Pick your preferred depth, dive in and get fit with HIIT in the pool. The HIIT Factory is a 52-minute water exercise video that features an epic collection of aqua HIIT. Working the intensity spectrum, from low to moderate to high intensity, while also including specialized HIIT formats such as AMRAP, Tabata, Norwegian4x4 and more, this pool workout can be enjoyed in both deep and shallow water. There are no additional equipment needs, but a flotation belt should be worn if exercising in deep water.
Based on the 100 Water Exercises video series, The HIIT Factory is the 4th and final video in the series. The first video, 100 Water Exercises, introduced 5 base moves, jacks, skis, jogs, kicks and tucks/jumps, and 20 exercise variations for each base move. The second video, Total Body Cardio Express, grouped the 100 exercises into body part emphasis, and featured a fast-paced 25-minute cardio blast. The third video, The Combo Factory, created dozens more variations by combining the 100 water exercises into 2-move combos. This last video, The HIIT Factory, reuses most of the 100 water exercises in various HIIT formats. The point of this series was to demonstrate that you don’t need new moves to create a new exercise routine. Each of these four videos has different fitness outcomes because the 100 water exercises are used differently.
The HIIT Factory – Pool Workout Summary
This 52-minute water exercise video includes 7 interval exercise segments and a dynamic stretch. Equipment is not needed for this pool workout, but a flotation belt is required for exercising in the deep end.
Segment 1: Warmup/Light Intensity Intervals
This segment features interval training but serves as the warm-up because the longer recovery times keep the intensity light. The first two intervals are a timing ratio of 1:4, which means one part work and four parts recovery. The first 1:4 interval is 30 seconds work and 2 minutes recovery, and the second one is 15 seconds work and 1 minute of recovery. The next two intervals are 1:3, with the first interval timed at 30 seconds of work, followed by 90 seconds of recovery, and the second, 15 seconds of work and 45 seconds of recovery. These ratios with longer recovery times are perfect for beginners, active recovery and formats with lower intensity exercise.
Segment 2: Moderate Intensity Intervals
This segment features moderate intensity intervals with 1:2 and 1:1 timing ratio. The first two intervals are 1:2, with 30 seconds of work, followed by 60 seconds of recovery, and then 15 seconds of work and 30 seconds recovery. The next three intervals are 1:1, with the following timing ratios:
0:45 work / 0:45 recovery
0:30 work / 0:30 recovery
0:15 work / 0:15 recovery
Segment 3: High Intensity Intervals
An energy shift occurs in this segment as the work times get longer than the recovery times. This segment features six different high intensity interval training (HIIT) timing ratios.
2:1 ratio: 0:60 work / 0:30 recovery
2:1 ratio: 0:30 work / 0:15 recovery
3:1 ratio: 0:90 work / 0:30 recovery
3:1 ratio: 0:45 work / 0:15 recovery
4:1 ratio: 2:00 work / 0:30 recovery
4:1 ratio: 0:60 work / 0:15 recovery
By the time you get to the last two intervals, you can very much feel the effort required to do the longer duration work cycles.
Segment 4: Lower Body AMRAP
AMRAP stands for “as many reps as possible.” In an AMRAP HIIT format, an exercise is performed in a set amount of time, and the participant counts the number of reps they completed. The exercise is then repeated at least once more for the same timing, and the goal is to try and get at least one more rep. In the video, four lower body exercises are performed twice for 15 seconds each.
Segment 5: Upper Body Tabata
Tabata is a form of HIIT where the exercises have a timing ratio of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. Because the work timing is so short, the intensity expectation is pretty much all-out. This Tabata round features 8 exercises with an upper body focus.
Segment 6: Add-On HIIT
My favorite segment! As subscribers know, I love add-on instruction. The challenge in this segment was selecting exercises from the 100 list that could be counted in reps. Add-on HIIT is typically used in gyms where are exercises are more commonly performed in reps. Given that the reps were 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, I had to select combinations from The Combo Factory to count as reps. Each time a new exercise/rep is introduced, the preceding exercises/reps are added on.
Segment 7: Norwegian 4X4 Protocol
This HIIT protocol was first introduced to subscribers by Richard Gormley, in his video Sink or Sprint. This style of HIIT features 4 minutes of continuous high intensity exercise. As the 4x4 title references, this is 4 exercises performed for 1 minute each. This is then followed by 3 minutes of active recovery.
Segment 8: Dynamic Stretch
The final segment features dynamic flexibility, which involves movement, rather than static stretches.
The 100 Water Exercises video series once again featured the use of the same exercises but performed in different ways for different outcomes. Many of the exercises were more advanced because they involved taking both feet off the pool floor at once. As a reminder, all those more advanced exercises can be modified by always keeping one foot on the pool floor.
Watch the video below to better understand how to modify these more advanced movements.
Summer is here at last, and I hope you enjoy exercising along with the 100 Water Exercises video series. There are lots more amazing pool workouts coming your way in the coming months.
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