to live like someone who matters, because you do.
At the end of the day, well-being isn’t a product you can order or a lifestyle you have to post about. It’s the texture of your ordinary days. It’s your coffee in a favorite mug, your ten-minute walk that nobody sees, your decision to drink water because you love how it tastes, not because someone told you to. You don’t have to become a brand-new person overnight. You just have to love yourself enough to believe small moves matter. Because they do. Every time.
Some people believe they work harder in a deep-water class if they don’t wear a belt. Well, they might work harder trying to tread water, but what does their posture look like? They either lean forward, or their legs drift toward the surface of the water, trying to create a larger surface area that assists flotation. All exercise is properly performed with good postural alignment, that is, with the head over the shoulders, the shoulders over the hips and the feet under the body. In good alignment without a deep-water belt, you sink. What about using a set of foam dumbbells in the hands to assist with flotation? If you do that, you are hanging your body weight from your shoulders which is not a good idea because the shoulder joint is not a weight bearing joint. You are also causing impingement to your rotator cuff and repeated impingement can cause a rotator cuff tear. (See my blog post on the shoulders.) You could try straddling a noodle. That limits the number of exercises you are able to do, and for me, having to repeatedly adjust the noodle is a distraction. Wearing a deep-water belt allows me to perform multiple exercises, in different positions, in good alignment, with no stress on my shoulder joint, while increasing and decreasing intensity at will. I can safely add any piece of equipment I choose because I am supported by my belt and not hanging from the equipment.
The best deep-water belt is one that feels comfortable for you and allows you to maintain good postural alignment. There are a wide variety of belts to choose from. Here are some of the options:
Hydro-Fit Classic Wave Belt. $59.95 in sizes S, M, L, and XL. Hydro-Fit was founded by Craig Stuart in 1987. You can’t go wrong with Hydro-Fit equipment. The belt is made of soft and durable EVA foam that forms to the natural shape of your body. It really is durable! I’ve had mine for years. If the strap or buckle wears out, you can get a replacement strap. (My strap hasn’t worn out yet.) There is a sizing chart on the website to help you choose the correct size. I like that it has even buoyancy around my waist so that I feel balanced in the water. Hydro-Fit also has an easy close Wave belt with a Velcro closure for those who have difficulty with the buckle. And they have a Wave belt pro with less buoyancy for a more challenging workout.
Aquajogger Classic Belt. $59.95. Aquajogger was founded in 1987. The company says that the contour design tones the abdominal muscles while strengthening the lower back. The extra buoyancy in back tends to pitch me forward a little bit, but is good for those whose bodies have extra buoyancy in front. The belt comes with a 48-inch elastic strap. The strap tends to stretch out over time, but replacement straps are available. Instead of sizes, Aquajogger belts come in 8 different shapes ranging from least buoyant to most buoyant, and ranging in price from $49.95 to $69.95.
Water Runner Flotation Belt. $45.99. This belt is made by Water Gear which has been in business since 1994. It is made of soft, comfortable, closed cell EVA foam, which does not chip, break or absorb water. The strap is made of nylon, and replacement straps are available. The belt comes in size X-SM (under 100 lbs.), S (100-160 lbs.), MED (160-220 lbs.), and LG (220+ lbs.). The patented design is said to float the individual in the proper vertical position, relieving stress on the lower back. I find the wings on the side to be uncomfortable, but some people like them.
Speedo Aqua Fitness Jogbelt. $38.00. Speedo is an Australian company that has been around for over 100 years. They sell everything from swimsuits to goggles. Their deep water belt comes in size S-M which adjusts to waist sizes 25-48 inches, and size L-XL which adjusts to waist sizes 25-56 inches. That means that the foam part is one size and it is the strap that adjusts the fit. That may make the curving of the foam belt uncomfortable for some. The belt is made of soft chlorine resistant foam and it has a 6-month warranty against deficiencies in manufacturing. It is more affordable than some of the other deep-water belts, but it does not last as long.
Aqua Fitness Deluxe Flotation Belt. $27.99. This belt is made by Aqua-Leisure, a company founded in 1970. The belt is currently out of stock on their website, but you can find it on Amazon.com for $25.87. It is made out of EVA foam with a fabric cover that is designed to be soft on skin for less irritation. The strap adjusts to fit a 20-60 inch waist, which means it is one size fits all. Its slim design may not provide enough buoyancy for some adults. The brand recommends that the belt not be exposed to harsh sunlight for too long, but that is not a problem in an indoor pool.
TYR Aquatic Flotation Belt. $37.43. TYR was founded in 1985. The blocks are made out of EVA foam, and the strap has an adjustable belt and clip system. The belt fits waist sizes 27-52 inches. You can slide the blocks around the strap so that you can have 2 blocks in the back, one on each side, and 2 in the front. Or have them all in back, or any other adjustment that works for you. The blocks are narrow and some people might need more than six to get enough flotation.
Water Gear also makes a block belt for $27.99. The blocks are made of closed cell EVA foam. The Water Gear blocks are larger than the TYR blocks which makes this belt a little more buoyant. Blocks can be removed to adjust the buoyancy for those who have a smaller waist or prefer less buoyancy. The strap is 2 inches wide and 60 inches long, with an adjustable buckle. Replacement straps are available.
Wet Vest. For those who are serious about sports conditioning, cross training or aquatic therapy, Hydro-Fit makes the Wet Vest for $244.95. Its patented design incorporates flotation panels sewn into a comfortable and snug fitting body vest. Like a wet suit, it provides a thermal layer that insulates your body in the water. The wet vest works great for people who are uncomfortable wearing a belt around the waist due to injury or other medical issues, which is why it is often used by aquatic therapists. The Wet Vest allows maximum freedom of movement. It comes in blue or black, in sizes small, medium, large, X large and XX large.
Fitness Buoy. Buoy Products sells the Fitness Buoy for $59.95. Buoy Products is a relatively new company, founded in 2017, and their Fitness Buoy is a new concept in flotation devices. They also make a Body Buoy which is similar to the Fitness Buoy, but in grey and 5 other bright colors. The price of the Body Buoy is the same as the Fitness Buoy. They comes in sizes small, medium, large and X large. The equipment is designed to be worn like shorts and fasten around the waist and legs. They advertise that you can comfortably do full range of motion movements in deep water without your device digging into your ribs or riding up to your armpits.
There are other deep water belts out there. Let me know if you have a favorite that I did not mention, or if you are a fan of one of the pieces of equipment in this post. Whatever you do, put one on before you take your deep-water class. See you in the pool!
Shoes are an essential piece of equipment for anyone taking a water fitness class. They protect your feet from cuts and scrapes if the pool floor is rough, and help prevent you from slipping if the tiles on the pool floor are slick. You would not think of taking a land aerobics class barefoot; you would want to wear shoes that provide support and stability, and the same is true for pool exercise. Although water aerobics is low impact, there is still impact during jumping exercises, and shoes provide extra cushioning. They also add resistance against the water, increasing the workout for your leg muscles. Shoes are especially important for people with diabetes, neuropathy, arthritis, joint replacements, plantar fasciitis and other foot or leg injuries. See Laurie Denomme’s blog post on wearing shoes. I wear shoes even in my deep-water class because I like the extra resistance they provide for my legs, and they make using the pool ladder so much easier on my feet.
Water shoes have come a long way since the days we bought water socks from the discount store. They now come in a wide variety of styles and colors. When looking for shoes to wear in your water fitness class, you want to make sure they are comfortable, have a good grip on wet surfaces, and provide support for your feet and ankles. They should be made of quick drying materials. Many manufacturers advertise that you can wear their shoes for a variety of water sports and take them from the pool to the beach to the trail. You do not want to do that with your water aerobics shoes. Put them on at the pool and remove them after your class. Wearing the shoes to the beach or the trail or the parking lot means that they will pick up dirt, grass, oil, grease and who knows what else that you don’t want contaminating the pool water. Well known brands include Ryka, Speedo, Addidas, and Aleader. There are many other brands and styles available at a wide variety of prices. Look for water shoes on the brand’s website, or on Amazon.com, Swim Outlet, H20 Wear, or Lands’ End. If you order online, be sure you can return the shoes if they do not fit properly. Here are four of the more popular brands:
RYKA
Ryka makes the Hydro Sport Water Shoe in 5 colors and sizes 5-12. They cost $69.99 on their website, and all 5 colors are in stock. You can get them on Amazon.com for $69.95. They are suitable for all water activities including water aerobics because they have multi-port drainage systems, quick-drying fabrics, and sticky rubber soles for extra traction on wet surfaces. Plus they are machine washable. They were the first brand to create athletic shoes specifically for a woman’s unique foot shape, muscle movement and build. They have a wider forefoot for extra stability, a narrower heel for a more secure fit, and shock absorption meticulously tested for bounce, flexibility and energy return, as well as cushioning fine-tuned for a woman’s body weight. I wear Ryka shoes because I love the fit. They are rated 4.5 stars.
SPEEDO
Speedo makes the Women’s Surfknit Pro Watershoes in 11 colors and sizes 5-11. They cost $45 on their website, but as of this writing only the gray (pictured) is in stock. However 8 colors are available on Amazon.com for $31-$45 depending on the color. I’ve actually had more luck ordering Speedo products on Amazon rather than on their website. The Surf Knit Pro features advanced technology resulting in a more comfortable, breathable upper with plenty of support where needed. A water-resistant insole is combined with a unique outsole that disperses water flow for extra traction so you can safely perform in and out of the pool. They are rated 4 stars. Speedo also makes a Surfknit Pro Watershoe for men with limited availability.
ADDIDAS
Addidas makes the Terrex Boat Slip-On Climacool Shoes in 2 colors. They are unisex, and sizing runs 5.5-15 for women and 4.5-14 for men. They cost $80 on their website and $79.95 on Amazon.com. They are advertised as amphibious, meaning they are designed for water sports or hiking or even everyday wear, but of course if you are wearing them for your water fitness class you will not use them for everyday. They are made of CLIMACOOL material that wicks sweat. They are slip-ons with a snug, sock-like fit with a quick drying upper and grippy outsole for confident grip on slippery surfaces. They are rated 4.5 stars.
ALEADER
Aleader makes the Xdrain Fresh slip on water shoes in a sporty style that comes in 4 colors and sizes 6-11. The price is $29.99 on their website and $19.99-$24.99 on Amazon.com, depending on the color, and not all sizes are available. Aleader also has another style called the Xdrain Classic Knit for $26.99. These come in 5 colors and sizes 6-10. Both shoes feature a cushion Xdrain midsole and a water drain outsole designed for excellent drainage, breathability, and non-slip flexibility. The upper is made of quick dry mesh. All that breathability makes the shoes extremely lightweight. They are rated 4.3 stars.
These are some of the other options that you can find on Amazon or at Lands’ End:
Suokeni quick drying slip on water shoes for beach or water sports $19.99 Rated 4.5 stars.
L-Run Barefoot aqua swim walking shoes for men and women $25.49 rated 4.4 stars.
Simari water shoes for men and women, $21.98-$24.98, rated 4.5 stars
Columbia women’s Drainmaker XTR water shoe, $80.00 rated 4.2 stars
Frogg Toggs women’s short fin premium water draining quick-drying sport shoe, $39.12-$49.99 rated 4.4 stars
Yalox Water Shoes for swimming and Yoga, $19.96 rated 4.5 stars
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