AquaGym Fitness (AGF) and Stephanie Newberry are back with another one of their signature exercise templates. This one may look familiar. Run2Strength Deep is a sequel to their first AGF workout, Run2Strength. Designed for deep water, this pool workout can be performed in shallow water with slight modifications.
Filled with lots of acrobatic and athletic action, this circuit workout includes 10 blocks of exercises. The first 9 blocks are each 4-minutes and include a 1-minute ramp up run followed by three exercises performed with timed intervals. Keeping with AGF tradition, Block #10 is a BLOCKBUSTER as all of the moves are performed together. “Last set, best set!”
Ramp-Up Run
All 10 blocks begin with the signature AGF Ramp-up Run. This 1-minute run is broken into three 20 second segments, each progressing in intensity and energy output. Ideally, the ramp-up run should be traveled to increase the intensity. However, if your pool space is limited, the ramp-run can be performed stationary.
Deep Water Benefits
Exercising in deep water means zero gravity and zero impact. This is a huge deal for people with joint mobility issues. If you gave up jogging because it hurts, the good news is that you can sprint as hard and as fast as you want in deep water. Deep water running with a flotation belt is a popular way to burn calories and get fit. As Stephanie demonstrates in the Run2Strength Deep workout, exercising in zero gravity provides athletic and acrobatic opportunities that could never be achieved in land-based exercise or even in shallow water exercise. Deep water exercise also unloads the spine and makes exercise more possible for people with back issues. Simply hanging vertical in deep water is often recommended for individuals with spinal compression issues. WATCH Stephanie explain the unique benefits of deep water.
Flotation Belt
The Run2Strength Deep workout must be performed with a flotation belt. I know I post the video below all the time, but there are reasons beyond safety as to why a belt should be worn in deep water fitness. WATCH why.
Shallow Modifications
The Run2Strength Deep workout can be performed in shallow water with slight modifications. One simple modification would be to just wear a flotation belt in the shallow end so that you can perform suspended activities more effectively. Keep in mind, some body types have more buoyancy and can suspend more easily, others not so much. However, even with a flotation belt, Stephanie says there is one exercise that definitely needs to be modified. According to her, the vertical flutter will not work in the shallow end and she asks her shallow water participants to do a quick slider cross country ski instead. “Imagine sliding your feet on the pool bottom in a quick small cross country move, pumping your arms as if holding the handles of an Elliptical machine.”
Deep water workouts have been the most requested by PoolFit subscribers. The reality is that many home pools have inadequate shallow ends. Many are too shallow or sloped for exercise needs, hence the unexpected demand for deep water programming. Whether you perform this workout in deep or shallow water, we suspect Run2Strength Deep will become one of your “go-to” workouts during the holiday season.