Get ready to workout with Katy and the routine she uses every time she subs a water fitness class. Designed with results and doability in mind, this simple but challenging workout is based on standard water exercises and equipment, such as noodles and foam dumbbells. Built with options, you can increase or decrease the intensity of the exercises and can perform this workout in both deep and shallow water.
Subbing a water fitness class is always a challenge for instructors. I have subbed many classes over my 28 years as a fitness instructor and can personally attest to this struggle. You often have no idea what the participants’ ability level is, what they normally do, what the pool depth is like and what kind of equipment is available. The inspiration behind AquaFIIT – I Need a Sub, was Katy’s experiences over the years subbing classes and fine-tuning a routine that would deliver results, win over a potentially hostile audience and work every time.
Workout-at-a-Glance
Focusing on HIIT, strength and core training, this 45-minute pool workout features a warm-up, cool down and 7 working segments. Three of the working segments feature strength training with hand buoys, noodles and the water’s drag resistance. Three of the segments include HIIT rounds with a hard, harder, hardest theme. The last working segment features a core burnout with a noodle.
What makes a Pool Workout Successful?
This workout is proof-positive of the saying that you get what you put into it. Given that this routine is intended to be used for subbing classes in which you may have a wide range of fitness levels, the moves are kept simple, with the assumption that the participants will OWN the intensity and the effort they put into it. This is hugely important in group fitness. Participants should avoid playing “monkey see- monkey do” in a fitness by attempting to mimic everything the instructor does. Instead, they should modify moves that are too difficult or uncomfortable; and they should intensify moves if they want to work harder. This concept is based on Newton’s Laws of Motion, in particular, the law of Acceleration as it applies to water exercise. This law is based on applied force, meaning the harder you push and pull the water or bound off the pool floor, the greater the effort and results will be. Only YOU can own the force applied. The Law of Inertia is also represented with the concept of variability. That just means the more you change variables in a workout, the greater the intensity. You will notice that the movement constantly changes in this workout. Equally important is executing the exercises with good alignment, core stability and a full range of motion. Watch Katy talk more about AquaFIIT – I Need a Sub.
Poolfit extends a big thank you to Katy for her passion and content contributions. Stay tuned for three more pool workouts from Katy in Spring 2023. Watch a fun behind-the-scenes look at Katy’s 2022 Florida filming adventures.