Basic land exercises are adapted for the Aquatic Environment to improve the following 5 basic components of physical exercise.
The warm water (30-32 degrees Celcius) helps clients to execute movements by encouraging blood flow and supporting the body.
The aquatic environment is a "gravity-free" medium to exercise in.
Exercises are performed in the vertical plane / upright position.
All Aquacise/Water Fitness classes are presented by (SAWFA) Qualified Instructors.
The general public, obese, hypertensive, diabetc, pre and post surgery, sportsman and woman for the purposes of cross-training, the elderly, pre and post partum mothers, sedentry and special needs clients.
Medical clearance from your doctor is required if you have never participated in an Aquacise program before.
Examples of conditions requiring such clearance include having had any specific medical treatment, an existing condition, surgery or a condition that is dietary related.
This is to ensure that your healthcare provider is aware of your intentions in order to ensure your safety and to adjust treatments by considering all activity.
Cardio-respiritory endurance is the ability of the heart and circulatory system to facilitate oxygen uptake from the respiratory system.
Aerobic Full ROM (Range of Movement) excercises ensure that the heart-rate becomes elevated and that additional calories are "burned".
Fitness levels are increased when exercising in water because the cardiovascular and respiratory systems work together improving heart and lung function, whilst increasing peripheral blood supply.
Muscle strength is increased safely by exploiting the water resistance.
The resistance levels can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the resistance level through the use of buoyant and/or weighted equipment.
Specific muscle groups can be specifically targeted in order to improve strength.
Because entire groups of muscles are exercised as a unit, imbalances of muscle strength are avoided reducing muscle-specific injury risks.
In the scenario where muscles within a muscle group are weaker, the safe exercise of those muscle groups will more safely improve the strength of the weaker muscles.
As strength increases, the simple movements can be made more challenging to further progress in strength levels for the muscle groups.
Various buoyant and weighted props and equipment can be used, such as webbed gloves, paddles and noodles.
Repetitive controlled movements when exercising against water resistance with or without equipment improves body muscle tone.
Well executed stretching exercises will protect you from injury by increasing your range of movement (ROM).
Flexibility training is very important to functional movements and fall/injury prevention and a focus within water fitness.
Increased flexibility may prevent injury (possibly when falling) as the joints are usually hyper-extended or pushed beyond their normal range.
Body composition is the ratio of fat body mass to lean body mass.
As we age and weigh the same, we tend to lose some of our lean muscle mass.
The lean muscle is replaced by adipose tissue (fat body mass).
On average, 450 - 700 calories are burned during an effective Aquatic class.
When exercising in the water, 77% of calories burned come from fat stores \citation.
