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Do you want to get a great cardio workout without the risk of impact injury? Pool running might be the perfect solution! Pool running is an innovative form of exercise that can provide you with the same cardiovascular and muscular benefits as outdoor running, but without the impact on your joints. There is greater resistance depending on the depth you are in, your running tempo, and what exercise equipment you choose.

Pool running is a simple yet effective form of exercise that requires minimal equipment. All you will need is a swimming pool and some basic pool exercise gear like a swimsuit or form-fitting workout garments. You might also need a pool noodle or a belt, and perhaps a pair of arch-supporting water shoes, depending on the depth of pool running you wish to do. Adding some handheld pool exercise equipment can really amp up your cardio workout.

There are several different pool running techniques you can use to maximize your workout. Running in place underwater is a great way to get your heart rate up and burn some calories.

Start with a warm-up. In general, dynamic stretching such as marching, jacks, leg curls, and lunges for 5 to 10 minutes is a great way to get started.

End with a cool-down. Depending on the temperature of your pool, you can do some static stretches (warm water) or dynamic stretches (cold water).

Use a pool noodle or pool belt for flotation and/or extra resistance to increase cardio. Just use your arms along with your legs for a more aerobic full-body workout.

Change up your water depth. Running in place in different depths dramatically changes the outcome and your experience.

For instance, if you want vigorous aerobic exercise, you will want to run fully suspended in the deep water. That means your feet don’t touch the pool floor. Fully suspended exercises like deep water running will need flotation equipment. You may want to adjust your depth so that you can feel your feet underneath you for better balance.

As you get shallower in the water, gravity starts having a stronger influence on your body. This can have the effect of improving the strength of your ankles and feet as you rebound. You may not want to run in place, but rather travel across the pool. Traveling across the pool is more challenging due to the forces of water.

One of the laws of water is that the faster something moves, the greater the resistance. Therefore, if you run to a tempo that is 76 bpm (beats per minute), you will find your exertion is moderate. Do the same exercise at 132 bpm, and you’ll find that your exertion is much more intense compared to your exertion on land.

Increasing the surface area has the same intensity-building effect. This is what pool exercise equipment is for. Finding your sweet spot is a bit of an experimental process.\

Pool exercise equipment comes in three forms: flotation (buoyant) equipment, resistance (drag) equipment, or both forces (combo). Dumbbells are very common and are held in your hands while running. Some are made of foam, have rounded edges, and are primarily used for their flotation resistance. Combo dumbbells, such as triangle-shaped, give you resistance when you push against the flat side. Resistance handbells and paddles are made out of hard plastic and provide no flotation resistance. Their purpose is to increase the surface area that you are working against (drag).

They come in different sizes. For running, choose smaller sizes over larger sizes and pick up the tempo of your run when you feel you are ready to take it to the next level.

Don’t use any handheld pool equipment while running if you have shoulder, elbow, or wrist issues; use webbed gloves instead. Bathing-suit material gloves are great for adding resistance. They are small, light-weight, and travel easily.

Without using a flotation belt or pool noodle, you will be struggling to keep your head above water, decreasing the efficiency of the exercise and your enjoyment of pool running. The preferred equipment is a belt. It provides enough flotation so you’re not struggling and the greatest mobility. Straddling a pool noodle will keep you afloat but doesn’t give you the control or the abdominal activation of a belt.

Ankle cuffs provide the same benefits as handheld equipment. Use either flotation cuffs or resistance cuffs to make your run more challenging.

As with any form of exercise, safety should be your first priority. It is a common assumption that you can’t hurt yourself pool running. However, poor posture and bad body alignment will strain the wrong muscles. Therefore, keep your powerful posture, engage your core to stabilize your spine, and make sure to listen to your body if you start to feel any pain or discomfort. Wearing water shoes increases your enjoyment and safety in pool jogging. They protect your skin plus help ensure your arches and ankles are in proper alignment.

Pool running is a great way to get a low-impact cardio workout without the risk of joint or muscle injury. Not only is it a great way to stay in shape, but it can also be a fun and relaxing way to enjoy the water. With the proper technique and safety measures, you can maximize your workout and reap the benefits of pool running.

If you are looking for more variation in your pool running routine, you may want to consider using the Ability Fix app. This app includes a variety of pool running exercises, as well as helpful instructional videos. All exercises and workouts are categorized by a person’s mobility level. With the help of the Ability Fix app, you can take your pool running to the next level.

Aqua Yoga is a form of yoga that is done in water. It is a great way to do a variation of your regular yoga practice.

The general assumption is you are going to get your hair wet. When I first heard about doing yoga in a pool my mind went to a down dog drowning pose.  As a person who hates to get their head wet, I’m not a swimmer, I imagined that this would be torture for me.

Thankfully, that’s not what happened.  My logical mind told me that there’s no way anyone would attend an Aqua Yoga class if their head were under water.  So I decided to learn how to teach a water yoga class for my clients at Paradise.

What I found was a truly enjoyable experience.  Drowning and being tortured weren’t a part of the practice at all.  In reality it was a fun, floaty, comfortable yoga workout with none of the imagined pains.  After years of teaching yoga on land, this felt like a gentle massage,  water helping to hold me up, and I didn’t have gravity pushing my body to a crash.

If you want to try Aqua Yoga I highly recommend finding a class, having an instructor is the way ideal to get started.  But, there really are not enough water yoga teachers and you may find it difficult to attend a class near you.  So, here’s what you need to do yoga in your own pool.

Before beginning your practice, you’re going to want to make sure you are comfortable in the water.  Turn up the heat to about 90 f, or put on insulated swim wear or a wetsuit in cold temperatures.  If the pool is outdoors remember your sunglasses, a protective hat, and wear sun screen.  (Our pools at Paradise are indoors plus we heat them to 92 f.)  Have a water bottle poolside for when you get thirsty. And finally, get into your pool at about waist deep to chest deep.  All poses described here are done at this depth.

Now try this simple routine. You can follow it using just your body and the support of the water:

1. **Warm-up**: Begin by warming up your body. You can do this by walking in the pool, changing directions, backwards, lsideways,  using longer and longer strides.  Be sure you are using your whole foot with each step.  Walk and slowly swing your arms back and forth, in and out, front and back, explore big moves that just feel right. Be aware of your breath flowing comfortably, in & out slowly through your nose; ribcage to belly expanding as you inhale; core engaging you exhale. Breath cycles done like this will flow continuously, connected to your mental focus and connected to your body’s movement. Do this for about five minutes or until you feel warmed up.

2. **Mountain Pose (Tadasana)**: Stand straight, feet hip-width apart and neutral in their alignment with your knees. Let your arms relax by your sides, they might be floating on the surface of the water. Soften your knees, feel your weight equal on both legs. Focusing your eyes on something stable in front of you may help your balance. Feel your feet on the floor, create a tripod balance at your heel, ball of the foot above your big toe, and the ball of the foot above your little toe. To increase your stability lift your toes, root your tripod feet—lifting the arches— wiggle them, then set your toes down wide on the pool floor. Maintain this pose for about 3 to 5 breath cycles.  Mountain Pose is your home base, you may return to this pose at any point in a yoga workout.

3. **Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)**: Starting from Mountain Pose, put your weight to your right foot. Bend your left knee, pivot at your hip to turn it outward, and place the sole of your left foot anywhere on the inside of your right leg except pressing on the knee. You can use the pool wall for balance if needed. Feel your right foot’s tripod balance on the pool floor. Arms can reach overhead to build up your balance challenge.  Hold for 3-5 breath cycles, then switch sides by returning to Mountain Pose, weight on your left foot, pivot your right knee outward, etc.  Ideally you have the same balance, strength, and range of motion on the other side.

(Return to Mountain Pose to transition to the next move.)

4. **Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)**: Stand with your feet wide apart. Turn your right foot out to the side and bend your right knee. Stretch out your arms so they're parallel to your legs, one reaching forward, one reaching back in a T shape. Turn your head to look over your right hand. Hold for 3-5 breath cycles. Then switch sides by going to Mountain Pose, stepping wide, repeating everything on your left side.  Create symmetry between both sides as you find your footing.

(Return to Mountain Pose to transition to the next move.)

5. **Chair Pose (Utkatasana)**: In a standing position, imagine sitting back into a chair. Find a depth that allows you to have both feet on the floor. Keep your knees over your ankles, and float your arms out wide in a T position.  To increase challenge raise your arms overhead, draw your shoulder blades into your ribcage, away from your ears. The water will help support you in this pose. Hold for 3-5 breath cycles.

(Return to Mountain Pose to transition to the next move.)

6. **Corpse Pose (Shavasana)**: Finally, your “cool down” is a balance of relaxation and meditation. By simply floating on your back, taking in the sensation of the water against your skin, and breathing deeply.  If you are not comfortable floating, like me, you can use the pool wall or the pool stairs and be relaxed onto them. (Use small noodles under your body if you like but they are not needed.) Do this for about five to ten minutes or until you feel ready to stand up, flex your toes & fingers, and stretch your body.

Safety is paramount, and you should only attempt these poses if you are comfortable in the water. Practice within your level, but you knew that already.  A yoga practice is NEVER supposed to be “no pain no gain”.  Instead it is a safe exploration of self-actualization. It's so very important to respect your body's limits and not push into any poses that cause discomfort, pain, or an inability to breathe easily.

Remember, the goal of Aqua Yoga, like traditional yoga, is not only physical conditioning but also mental relaxation and mindfulness. Enjoy the soothing effect of the water and the gentle, low-impact workout it provides.

We do not have Aqua Yoga for a variety of Ability Levels in our app yet.  We have plans to add yoga, in the meantime try Ai Chi.  They are both mind - body practices.

Water Jacks are an underwater exercise adapted from their land counterpart. They are an effective way to improve your overall fitness level, flexibility, and strength and have the added benefit of water’s hydrostatic pressure, 360 degrees of resistance, and turbulence.

If you're looking to maximize your Water Jacks routine, there are a few key things to keep in mind.

Jacks require no to little equipment depending on your mobility and your fitness goals.  They strongly depend on tempo and resistance.

If done slowly with no equipment there will be little to no effort required and the main benefit you will get is balance and coordination. This is great if you are elderly and need to improve those things.

Increasing your tempo without equipment may give a person of average ability the desired cardiovascular benefits.  If you’re more fit and find that your heart rate isn’t at a desired rate of exertion add webbed gloves, paddles, handbells, floatation dumbbells, or noodles.

If you’re very athletic you’ll want to increase your speed to around 132 beats per minute.  Additionally, you might wear resistance ankle cuffs to increase the drag on your legs because at this speed the force generated by your jacks is at its maximum power.  Remember, increased surface area along with increased speed equals increased force.  In land terms, you would think of this as increased weight.

No matter what degree of mobility you have, there are ways to modify your Water Jacks to get the most out of them. All the variations we outline below can be done by anyone at any level of fitness if modified by tempo and depth of water.

If your mobility is limited, you will need to do your jacks slower and in shallower water.  Anything from standing in a fully anchored depth, i.e. about waist high, to partially anchored, i.e. chest deep.   

With added mobility and strength you will want to do your jacks in partially or fully suspended, i.e. neck deep or off the pool floor, and faster.   Wear a flotation belt so you don’t need to fight to stay afloat.

Here's how to do a basic Water Jack:

1. Start with your feet together, hands down by your hips.
2. With a slight hop move your legs out to your sides while raising your arms up to the surface of the water.
3. Focus on engaging your core and keeping your back straight, while maintaining powerful posture.
4. Return to feet together with a slight hop and deliberate force pulling in on the legs and down on the arms.
5. Repeat.

Variations of Water Jacks:

One-legged Jacks. This exercise is often necessary if you have very limited mobility and cannot do a hop.  When you are standing in water fully anchored, you will be able to feel the pool floor under you.  This allows you to use your balance on one foot as a stable support.  When you do a one-legged jack you can feel your core muscles using an isometric contraction to keep you upright.  Simply extend one leg and both arms out with as much force as you can muster, and return with same force.  Follow this with the other leg and alternate for as long as you wish to do this exercise.

Opposite arm Jacks. As the name implies, you have to concentrate to drop your arms when your legs go out and raise your arms as your legs come in.  This is the best way to do jacks fully suspended in a floatation belt.  You will have less bobbing up and down when your arms oppose your legs.

Diamond Jacks.  Similar to regular jacks, your arms and legs are coordinated except the hop travels forward, center and back.  This pattern moves both legs forward when your arms are back, you jump wide center, then both legs jump back when your arms are forward.  It is a great brain and coordination builder.

Tuck Jacks. Incorporating a core crunch into the center of your jack takes full advantage of water’s buoyant nature.  You hop out wide coordinating arms and legs, then jump up into a tuck using your abdominal muscles.  Return to a wide jack from the tuck and you’re ready to do it again.

Frog Jacks.  Similar to a tuck jack except your legs are turned out from the hip as you jump up, knees bending with your feet rotated inward, pull feet together in a frog shape.  Return to a wide jack keeping the heels inward and toes pointing outward.

M&M Jacks.  Like a regular jack, your arms and legs are moving out and in together.  M&M shapes are created standing with your legs together, tuck up center, jump out into a jack, tuck using core, and return to standing center.

All of these jacks variations are applicable to any level of mobility with modifications.  For a full explanation of modifications download the Ability Fix app or go to the YouTube channel, http://YouTube.com/AbilityFix

As with all exercise there are some safety concerns that need to be addressed. I am a big supporter of “if it hurts - don’t do it”.  Of course, "if it feels good do more of that" applies as well.

Ask your doctor or physical therapist to give you more guidance if you have had surgeries.

If you are doing this aerobically make sure the water temperature is cool enough.  I recommend 88 degrees (F) or less.

Keep your powerful posture.  Poor posture strains the wrong muscles and will make this exercise less effective.

Wearing shoes protects your feet, supports your arches and cushions your heels.

Floatation belt usage allows you to focus on the exercise and not struggle to staying afloat.

In conclusion, Water Jacks a great way to do a low-impact exercise that doesn't put strain on your spine because there is no twisting or bending.

By following these tips, you can maximize your Water Jacks exercise and get more out of your water workouts. They are an effective way to improve your overall fitness level, flexibility, and strength, as well as strengthen your core muscles, improve balance, and increase cardiovascular capacity and endurance. Give it a try and see the difference it can make in your fitness routine.

If your are looking for more variation in your Aqua Jacks you may want to consider using the Ability Fix app.  This app includes a variety of pool jacks, as well as helpful instructional videos.  All exercises and workouts are categorized by a person’s mobility level. With the help of the Ability Fix app you can take your water exercise to the next level.

You can download the app from below link.

https://www.abilityfix.com/en/app/downloads

In the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, water fitness has emerged as a popular and effective way to stay in shape while enjoying the water's therapeutic benefits. However, simply hitting the pool, the lake, or the ocean without proper guidance may not yield optimal results. This is where a water fitness coach can make all the difference. It doesn’t matter whether you can swim or not. Water fitness is not only about swimming. Many water exercises are done upright in the pool and for much of it you won’t even get your hair wet. Enlisting the expertise of a water fitness coach can enhance your aquatic journey and lead you to unparalleled success which will help you stick to it, improving your overall health for a long time. In this blog we will explore six compelling reasons why you should be using a water fitness coach.

1. Personalized Training Programs

One of the significant advantages of hiring a water fitness coach is the ability to receive personalized training programs tailored to your unique goals, abilities, and limitations. A good coach will conduct an assessment of your current fitness level, understand your objectives, then create a customized plan that maximizes your potential. With a tailored program, you can achieve your desired results faster and with reduced risk of injury.

2.  Technical Expertise

Water fitness coaches possess specialized knowledge and technical expertise that go beyond basic exercise skills. They are well-versed in a variety of water-based exercises, such as aqua aerobics, water yoga, water boxing, and resistance training giving you a diverse and engaging workout routine. These coaches can teach you proper form, how to use a variety of equipment, breathing techniques, and movement efficiency against buoyancy and drag which are essential elements to excel in a water fitness workout.

3. Motivation and Accountability

Staying motivated on your fitness journey can be challenging, especially when working out alone. A water fitness coach provides continuous support, encouragement, and accountability, helping you stay focused and committed to your fitness goals. They act as both a mentor and a cheerleader, pushing you beyond your plateaus and celebrating your successes, ultimately leading to increased confidence and self-belief.

4. Building Your Community Connections

Water fitness coaches can also create a thriving fitness community.  This benefits you by providing a buddy system of support, motivation, knowledge, and social connections, contributing to everyone’s overall fitness journey success and enjoyment.

5. Overcoming Plateaus

Experiencing fitness plateaus is common, and they are discouraging for anyone. When progress seems stagnant, a water fitness coach can analyze your routine, identify areas that can be improved, and introduce new exercises to challenge your body in different ways. By breaking through plateaus you will reignite your enthusiasm and drive.

6. Adapting to Special Conditions

If you have specific health conditions or physical limitations, a water fitness coach will modify movements and water depth for your needs and develop exercise programs that are safe and gentle on your joints while still providing effective workouts. Water's buoyancy offers a low-impact environment, making it ideal for individuals with chronic joint pain, arthritis, or those recovering from injuries after being released from their doctor’s care.

Finding a water fitness coach can be a real challenge. You may need to enroll in a class at a public pool near you. Hopefully they’ll have someone teaching that can accommodate your level of fitness and mobility, at a time that works for you. If you have your own pool, perhaps you can get the public pool water fitness instructor to come to you.

Another alternative is to download the Ability Fix water exercise app. It has exercises designed for many abilities, a self assessment, and it will create a custom workout, much like a water fitness coach would do for you. In essence this app was designed to be as close to a real-life coach as can be accomplished within an app.

In conclusion, using a water fitness coach can be a game-changer for your pain-free fitness journey. From personalized training programs to technical expertise and motivation, a coach can propel you toward your fitness goals while ensuring your safety and good health. Embrace the support and guidance of a water fitness coach, and you'll discover a world of possibilities in the water, leading you to a healthier, happier, and more confident you. Dive in today, and watch your well-being soar to new heights!