Take a break from high intensity interval training (HIIT) and enjoy a moderate intensity water aerobic workout designed to improve cardio and muscular endurance to give participants more energy in their daily activities. Wave After Wave with Donna Boucher is a 50-minute shallow water exercise video that uses the symbolic natural rhythm of waves to guide movement and intensity through continuous steady-state aerobic training.
Cardiorespiratory and muscular endurance are two of the fitness components required for optimal health. However, doing HIIT water workouts every day is not necessarily recommended. To be the healthiest version of yourself, it is important to incorporate a variety of water fitness activities, including moderate aerobic training, muscle conditioning, joint mobility, muscular flexibility, balance, coordination and more.
Below, Donna talks more about Wave After Wave and then read on for her inspiration behind the content and a summary of the workout.
Wave Inspired
By Donna Boucher
Wave After Wave uses the natural progression of a wave to organize movement and training intensity. Instead of sharp peaks and complete recovery periods, effort gradually builds and settles while maintaining continuous movement throughout the workout. Exercise segments are organized to reflect the natural progression of a wave, moving through phases of forming, building, cresting, and rolling before the next wave begins.
Form the Wave
Movement begins simply to establish rhythm, movement awareness, and connection to the water. Participants create the foundation for flow and prepare the body for gradual progression.
Build the Wave
Movement begins to expand through changes in range of motion, travel, direction, movement layering, and energy. Challenge develops naturally while maintaining continuous momentum.
Crest the Wave
This is the strongest movement experience within the wave. Energy rises, movement becomes larger and more expressive, and participants experience the highest level of sustained effort before the wave releases.
Let it Roll
Rather than stopping completely, movement settles into a continuous recovery phase. Intensity softens while participants remain moving allowing the body to reset, recharge, and prepare for the next wave already building behind it.
Throughout the workout, tempo shifts, direction changes, and movement layering creates a rhythmic and immersive training experience. There is very little true rest. Instead, movement itself becomes the recovery strategy carrying participants from one wave into the next.
POOL WORKOUT-AT-A-GLANCE
Wave After Wave is a 50-minute shallow water workout that includes a warm-up, cool down, and seven steady-state water aerobics segments inspired by the natural progression of waves.
Each block follows four phases: Form the Wave → Build the Wave → Crest the Wave → Let it Roll.
Movement progresses through changes in range of motion, travel, layering, and energy rather than intensity spikes or complete recovery. Transitions are intentionally seamless to maintain continuous movement and create a sustained cardiovascular training experience.
Through steady, continuous movement, the body builds endurance, sharpens coordination, and learns to move with greater ease and efficiency… Wave after Wave.
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Poolfit extends gratitude to Donna for sharing one of her favorite class formats with subscribers. Based in Ohio, she is a fitness and wellness professional that specializes in aquatic fitness, land-based training, personal training, and instructor education. She serves as an aquatic fitness instructor training specialist and continuing education provider for the Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA). Check out Donna’s two other Poolfit videos, and stay tuned for another video with her posting later this year.
