Experience a deep water workout that delivers results by targeting essential components of fitness with a circuit-style approach. Deep 321 delivers results with a simple template that breaks each circuit down into 3 minutes of cardio, 2 minutes of muscle endurance and 1 minute of flexibility.
The 3-2-1 format has been floating around the fitness industry for a number of years. The timing ratio in each workout depends on the desired goal and the fitness component you are most interested in training. Essential fitness components include cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength & endurance, flexibility, body composition, balance and coordination. For example, if you are most interested in balance training, you would make balance the 3 minutes in the 3-2-1 format.
DEEP 321: WORKOUT-AT-A-GLANCE
This workout features a warm-up, cool down and five 6-minute circuits.
Circuit Template
- Cardio: 3 minutes
Four moves performed for 15 seconds each. This 4-move circuit is performed for a total of three times.
- Muscular endurance: 2 minutes
Four moves performed for 15 seconds each. The 4 moves are performed twice.
- Flexibility: 1 minute
A lower body stretch is performed once on the right for 30 seconds and then on the left for 30 seconds.
Cardio Component
The cardio in this workout includes lots of travel, forward and back, as well as lateral. There are also lots of changes in body position, with the body moving up, down, to the right and to the left.
Muscular Endurance Component
The movements in circuits 1 and 3 target lower body. Circuits 2 and 4 target lower body and circuit 5 is all about the core.
Flexibility Component
The last minute of each circuit stretching. This is also a good time for recovery and deep breathing
Deep Water = Core & More
Deep water fitness is probably the only opportunity you will have to exercise or even move in zero gravity. The upward forces of buoyancy replace the downward forces of gravity in deep water workouts. The core muscles are highly activated in deep water simply by trying to maintain vertical alignment. However, many deep water workouts also feature changes in body position, up & down, right and left, which forces much more work from the core muscles.
Wearing a Flotation Belt
The core is best activated when wearing a flotation belt because it allows for better vertical alignment. Exercising in deep water without a belt causes the body to slightly tilt forward or backward, which deactivates the core muscles. Exercising in the deep end with a flotation belt also allows the arms and legs to be freed up so that they can more effectively perform aerobic movements. Watch me explain the importance of wearing a flotation belt in deep water exercise.
The belt I am wearing in the video is by WaterGym and it is my personal favorite. WaterGym belts are available in the PoolFit Marketplace.
Buckle up and enjoy this exercise adventure in the deep end!