Water Exercise Weights - New Resistance Tools for the Swimming Pool | Buy Online | Product Review

The world of exercise is quickly changing as we learn more about our muscular structure and the benefits to our health for both young and old alike. Muscular resistance with cardiovascular conditioning is the best fitness combination - it is efficient and offers a full body workout that includes the lungs and the heart muscles too. "Circuit training" has existed for years on land, and is finally coming of age for the water too. This fitness format called "circuit training" combines training for cardiorespiratory and specific strength or motor skills all in a single workout. There are some great new swim fitness tools out on the marketplace that are exciting, very functional and very cost effective. Water exercise weights use both buoyancy and the displacement of the water to further enhance the targeted toning of the muscles.

Ladies - Fear of Becoming "Musclebound" is Gone!

Science has taught us that females are not at risk for becoming “musclebound” with strength training. We have learned our hormones and muscle structure is different and we have clearly established the formula for building muscle. Body builders, athletic trainers and researchers at the universities throughout the world have lead the way. Additionally, popular programs such as Les Mills has taught us that circuit training and target toning offer the most efficient fitness program that not only builds muscles and tones and shapes up but also increases our endurance. The times have dramatically changed since the days of my Grandmother. Our knowledge base and appreciation for muscle and exercise is slowly transitioning us into a smarter, healthier populace.

As fitness instructors and personal trainers, we design our classes and personal training sessions to include "interval training" - a type of physical training that involves bursts of high intensity work.This brief bout at near-maximum exertion interspersed with periods of lower-intensity activity offers the most efficient workout for the hear and muscles.

If we combine our interval training with target toning, we have a fitness program called circuit training. Circuit training is a combination of high-intensity aerobics and resistance training designed to be fun and easy. Excellent for targeting fat loss, building muscle and increasing the stamina of the heart muscle. An "exercise circuit" is one completion of the prescribed targeted exercise. Immediately following the completion of the circuit, another circuit is started. Often the goal is rapid movement to the next exercise.

Circuit Training Course Examples

A good circuit training course works the different sections in the body individually. A good example of a circuit may be:

Land ~ Water Circuit Training

• Arms: Pull-ups, Push-up ~ Push-downs
• Arms: Triceps Chair Dips ~ Tricep Dips
  
• Abs: Sit ups ~ Water Crunches
  
• Legs: Step ups ~ Kicks
  
• Arms: Shoulder press ~ Push-downs
  
• Abs: Elbows and Toes Plank ~ Rowboat
  
• Legs - Burpees ~ Cross Country Ski and Rocking Horse

New Water Exercise Weight Equipment

I have the privilege of attending the Aquatic Exercise Association's training in Lake Forest, Illinois and wanted to share with you a few new pieces of water aerobics equipment. Please find below a short introduction to:

• Speedo's Ergo Bells™
• Aqua Jogger's Sqoodle™ (square noodle)
• Body Bar®
• American Son Products' EZ Swimmer®
• Jumbo Noodles
  

"Not only give you a great cardiovascular workout but also tone muscles and burn calories for an efficient core, arms and upper body aquatic fitness workout by using buoyancy resistance in combination with the continuous resistance of the water.

Low impact conditioning, Strengthens upper body

Tones muscles and burns calories

Multiple resistance levels

Made of non-waterlogging, EVA foam, Colour- Orange"

Description: Strengthens upper body. Low impact conditioning. Tones muscles & burns calories. Increases flexibility. Great cardiovascular & aerobic workout. Recommended for all levels of fitness, conditioning & rehabilitation from surgery or injury. New for 2007: Increased resistance, Orange Color, Soft comfortable grips, Rounded edges prevent chafing. Compression molded EVA foam will not absorb water or rot."

"AquaJogger Sqoodle Description:

THICK & LONG SQOODLE (3"X64")

The noodle workout is the latest rage in water fitness, and AquaJogger takes it to the next level with the Sqoodle™ (square noodle) . More buoyancy for more support and more resistance than other noodles. The Sqoodle™ is one durable, comfortable, and Innovative Noodle.

• Made from the same high quality EVA foam as the AquaJogger.
  
  
• Soft to the touch and does not irritate skin
  
  
• Closed cell foam is non absorbent and dries fast
  
  
• Long lasting and durable
  
  
• More buoyancy than other noodles
  
  
• Versatile design for a full workout
  
  
• A fun toy for children of all ages"

Like all great things in fitness, from the balance ball to the bosu to the EZ Swimmer, the fitness tools often look strange.  The Body Bar is no exception.  This little fitness tool is absolutely fantastic!  It really works the legs muscles and targets the muscles in a low impact manner.  Imagine leg workout with impact - joyful to your knee joints!  Precisely!

The AEA Conference that I attended in Lake Forest, Illinois had an instructor share with us that they use the Body Bar in the water!  In combination with their water aerobics group classes.  What a great concept.  I cannot speak to that directly because I have not tried it but I love the Body Bar on land feel it should be as common place as the stability ball and Bosu.

Below is some specific details about the Body Bar and what makes it a simple fitness tool for you and/or your clients.

"The Body Bar® Difference

The Body Bar ® is a classic fitness tool; a simple, one piece solid steel, weighted fitness bar encased in high quality easy grip rubber for a secure and comfortable grip. User friendly, cost effective and versatile, The Body Bar® can be used not only in group exercise and the fitness center, but also for personal training, physical therapy, and home workouts.

The Body Bar® is utilized in a wide variety of workouts including strength & conditioning, circuit & interval classes, kick boxing & martial arts, sports conditioning, balance & alignment, pilates & yoga based workouts and flexibility training. All of our products are supported by the Master Your Body videos featuring top fitness instructors.

Can't make it to the gym? Pull out your Body Bar and a DVD for a fun and efficient total-body workout. Check out our DVDs, take a workshop or master class, pick up a Body Bar and use your imagination."

"EZ Swimmer is the ultimate in swim fitness programs - whether for the beginner, intermediate or advanced - there is something for everyone. Most of us, actually over 95% cannot swim more than 3 laps unaided. Yet, all of us need and want the target toning and the cardio exercise that water exercises provide.

How? How Does the EZ Swimmer Actually Work?

What if you we could target tone with an ergonomic barbell that kept us afloat, feet off the swimming pool floor but provided many of the great exercises that are so beneficial on land - but right in the water? Now you can with an innovative tool, a swim fitness tool - the EZ Swimmer.

The heavier we are typically the higher amount of body fat we have. Except for elite athletes, this correlation holds true. So amazingly the EZ Swimmer is ideal for all adults. For very petite under 100 lbs or children under 90 lbs, there is simply too much buoyancy. Remember this is a fitness tool not a toy. Think of the EZ Swimmer as an ergonomic barbell made specifically for the water.

Why? Full Body Workout

The EZ Swimmer provides a full body workout. Aptly named EZ Swimmer because this innovative swim fitness tool brings to us all the great benefits of full immersion swimming without immersing our head under the water."

Les Mills was the very first to offer the complete marriage of aerobic exercise with weight training. Details about their first class are provided below. They have expanded their classes all over the world and have over 5 different class offerings. A great program which will most assuredly pump up the energy level of your health club.

"BODYPUMP™ is the original barbell class that strengthens your entire body. This 60-minute workout challenges all your major muscle groups by using the best weight-room exercises like squats, presses, lifts and curls. Great music, awesome instructors and your choice of weight inspire you to get the results you came for – and fast! Like all the LES MILLS™ programs, a new BODYPUMP™ class is released every three months with new music and choreography.

The rockin’ music makes you forget about the pain of the workout! Nothing makes me get a good sweat on like BODYPUMP™ does!
-Chandra Branson

A typical class

BODYPUMP™ is designed to improve strength and endurance in the major muscle groups and, in doing so, burn calories. We use carefully chosen music tracks to guide you through the class with maximum effect. The usual length of each class is 60 minutes.

• Burn up to 600 calories per class for fat loss
• Improve your strength
• Improve your general fitness
• Shape and tone your muscles
• Improve your bone density (helps ward off osteoporosis)
• Come away feeling strong and confident

This week, in more than 13,000 clubs, in 75 countries, millions of people will put aside whatever else is happening in their lives and lose themselves for an hour in the pure exhilaration of one of our eight LES MILLS™ group fitness classes. And we want you to be a part of it too.

With Les Mills you’re not just exercising, you’re joining in on something bigger than yourself – a revolution. You’ll fall in love with fitness as our passionate instructors and inspiring music tracks guide you through a huge variety of workouts that will change your life.

You’ll sweat, you’ll shout, you may even curse us, but you’ll leave feeling extraordinary. And tomorrow you’re likely to come back and do it all again." source: les mills

Combining Weights with Water Aerobics Makes Sense

The future for continued great exercise programs looks bright as more land programs are being merged into swim fitness.  Water aerobics or swim fitness offers every possible level of intensity from the elite athlete to the active healthy aging adult to the elite aging baby boomers who are determined to prove that exercise is the elixir of youth.

This is a winning combination for everyone - high cardio and target toning - a very efficient program similar in nature to the Les Mills popular exercise programs.

Using buoyant fitness tool for the water exercise classes is a great way to add variety to your water aerobics classes. The same principles that apply to land for calisthenics and using your own body weight for resistance work well to incorporate into water aerobics classes.

Water Exercise With Weights Wins!

AEA - Aquatics Exercise Association aeawave.com

Squoodle from fitnesszone.com

Ergo Bells from divingdirectshop.co.uk

Ergo Bells in use from thetriathletestore.com

Body Bar from healthystylesexercise.com

EZ Swimmer from EZSwimmer.com

Disclaimers Copyrights and Disclosures

Medical Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only. Neither it nor the products sold here are designed to diagnose, treat, or cure any problem. You should contact your physician for further information, diagnosis, testing, or advice on how to use the information/products listed in this site.

Copyright: © 2010 Gma Goldie All Rights Reserved - GmaGoldie loves to share her ideas but greatly appreciates credit for her hard work. Please email the author for permission for use of terms and ideas shared in this or other Gma Goldie articles on health, fitness and exercise.

FTC Disclosure: The author is a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor and the inventor of the EZ Swimmer - the ultimate resistance tool for the swimming pool.