Do you find exercise boring? Get in the pool and try Pool Noodle Fitness & Fun with Mushi Harush. This 55-minute water exercise video features an epic collection of noodle exercises. Cardio, core, strength, balance and more, this water workout delivers results, along with a heaping does of fun.
A longtime fitness colleague, Mushi and I have known each other for 25 years from presenting at the same aquatic fitness conferences. If I recall, she has consistently presented sessions that showcase noodles. In fact, I think one of her conference sessions many years ago was called Oodles of Noodles. Originally from Argentina, Mushi now lives and works in Israel. She is the founder of the Israeli Aquatic Exercise Center and an international training specialist for the Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA).
THE VERSATILE POOL NOODLE
As demonstrated in the video, noodles are simply the most versatile and affordable equipment you can have on hand for water exercise. Floating, standing, sitting, straddling, kneeling, pushing and pulling, the exercise options are endless. For this reason, Poolfit has dozens of water exercise videos that include the use of pool noodles.
WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH A POOL NOODLE?
The noodle can be held in your hands and pushed and pulled against the water’s resistance for upper body strength and endurance training. It can also be stepped on with one or both feet and pressed down and up for lower body resistance and balance training. From a straddled position, the noodle can used to target lower body, cardio and core. Try placing a noodle behind the back or under the arm pits and float into modified supine position for some challenging core and leg work. For more challenging core and leg exercises, try planking with the noodle. The noodle also provides stability and confidence for those who want to exercise, or water walk in the pool, but are concerned about their balance. Simply put, there is no other water fitness tool that provides this kind of versatility. Best of all, pool noodles are by far the most affordable water exercise equipment.
Below, Mushi talks more about her video. Then read on for information regarding the best kind of pool noodle to use in water exercise.
WHAT IS THE BEST KIND OF NOODLE TO USE IN WATER EXERCISE?
There are different sizes and densities of pool noodles. It is perfectly fine to use a cheap “Dollar Store” noodle. In fact, I prefer using them for my older adult aquatic fitness classes because they are easier for class members to manage under the surface of the water. They have less density and so they don’t explode out of the water if a member loses control. It’s all fun and games until the paramedics show up to a class. However, these Dollar Store noodles are less dense and have a hole in the center, which makes them less sturdy for providing optimal resistance and for holding up a solid, muscular body when floating on them. In the video, we are using a more medium sized noodle that does not have a hole in the center. These noodles are sturdier and more ideal for most water fitness activities. These solid core noodles were purchased in a 3-pack on Amazon. Larger, more dense noodles are available online. It is probably best to have a dense and a less dense noodle on hand for personal workouts.
Poolfit extends a big thank you to Mushi for sharing her joy of using pool noodles in her classes. As she stated in the video above, breaking out the pool noodles in a workout always adds an atmosphere of “happy” along with a fitness challenge. Stay tuned! Mushi returns next month with one of her signature deep water workouts.
