Creating a Water Aerobics Workout, Part 3: Your First Routine

We discussed important water aerobics vocabulary. Then we talked about the actual movements you can perform in the water. Once you have both familiarized yourself with the terminology and practiced the movements in the water, you are ready to perform (and ultimately create) your own water workout routine.

Below I have created a typical water aerobics routine. It is designed to last 1/2 hour. But as we’re learning with water workouts, we can modify and make it into something else — like a 1-hour. We can do the routine faster; we can do it slower; we can more reps of the sets; do a different exercise if one suggested isn’t working.

WATER AEROBICS ROUTINE #1 — BEGINNER LEVEL

*Goal for Student/Routine: Use all muscle groups in the shortest period of time

:05-:07 minute Warm-Up.

• Sitting Breast Stroke. Travel back-and-forth across the pool length-wise using both arms and legs. Give care to alignment. Full range of motion approach. Benefit: Loosen up upper body (biceps, pectorals, trapezius, deltoids); loosen up lower body (hip flexors, hip abductors); loosen up core (abs). REPEAT 4x or 4 laps.
• Sitting Elementary Backstroke. Travel backwards, back-and-forth across pool, using just arms as you maintain a sitting position and give care to alignment, full range of motion. Benefit: Loosen up upper body (shoulder muscles and ball and socket joint in shoulder; triceps). REPEAT 4x or 4 laps.
• In-place modified jogging, two positions. #1: “Marching”: Bring right leg up in front, then left leg up in front, full range of motion. Gentle scull with arms. Benefit: Stretch legs (quads); stretch butt (gluteus maximus). #2: “Kickback”: stand tall at 6 o’clock. Gentle scull to stabilize. Now bring right leg back so heel comes behind and draw close to butt; drop back down and do left leg. Benefit: Stretch legs (hamstrings). DO POSITION #1 and #2 both 10-12 x. REPEAT SO YOU DO 4 SETS.

:15-:20 minute Conditioning Phase.

1st set or routine — 3 moves, all in-place. DO EACH MOVE 10-12x. REPEAT SO YOU DO SET 3-4x.

1. Jumping Jack at 4 o’clock angle. Use arms (scull). Start slow, work to cardio intensity. Change 4 o’clock position to a 3 o’clock and drop down to a 6 o’clock; keep bringing up and down to modify.
2. Jog in place. No arms. Start slow, work to cardio intensity. Try both knees up, both down or “sumo wrestler” to modify.
3. ThighMaster. In a sitting position with proper alignment, bring knees together and arms/hands together. Now push legs and arms out wide. Bring together again, squeezing water between legs and pushing water between arms and hands. Start slow, work to cardio intensity. Try doing one arm and one leg at a time — or opposite knee to opposite elbow to modify.

Benefits: Increase in heart rate; abs; hip abductors; gluteus maximus; quads; pectorals; trapezius; hinge joint in elbow.

2nd set or routine –2 moves, bike and jog combo, traveling across length of pool. REPEAT EACH MOVE 3-4X or laps. REPEAT SET 3-4x.

1. Bike, no arms. With arms extended in front “grabbing handles,” pedal with legs and “dig” into water with heel. Start with cardio intensity, work down to slower speed.
2. Jog, no arms. With arms behind back, lean forward and jog, up-down motion (as opposed to bike’s circular motion). Start with cardio intensity, work down to slower speed.

Benefits: Increase in heart rate; abs; hip abductors; ham strings; gluteus maximus; quads; pectorals; trapezius.

3rd set or routine — traveling cross county front, back and sides. Traveling across length of pool. REPEAT EACH MOVE 1x or lap. REPEAT SET 3-4x.

1. Cross country, face forward. Proper alignment, meeting place with feet at 6 o’clock or directly below. Now pull forward using breast stroke arms.
2. Cross country, backwards. Same alignment as above. Now reach back and use elementary backstroke arms to travel backwards.
3. Cross country, sideways. Same alignment. Now reach out the the side with arms and pull water to you as you travel length of pool sideways (do not turn this into a side stroke!). Switch and pull other sides.

Benefits: Increase in heart rate; all abs (oblique, intercostal, lower and upper); hip abductors; ham strings; gluteus maximus; quads; pectorals; trapezius.

:03-:05 minute Cool-Down.

• Traveling side stroke. Use scissors kick with legs. Arms are doing a breast stoke motion on side.
• In-place treading. Use “Egg Beaters” with legs and sculling with arms. Slow, gentle and full-range approach.

Print out routine and laminate so it doesn’t get wet by the pool.

It’s also important to understand we water exercise professionals each sell our own brand or style of water exercise. What I suggest might not be used by another instructor. Yes, I base my routines and movements upon what I’ve learned off other professionals; but mainly my routines are designed by what my students tell me they love and what works for them. I personally feel quick reps; a strong mix of full-range to muscle-building to cardio with the movements; and alas but not least good music with a challenging beat, makes for a beneficial — and repeatable — water routine. Ultimately, you’ve got to do what works for you to get yourself back into the water over and over again!