Everyone has a goal when it comes to health and fitness. Unfortunately more often than not, one of the factors that can get in the way of us reaching those goals is time. When it comes to being fit and healthy, it is about your long-term lifestyle, and not short-term or 'bandaid' solutions. With that being said, we only have so many hours in a day so it comes down to figuring out how we can get the best return out of the time we invest into ourselves.
Whether you are a gym junkie, or someone that drags themselves to their daily workout because they feel they should, one thing remains the same, you want your workout to be as effective and efficient as possible.
Whether you are a gym junkie, or someone that drags themselves to their daily workout because they feel they should, one thing remains the same, you want your workout to be as effective and efficient as possible.
We have all seen (and probably tried) the home workouts that promise you a 6 pack by working out for just 3 minutes a day, however deep down we all know, if it were that easy 99% of the population would be walking around and showing off their abs.
There is no substitute for hard work, however there are ways to maximize efficiency and ensure you are getting the most out of your workout. Fortunately there are ways to get a total body workout, improve your cardiovascular fitness, burn calories, build lean muscle and improve strength as well as maximize efficiency.
The answer is likely starring you in the face as you walk in and out of your gym each day. In fact, most of you probably walk past it without giving it a second thought. That answer is, the swimming pool! You have all seen the pools at your local gyms and health clubs, and probably heard how great the water is for providing a low-impact way of exercising, however what you may not know, is that aquatic training is an extremely efficient way of working out. The unique properties of water mean that your every movement is resisted by water. The harder you push, the harder the water will push back. With the right equipment and program, you are able to get the most out of every single movement.
Lets look at walking on land vs walking in water. On land, our resistance is gravity pulling our movements downward. Buoyancy on the other hand counters gravity; it is the upwards thrust of an object in the water. This is the reason we feel so light in the water and why it has a much lower impact on our joints. Water has more viscosity than air, therefore it takes more effort to walk in the water, than it does on land, meaning you are able to burn more calories in the same amount of time.
To increase resistance, all we have to do is move something with a larger surface area through the water, and create more of a drag. As mentioned above, the harder we push or pull against it, the harder the water is going to push or pull back. Because water is all around us in the pool, the water works opposing muscle groups and both sides of a joint with the same movement. On land we need a set of movements to focus on the front of the body and a different set to focus on the back, meaning it can take twice as long. However in the water, you are working both sides with the same movement, making it far more efficient.
Aquastrength equipment and programs have been designed to ensure you get the most out of every movement. In addition to working both sides of a joint, Aquastrength workouts also target multiple muscle groups and body parts simultaneously. Lets take a look at the Aquastrength "Power Swing"as an example, this is a movement where the user stands on one leg and performs opposite leg and arm swings using bells and fins. This one exercise has proven to be more effective than 5 exercises on the land and helps to improve:
- Balance
- Coordination
- Lower Body Flexibility
- Strength
- Core Stability
In addition to being an efficient way of reaching your goals, it is also very convenient. The same set of equipment can be used by anyone, regardless of their age or fitness level. As your fitness improves and you want to challenge yourself, you don't need to worry about buying new equipment, or adding more weight, you simply push harder and the water will adjust the resistance accordingly.
Helping Personal Trainers Maximize Efficiency:
Not only is Aquatic training a more efficient way to workout for individuals, but it can also help Personal Trainers maximize efficiency too. Using Aquastrength equipment allows Personal trainers to train clients of completely different fitness levels and abilities at the same time. All clients can be given the same equipment and the same group of movements, and the level of resistance will be controlled by how hard they push meaning you can help more clients in the same amount of time.
So instead of walking past that pool next time, grab some Aquastrength equipment and start getting the most out of your workout. You won't regret it.
Aquastrength offers a complete fitness system for customers to use in their pool at home or in their gym, as well as Professional Training Courses for Personal Trainers to become an Approved Aquastrength Trainer.