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.
As the holiday season approaches, it is time to plan for a little holiday fun with your water fitness class. Start by breaking out the holiday music. If you don’t have a holiday playlist, you can download one from any of the fitness music companies. Yes Fitness Music, Power Music, and Muscle Mix Music all sell holiday mixes. (On the Muscle Mix Music website type “Holiday” next to the magnifying glass.) If the playlist you like is not the right beats per minute for your class, then download the Tempo Magic app from the app store. It adjusts the tempo of your playlist without making it sound too draggy or too fast.
You might want to give your class participants a holiday treat at the end of the last class for the year. Some easy gift ideas are candy canes, a Clementine orange, or a Christmas ornament. Pretzel Hugs are an easy treat to make. Or mix up a batch of White Christmas Mix and give everyone a small baggie full.
WHITE CHRISTMAS MIX
1 10 oz. package mini pretzels
2 cups salted peanuts
5 cups Cheerios cereal
5 cups Chex cereal
1 lb. red & green M&Ms
1 (12 oz.) package white chocolate chips
3 teaspoons oil
Mix the first 5 ingredients. Melt chips and oil in the microwave. Pour over the mixture. Spread on wax paper. Makes about 24 cups.
Plan to have a fun class activity, like a Holiday Obstacle Course. Set up stations like a circuit around the pool in advance. Then divide your class into two groups. Group one will be helpers while the second group runs through the obstacle course. After the second group completes the course, they become the helpers while the first group runs through.
Station One
Station Two
Station Three
Station Four
Station One.Cross-country ski to the North Pole using Aqualogix Bells. If you do not have drag bells, you can use foam dumbbells or paddles.
Station Two.Make snow angels by performing jumping jacks with foam dumbbells.
Station Three.Decorate the tree. Cut some pieces of an old noodle that has a hole in the middle. Slice the pieces lengthwise just to the hole. Attach the pieces to a hula hoop so that it will float, as in the photo. If you don’t have a hula hoop, you can rubber band the ends of three noodles together to make a triangle. A helper has pool toys or balls in a bucket, and the participant stands some distance away and tries to toss the toys into the hoop.
Station Four. Stir the cookie dough. Hold a paddle in the freehold position and perform a stirring motion. If you do not have paddles, then you can paddlewheel like an electric mixer with foam dumbbells instead.
Station Five.Test the bicycles in the toy shop. Straddle a noodle and bicycle some distance away and back.
Station Six.Load Santa’s sleigh. Have two or three helpers stand in a line each holding a ball. The participant tosses a ball back and forth a few times with each helper.
Station Seven.Pull Santa’s sleigh. A helper plays Santa by holding the ends of two noodles under his/her arms. The participant stands with his/her back to Santa and pulls the sleigh to deliver the toys to the finish line.
Station Five
Station Six
Station Seven
This activity is sure to bring your participants lots of laughs and leave everyone in a holiday spirit. Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!
People of all ages and all abilities can enjoy water fitness. From the toddler running through the splash pad, to the high schooler on the swim team, to the athlete training for a triathlon, to the active older adult in a water aerobics class – all experience the pleasure of moving their bodies through the water. Being in water reduces the stress response and creates a feeling of relaxation. Immersion offloads the joints, making movement more comfortable than movement on land. Playing in the pool is just plain fun! But there is more to aquatic fitness than the fun factor. Research on water fitness has been going on the last few decades and the studies have found multiple benefits for almost every body.
Arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation has been promoting water exercise for people with arthritis for many years. Buoyancy lifts the weight of the body upward, reducing impact shock and creating a feeling of weightlessness. When joints are submerged in water, they have a greater range of motion. The hydrostatic pressure of water compresses the body which helps reduce swelling and fluid buildup, relieving inflammation of the joints. All this allows people with arthritis to exercise more comfortably than they could on land. The Aquatic Exercise Association/Aquatic Therapy and Rehab Institute (AEA/ATRI) offers Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Exercise Program (AFAP) Leader Training for anyone interested in getting certified as an Arthritis Foundation instructor.
Multiple Sclerosis. MS is a neurological disease that can lead to gait and balance difficulties, weakness, and fatigue. There may be a decreased ability to perform the activities of daily living and problems with mental health because of its unpredictability. Heat can worsen symptoms, and therefore exercising in a pool can be an ideal way to increase the physical ability to function. Participation in a water fitness class can improve gait and balance, and being in a group setting with other people who share their challenges can be helpful for mental health. For more information see “MS and the Aquatic Environment” by Erica Harper in the September/October/November issue of Akwa magazine, which can be accessed in the Members Only section of the AEA/ATRI website.
High Blood Pressure. The risk of hypertension increases as we age, but regular exercise can help control high blood pressure. That is because aerobic exercise makes the heart stronger. Exercising in the pool provides additional benefits. The hydrostatic pressure of water pushes blood out to the extremities, increasing stroke volume and cardiac output, while at the same time lowering the heart rate. That means your heart is working just as hard as on land, but each heart beat is more efficient. Not only that, but just getting into the pool lowers blood pressure for most people, and this effect lingers for a while after you get out of the pool.
Stroke. Stroke patients are more likely to be at risk for falling which limits their ability to perform the activities of daily living. in a 2021 study by Perez-de-la Cruz, stroke patients were divided into three groups. One group performed therapy on land. One group performed therapy on land and aquatic therapy with Ai Chi. The third group performed aquatic therapy with Ai Chi. After 12 weeks, the group that performed combined therapy and the group that performed aquatic therapy with Ai Chi improved significantly more than the group that performed therapy on land. The improvements were in static and dynamic balance and in ability to perform the activities of daily living.
Fall Prevention. Fall prevention is critical to seniors’ wellbeing. Most people think that this means balancing on one foot and learning how to get up off the floor. While these activities are important, learning to prevent a fall needs to include multisensory training, foot and ankle exercises, and weight shifting. Standing on one foot in the pool is safer than standing on one foot on land. If you lose your balance in the pool, the viscosity of water slows the fall down making it easier to regain you balance and try again. A great way to perform multisensory training in the pool is to use the unpredictable command technique. This involves cuing moves such as marching in place, turning your head to the right, walking backwards on tiptoes, circling the right arm, closing the eyes, and stepping forward with the toes pointed in. This requires using all your senses to follow the unpredictable cues. Standing on a noodle in the pool is an excellent way to work on ankle mobility. See Ruth Sova’s website for a free video demonstration. The graceful movements of Ai Chi involve weight shifting that helps improve balance.
Back Pain. Fifty to eighty percent of adults will suffer from back pain during their lifetime. In a study published in JAMA (a peer-reviewed medical journal), 113 people with chronic back pain were divided into two groups. One group had physical therapy twice a week, and the other group did pool exercises twice a week. The group that did pool exercises showed greater improvement than the group that had physical therapy, and a year later the pool exercisers still felt better than the land exercisers.
Depression. About 5% of adults suffer from depression, and that number is probably low because not everyone who suffers from depression gets diagnosed. A study in 1999 (Blumenthal et al.) found that group exercise three times a week at moderate to high intensity was just as effective at treating depression as was medication. Even 6 months later, participants who recovered were less likely to relapse into depression if they had been in the exercise group. A meta analysis published in PubMed in February 2023 concluded that aquatic exercise can be a promising conservative therapy for mental health management.
Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. Emerging research has revealed that exercise profoundly affects brain health and cognitive function. There is a clear link between increased physical fitness and a reduced risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Exercise promotes the growth of new neurons and promotes the release of elements such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which strengthens the connections between brain cells. To capitalize on this benefit of exercise, 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobics or 70 minutes of vigorous aerobics is recommended. This can be accomplished during water exercise by increasing the body’s surface area by opening the palms, lengthening the arms and legs, and using equipment. The unpredictable command technique can further challenge the brain during exercise. For more information see the August-September-October 2023 issue of Research to Practice Newsbytes in the Members Only section of the AEA/ATRI website.
If you are interested in working with special populations, consider getting certified by the Aquatic Therapy and Rehab Institute. Their website can give you more information. See you in the pool!
In the quest for optimal health and well-being, instilling robust habits in children is a fundamental pursuit. This task, primarily falling upon the shoulders of parents and educators, holds immense potential to shape the future health landscape of our society. Here are several strategies aimed at fostering and solidifying healthful practices in children. These methodologies are not just about inculcating habits; they’re about crafting a canvas for lifelong wellness and joy.
Dynamic Play: The Joy of Movement
Active play is the gateway to robust physical health for children. It’s essential to curtail sedentary activities, especially excessive screen time, and replace them with more dynamic, physically engaging pastimes. Activities that involve running, hopping, and outdoor exploration not only boosts physical agility but also instill a love for movement. Regular engagement in such lively play cultivates a foundation for a physically active and healthy lifestyle, setting the stage for lifelong fitness.
Try a Water-Based Fitness Routine
Swum lessons are essential to keep children safe around water. The City of Plano Parks and Recreation Department offers swim lessons year round. In other locations, contact your local parks and recreation department or YMCA to sign your children up for lessons. A water-based fitness routine helps your child build strength and endurance while reducing the impact on their growing joints, making it a safe and effective form of exercise. The natural resistance of water improves their muscle tone and cardiovascular health, while also enhancing coordination and flexibility. Additionally, swimming and aquatic activities promote mental well-being, offering a fun way to relieve stress and boost self-confidence in the water.
Maintain Your Home’s HVAC
If your home’s HVAC system isn’t well-maintained, it can circulate dust, allergens, and pollutants throughout your living space, negatively impacting your indoor air quality. Dirty filters and ducts can harbor mold and bacteria, leading to respiratory issues or worsening allergies. Regular maintenance from HVAC experts – including cleaning and filter replacement – ensures that your HVAC system functions efficiently and provides clean, healthy air for you and your family.
Wholesome Choices: Nourishing Young Minds and Bodies
The path to health is heavily influenced by dietary choices. It’s crucial to foster a preference for nutritious, whole foods over processed, sugar-laden alternatives. This journey begins with mindful grocery shopping and extends to involving children in meal planning and preparation. Educating them about the nutritional value of different foods empowers them to make health conscious decisions. This practice nurtures a deep-rooted understanding and appreciation for a balanced, nourishing diet.
Hydration: The Power of Water
Children’s Hospital Colorado notes that central to physical health is the practice of proper hydration. Prioritizing water over sugary beverages is a fundamental habit that needs to be instilled from an early age. By making water easily accessible and the default choice at home, children learn to naturally gravitate towards it. Understanding the significance of hydration for bodily functions is a lesson that aids children in making healthier beverage choices independently.
Step by Step: Walking as a Family
Incorporating walking into daily routines is beneficial on multiple fronts. For families living in areas not conducive to walking, seeking out locales with a high Walk Score can be a game-changer. These shared walks offer not just physical benefits but also opportunities for family bonding and environmental appreciation. Establishing a routine that includes regular walks fosters a love for physical activity and an appreciation for the outdoors.
Honest Conversations: Building Emotional Intelligence
Focus on the Family points out that Emotional health is as critical as physical health. Encouraging open communication allows children to share their feelings and experiences freely. This practice lays the foundation for emotional intelligence, helping children develop the ability to navigate their emotions effectively. Such conversations also reinforce a sense of security and trust, essential components for emotional resilience and well-being.
Health Talks: Educating Young Learners
Discussions around health topics such as nutrition, physical activity, and sleep hygiene are vital. Regularly engaging children in conversations about these key health pillars equips them with the knowledge to make informed choices. This practice embeds the importance of a balanced lifestyle, gradually transforming these discussions into habitual actions that contribute to overall well-being.
Mind Matters: Prioritizing Mental Health
Fostering an environment where mental health is openly discussed is crucial. Regular dialogues about emotions, stress and coping mechanisms normalize the conversation around mental well being. Teaching children about the significance of mental health and the available support systems is as crucial as physical health education. This open communication nurtures a supportive environment and encourages seeking help when needed.
The implementation of these strategies is a journey toward nurturing healthier, happier individuals. The key lies in consistency, support, and setting an example. Starting these practices early sets the groundwork for children to develop into health-conscious adults. It’s a journey not just for the present but the gift of a healthier, more aware future generation.
Thanks, Jill. Feel free to post any questions below.
Water is essential for life. About 71 percent of the earth’s surface is covered with water. About 60 percent of the human body is water. We are encouraged to drink 8 glasses of water every day to stay hydrated. I love to exercise in the water! But Planet Earth’s water is not as clean as it should be. There are microplastics floating in water everywhere.
Microplastics are small plastic pieces less than 5 millimeters long which can be harmful to oceans and aquatic life. Microplastics have been detected in marine organisms from plankton to whales, in commercial seafood, and even in drinking water. Microplastics are found everywhere on the planet, including the soil, the air, and even in the Arctic. It has been estimated that the average American eats, drinks, and breathes in more than 70,000 microplastic particles every year, or a credit card’s worth of plastic every week. Those numbers have been disputed by the American Chemistry Council, nevertheless, microplastics have been found in our lungs and bloodstreams. How much damage they cause is unclear.
Where do microplastics come from? Plastics were developed during World War II and have become immensely popular since then. They are used for everything from computers to medical equipment to single-use containers. Microbeads, tiny particles designed for commercial use, are found in cosmetics, cleansers, and toothpaste. Microplastics are also in microfibers shed from synthetic clothing and other textiles. More than one-third of all plastic goes into packaging, which by nature is single-use. Plastics are man-made and there is nothing in our natural environment that breaks it down. When plastic water bottles and drinking straws and other plastics are discarded, they degrade into tiny pieces by exposure to sun and ocean waves. Some of the microplastics in the ocean come from littering on the beach but most of it ends up there as a result of storms, water runoff, and wind.
Single-use plastic is hugely popular. Only about 9% of plastic gets recycled. The rest is discarded. There are some efforts around the world to limit single-use plastics. The UK has banned plastic cutlery, straws, drink stirrers, plates, and Styrofoam containers, as well as beauty products containing microbeads. In 2015 President Obama signed the Microbead-Free Waters Act banning microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products. Nearly 100 countries have banned plastic grocery bags. Kevin Schug, a professor of analytical chemistry at the University of Texas Arlington is working on a process to melt plastics into an oil that can be used to create new plastic, thus diverting plastic waste from the environment. (See “Plastics research may help” in the Dallas Morning News, July 30, 2024).
There are some things that we can do now to limit our consumption of microplastics. Use glass dishes in the microwave. The heat from the microwave oven breaks down the plastic in microwaveable plastic dishes and it ends up in your food. Don’t put plastic containers in the dishwasher, as the heated water degrades the plastic and flushes it into the water system. Teflon cookware leaches microplastics into your food. Stainless steel or the new green cookware is a safer choice. Drink filtered tap water. A carbon block filter or a distillation filter both filter out 100% of known microplastics. Use a stainless steel or glass water bottle. Buy reusable metal drinking straws. Take a reusable cup to your favorite coffee shop instead of getting your coffee in a takeaway cup. Recycle your single-use plastics. Plastics 1, 2, and 5 are recyclable, although if your city uses mechanical recycling, only 1 and 2 (basically soda bottles, water bottles, and milk jugs) can be separated out by the sorting machines. Plastics 3, 6, and 7 are especially harmful, so try to avoid buying those plastics. Buy clothing made of natural fibers when possible. You can reduce the amount of microfibers that break off your synthetic fabrics in the washing machine by using a laundry ball, such as a Cora ball, or by washing your synthetic fabrics in a Guppyfriend bag which traps the microplastics to keep them from washing away with the wastewater. Check the ingredients in your facial wash products and toothpaste to make sure they do not contain acrylate copolymer, which means microbeads. Limit your seafood consumption because of the high volume of microplastics found in fish. Tea bags contain plastics that leach into your tea, so brew looseleaf tea with a tea ball. And finally, since microplastics even get in the air, dust and vacuum regularly. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.
Together we can make a difference in the proliferation of microplastics. See you in the pool!
Functional fitness is training with exercises that look like movements you do in daily life. This type of exercise uses large muscle groups as opposed to focusing on an individual muscle. It makes sense to include this type of exercises in your fitness routine so that you can continue to get up and move and do all the things you enjoy. There are a variety of functional fitness exercises. Seven of them are called primal movements because they are the basis of every movement that you do. They are: squat, lunge, push, pull, rotate, hinge, and gait. Below are primal movements that you can do in the pool, along with how they relate to movements you do in everyday life.
Squat. A squat is a movement pattern where you plant both feet on the ground, then bend your knees to lower your body. Squats use your upper legs, particularly the quadriceps muscles. You can squat with feet hip distance apart, close together, wide apart, with toes pointed out, or toes pointed in. In deep water you mimic the squat by tucking and pressing the legs down or you can squat standing on a noodle. Squatting is the same as sitting down and getting up from a chair.
Lunge. A lunge is a single leg movement pattern that requires one leg to step forward and bend. Lunges strengthen your back, hips and legs while improving mobility and stability. You can do stationary lunges, in which you step forward and return to the starting position, or you can do walking lunges. Take a large step, lunging low in the water, followed by a step and lunge with the opposite leg. In deep water a tuck ski is a similar move. In daily life you lunge to pick something off the floor. You also do a lot of lunging if you play tennis or pickle ball.
Push. This is a movement pattern in which your upper body pushes you up from the ground, or pushes things away from your body. Pushing uses the chest, shoulders, triceps and forearms. The classic push exercise is a push-up, which you can perform in the pool, in either shallow or deep water, using a noodle or foam dumbbells. In shallow water you can balance on your toes while doing your push-ups, but you can also do them suspended. To push things away from your body, stand upright and push the water away. Increase the intensity by using drag equipment, such as webbed gloves, paddles or kickboards. In daily life you need the ability to push yourself up off the floor. You also push doors open, push shopping carts and baby strollers, and push (and pull) a vacuum cleaner. Which brings us to the next movement.
Pull. Pulling is the opposite of pushing. It requires your upper body to pull things toward your body, or pull your body towards an object, as in a pull-up. Pulling works your latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids, and biceps, in other words, the muscles of your upper back. Common lifestyle habits, such as sitting at a desk all day, often results in rounded shoulders. Therefore, strengthening these muscles is important for maintaining good posture. You cannot do pull-ups in the pool, but you can perform pulling movements with rows, the crawl stroke and bow string pulls. Increase the intensity with webbed gloves, paddles, kickboards, elastic bands or rubber tubing. In daily life you pull carry-on luggage from the overhead bins in the airplane, pull the car door open, and pull (and push) the vacuum cleaner.
Rotate. Rotation, or twisting, is a core activated movement. It means reaching across the midline of your body. Since the right side of your brain controls the left side of your body, and the left side of the brain controls the right side of your body, crossing the midline of your body requires using both brain hemispheres, causing more neurons to fire and making more connections. Rotation works the abdominals and obliques, as well as involving the abductors and adductors in the legs. Pool exercises that involve rotation include upper body twists, cross-country ski with rotation, and crossover kicks. In daily life we rotate when we walk, run, swim, throw, kick. turn to look at someone, or reach for something that is not directly in front of us. People with osteoporosis may need to limit the range of motion when they rotate to avoid microfractures in the spine.
Hinge. Hinging or bending is a movement that involves bending at the hips while keeping your back in a neutral position (flat). Hinging uses the gluteus maximus, hamstrings and erector spinae. In the pool you can do a hip hinge by swinging one leg forward and back and bending forward as the leg swings back. You also hip hinge when you stretch your hamstrings. In deep water, abdominal pike and spine extension involves hinging at the hips. Sometimes when you pick up items from the floor in daily life, you use a lunge or a squat. But often when you drop something small, you just bend forward to pick it up. You may also find yourself leaning forward when climbing stairs or a steep hill, which is a slight hip hinge. Proper hinging maintains good posture, and strengthens the lower back.
Gait. Gait means walking. It is the most commonly used movement of all. Walking is a complex movement pattern using multiple muscle groups in both the lower body and the upper body. Any exercise where you have to put one foot in front of the other involves gait, and that includes not only walking, but jogging, running, sprinting, jumping and leaping. You can do all of these in the pool. In deep water you don’t jump or leap, but you do travel with cross-country ski. You use your arms in a natural arm swing, pulling with more force as speed increases. There is also a slight rotational movement as one arm swings forward and the other arm swings back. A strong gait improves posture and boosts the health of your lower body. A weak or shuffling gait puts you at risk for falling.
Include these primal movements in your fitness routine to keep your body functioning well so that you can continue to do all the activities of daily living that you enjoy. For more information on functional fitness check out the article “How to Exercise with Functional Training” from WebMD. For more information on primal movements see Stephanie Thielen’s article “7 Primal Movements” in the April/May 2017 issue of Akwa magazine. Log in to the members section of the AEA website at https://aeawave.org/ For lesson plans that include functional fitness exercises, see my book Water Fitness Progressions.
