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. 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.
This activity is sure to bring your participants lots of laughs and leave everyone in a holiday spirit. Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!
See you in the pool!
