Sample Class: Deep Water Circuit Workout Aqua Fitness

Aqua Fitness is a must have fitness certification for any Group Exercise Instructor hoping to inspire a wide variety of participants at their facility.  Consider the FiTOUR® top ten reasons you should be teaching Aqua Fitness & learn why it is such a beneficial format for seniors.  FiTOUR® offers two courses, Primary & Advanced Aqua, to prepare the Group Exercise Instructor in the format.  

A Deep Water Circuit class is an effective and fun design for an aqua fitness class.  Equipment should be placed at stations set up along the walls of the pool with signs indicating the title of the movement.  The class participants will get in the pool wearing an aqua belt and begin warming up while the instructor demonstrates each station from the pool deck.  Participants can move as individuals or in small groups to each station through the workout.

After the demonstration the thermal warm-up can begin.  FiTOUR® recommends music for an Aqua class be 120-155 BPM.  Often in the aquatic setting music is difficult to hear because of the acoustics of the facility. Music, though, certainly helps motivate the class through the movement.

The workout below is designed for participants to wear aqua belts throughout the entire workout.

Deep Water Circuit Workout

• Warm-Up: 5-10 minutes  
• Circuit Stations: 20-50 minutes
• Warm-Down Stretching: 5-10 minutes

Thermal Warm-Up: 5-10 minutes

Perform each exercise for 1 minute or 2-3 sets of 20 repetitions.

• Jog in Place
• Knee Lifts with Breast Stroke Moving Forward
• Knee Lifts with Reverse Breast Stroke Moving Backward
• Single Heel Kicks with Arm Circles Forward and Backward
• Double Heel Kicks with Triceps Pushdowns

Cardio: 20-40 Minutes

Perform exercises at each station for the number of repetitions specified in circuit-fashion for a total of 1-3 minutes.

Station #1: Aqua Bells

• Cross Country Ski: 10x each side
• Jog with Triceps Pushdowns: 10x

Station #2: Aqua Bells

• Vertical Jog with Aqua Bells Out of Water: 20 counts
• Jumping Jacks with Aqua Bells in Water: 20x

Station #3: Aqua Bells

• Horizontal T’s & A’s: 20x
• Diagonal Lat Pulls with Knee Tucks: 20x

Station #4: Aqua Bells

• Seated Cross-Overs: 20x
• Seated Bicycles: 20x

Station #5: Aqua Bells

• Side to Side Knee Tucks with Lat Pulls: 20x
• Jacks with Cross Overs: 20x

Station #6: Aqua Bells

• Single Heel Kicks with Low Row: 20x
• Double Heel Kicks with Triceps Pressdowns: 20x

Station #7: Aqua Bells

• Bent Knee Twists: 20x
• Elbow to Knee Twists: 20x

Station #8: Aqua Bells

• Vertical T’s & A’s: 20x
• Vertical Quick Scissors: 20x

Station #9: Aqua Bells

• Back Flutter Kicks: 20x
• Front Flutter Kicks: 20x

Station #10: Aqua Bells

• Supine Jumping Jacks: 20x
• Vertical Jumping Jacks: 20x

Warm-Down Stretches: 5-10 minutes

• Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds
• Outer Thigh Stretch with Single Arm Overhead Stretch on right side.
• Outer Thigh Stretch with Single Arm Overhead Stretch on left side.
• Lower Back Stretch.
• Quad Stretch with Toes on the Wall.
• Calf Stretch with Straight Knee with right calf while holding Static Right Rear Shoulder Stretch.
• Calf Stretch with Straight Knee with left calf while holding static Left Rear Shoulder Stretch.
• Tibialis Stretch on right side.
• Tibialis Stretch on left side.
• Inner Thigh Lunge and Stretch on right side.
• Inner Thigh Lunge and Stretch on left side.
• Hip Flexor Stretch on right side with right arm Triceps Stretch.
• Hip Flexor Stretch on left side with left arm Triceps Stretch.
• Figure 4 Hip Stretch on right side.
• Figure 4 Hip Stretch on left side.
• Wall Hamstring Stretch with Upper Back Stretch.

For a thorough understanding of this workout, and the Aqua format, consider getting a FiTOUR® Advanced Aqua Certification today!