Free Choreography #6

   This is the sixth in a series of Blog posts on choreography. The last post described block choreography, which happens to be my favorite choreography style. I included a sample of simple block choreography, using 6 basic exercises.  The 6 exercises are:

1. Knee-high jog
2. Run tires (like running through tires at football practice)
3. Jumping jacks
4. Cross-country ski
5. Kick forward
6. Heel jog

Now I want to show you how to expand your blocks of choreography to make them more complex.

Use the same 6 exercises as before, adding  4 exercises to the beginning of the set. Change something about the 6 exercises in each succeeding set, but  repeat the 4 new exercises without change. How do you select the 4 exercises? Perhaps you would like to focus on upper body strength. Then you might choose:

1. Lunge R with bowstring pull L
2. Lunge L with bowstring pull R
3. Lunge R with double-arm press-down
4. Lunge L with lat pull-down

If you want to focus on flexibility, then you might choose some movements in a diagonal pattern:

1. Jumping jacks cross hands over chest & bring arms down at sides
2. Jumping jacks cross hands in front of thighs & bring arms out to sides
3. Jumping jacks & inner thigh lift alternate
4. Inner thigh lift

If you want to increase intensity, instead of adding 4 new exercises at the beginning, add a set of intervals at the end. Pick one of the 6 exercises and add an intensity variable such as speed, increased range of motion, or power for the work interval and then use the basic move for the recovery. For example:

1. Work: jog faster 60 seconds
2. Recovery: knee-high jog 30 seconds
3. Work: knee lift & lunge R 30 seconds & L 30 seconds
4. Recovery: Knee-high jog
5. Work: Squat & jump 60 seconds
6. Recovery: Knee-high jog 30 seconds

Another option is to insert 3 or 4 more variations of one of the 6 basic exercises in each set. Your first set might look something like this:

1. Knee-high jog
2. Knee-lift R, travel R
3. Knee-lift L, travel L
4. Jog syncopate
5. Chorus line kick
6. Run tires
7. Jumping jacks
8. Cross-country ski
9. Kick forward
10. Heel jog

For your second set, use your 6 basic moves with different arm movements, but insert 3 or 4 more variations of run tires, such as squat and lift one knee to the side, run tires syncopate, frog jump, and frog jump with a quarter turn. Continue to insert variations of the other basic exercises in each succeeding set.

In this series on choreography I have used 6 basic exercises to illustrate the different choreography styles, but you, of course, are free to choose any exercises you’d like. Writing choreography using these techniques will give you lesson plans that are easy to remember and enjoyable for your participants.

For more examples of block choreography and other choreography styles, see my book, Water Fitness Lesson Plans and Choreography. You can find a link to purchase the book on my website was www.waterfitnesslessons.com

See you in the pool!

Chris Alexander