This Combo Paddles & Cuffs kit includes:

• Pair of  Yako- Paddles.
• Pair of  WaterART Resistance Cuffs
• Laminated Reference Card for poolside
• WaterART  Purple Net Carry Bag with handles
• V298 How to Use Paddles & Cuffs (via WaterART Fitness Educational App streaming )

THANKS FOR PURCHASING WATERART AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GROWING THE INDUSTRY WITH EDUCATION & MOTIVATION.

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The principle of Specificity (of training) literally means training that is directly specific to the task or need – i.e. – the basic fitness requirement for any individual.

For example the problem, your client has poor balance and has fallen several times.

Then the #1 fitness requirement is that the client needs to specifically train for balance.

In water: The feet are the base of support in shallow water and, since water has a 3 dimensional effect around the body for support, someone with poor balance can practice balance exercises in the water safely. To do this you can use simple walking patterns to begin balance training. First start the client walking to create an inertia effect (water current) then stop with both feet in contact with the pool floor. Add sculling to support balance and posture and work on standing tall in the water.

On land: Balance may be trained by standing still and even holding one foot off the floor (at ankle  height, knee height or any position). Most people are afraid of falling and breaking something; however in order to optimize balance the client does need to train the specific component. Moving faster and jumping will not help with specific balance training.

In other words, training must always target a specific goal. There are many components of fitness that are trained in programs to create anenjoyable program.

Here are some of the more popular components of fitness that will need to be addressed with a well balanced fitness program whether in water or on land

• CV endurance for both aerobic & anaerobic fitness,
• stretching, active and dynamic stretching,
• muscular strengthening & endurance
• core stability,
• static and dynamic balance
• agility,
• coordination
• Proprioception
• ADLS, and posture….

Training on land needs to be programmed with safety in mind. Falling and hurting oneself is often more pronounced. Also delayed muscle soreness and sweating may make some new clients uncomfortable.

Utilizing  both water and land training is optimal; however, not always possible.

Using the principles of specificity of training with good technique can make for a very efficient and well balanced workout.

Another example is for cardiovascular fitness which the goal is to benefit the heart and circulatory system to prevent heart disease. Interval training of going easier to harder or less intense recovery to more intensity bout will train a person to perform more total work while lowering resting heart rate.

In water muscles fatigue prior to breathing; whereas most land cardio is due to lack of breathing. Understanding that program design must differ is key to benefiting the individual.

Developing cardio respiratory endurance sets or segments (whether in water or on land) must be performed by primarily engaging large muscle groups of the lower body muscles, dynamically or rhythmically, continuously or intermittently, at low through moderate to high intensity exercise. The exercise design needs to be at least three or more minutes in duration to utilize aerobic or with oxygen energy systems. Simply stated cardiovascular or cardio-respiratory training is training working on the breathing and volume of oxygen uptake so that the heart is more efficient. Ideally try to utilize regular low to moderate intensity sets for those new to fitness and then progress incrementally. Total duration is more important than higher intensity.

Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle, or group of muscles, to repeatedly exert force against a given sub-maximal resistance or to sustain an isometric contraction over time. Generally measured by how many times the muscle or group of muscles can contract before reaching momentary fatigue. Programs designed to increase muscular endurance utilize lower resistance and higher numbers of repetitions. In water, clients require more repetitions as the recovery is quicker. Generally we say that 3-5 sets of 8-25 repetitions are effective in water whereas 1-2 sets of 10-15 repetitions are effective on land. The theory is that muscles recover quicker in water as compared to land because of the massage effects of the water. Also in water there is no gravity to work up against so all muscle work should be done down into the resistance of the buoyancy rather than up with assistance of buoyancy.

The challenge for  most instructors  is that they do not do enough variety, sets or repetitions  for effective muscular conditioning and therefore their clients may not reach attainable training levels.

To train muscular strength:

• Be sure to utilize the correct joint action to properly engage the muscle
• Body position must Power down into the resistance of the water rather than just lift up with buoyancy
• Perform at least 8-25 repetitions (in water) or 10-15 (on land to properly train and fatigue the muscle
• In water: provide 1 to 2 sets for strength (with equipment) OR 3-5 sets for endurance(without equipment)
• On land: utilize heavier resistance for strength training or lighter resistnace and more repetitions for toning
• Need to feel that the muscle is fatigued for efficacy or to hypertrophy
•  Do not just use momentum -control the movement in water or on land
• Work with a muscle is created when the movement is started & stopped in good form.
• Muscles do support good posture. Good form is working in proper body alignment & posture with good technique.
• For new or beginner or older seniors add active recovery or filler moves in between sets
• For advanced clients there is no need for break in between sets -super set the muscle work
• Promoting participants to exercise muscular endurance in their target range will help them achieve the most benefits at a reduced risk for injury.
• Strong muscles maintain strong bones so provide incentives and tips to inspire exercise

Flexibility is the optimal range of motion around the joints and their corresponding muscle groups without sacrificing stability or inducing pain and discomfort. The key to improving and maintaining flexibility is frequency and consistency of use. Stretch between muscle strengthening sets is helpful for rejuvenating the muscles.

Recommendations for Flexibility:

• Offer both active mobility and static stretches
• Offer more active mobility at the start of any program
• Offer deeper stretching and static stretching when muscles are warm
• Ideally stretch muscles between sets  or any time when need active recovery or to relax
• Provide take home stretches for daily stretching for clients (this is the most difficult component of fitness to improve).
• Work through a comfortable active range of motion throughout the work-out to maintain good flexibility. A flexible muscle is a safe muscle since it can be strengthened throughout its length. ROM can be incorporated through the program for all exercises.
• In water: don’t use land stretches, use the water for assistance and massage effect.
• On land: ideally need to relax and lying stretching is generally better but may not be comfortable
• Incorporate mostly active stretching techniques.
• Everyone requires both  stretching for all ADL’s, (Active daily living)

To sum up: The instructor’s or trainers job is to help people gain results. Exercise goals must be specifically targeted or mimicked to gain the same or more results as land exercise. Therefore, the instructor is instrumental in teaching and cuing their clients to understand how to train each component for maximal results.

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The Science Behind Exercise

To date, there are two main contributors to fitness injuries: overuse and impact. Overuse injuries occur over a period of time with repetitive activities. A lot of fitness injuries that may be avoided or decreased by learning and/or improving proper techniques and by evaluating exercise inventory terms of potential risks compared to benefits.

The key to recognizing and creating safe exercise lies in understanding biomechanics and teaching proper posture, alignment and exercise technique. Good alignment requires that all the major joints of the body (ankle, knees, hips and shoulders) are positioned over the other with the spine forming a natural – curve in between. As well as being aligned vertically the body should be aligned laterally, that is all joint pairs side by side. Posture is “learned” by individuals. If poor posture is practiced, certain muscle groups will lengthen and weaken while others will become tight. Corrective exercises involve strengthening elongated muscles and stretching tight muscles as well as re-educating proper posture. Some people are predisposed to postural deviations because of anatomical characteristics such as bowlegs or flat feet. These individuals need to pay special attention to body alignment and wear proper footwear to help support gait and alignment.

Exercises performed without proper alignment cause wear and tear on the joints as well as muscle imbalances. The body is able to compensate for small imperfections however when stressed by vigorous exercise, the system breaks down.

Guidelines For Good Posture

• Shoulders aligned over the hips
• Abdominals held tight (but breathe)
• Spine should remain in the natural shape or alignment
• Extended, Elongated spine
• Relaxed, level shoulders
• Hip, knee and toes aligned facing forward
• Understanding High Risk Exercises

WaterART Fitness attempts to classify certain exercises and movements in terms of their potential risk. The goal of this is to enhance the safety and credibility for the fitness professional and longevity for the fitness industry. Although most instructors applaud this direction, others feel restricted and claim that their favorite exercises have been banned and that class content lacks sufficient challenge. Still others feel frustrated and confused, wondering what will be the next exercises added to the high risk list and if it will be an exercise that they are currently teaching.

To unravel the mystery and frustration surrounding contraindicated/high risk exercises, it is necessary to understand why an exercise becomes contraindicated and/or for whom it is ill advised. Understanding joint action and biomechanical analysis provides the professional with a solid basis from which to evaluate conflicting movements, assess new exercises and devise appropriate modifications to meet the individuals needs. This evaluative approach based on the following key questions is a good approach to help you assess your exercise design.

Why Am I Doing This Exercise ????

Every exercise included in your fitness program should be there for a reason. Understand the purpose of the exercise i.e. cardiovascular, muscular endurance, muscular strength, range of motion, agility, flexibility and balance or simply fun. Understand what component of fitness you are training and how to optimize the training.

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Everyone knows that exercises may greatly help in weight management but most people dont understand that exercise is key for long term weight management because of the benefits of  improving your metabolism. Not only do  you burn calories during a workout but if you work on increasing muscle mass ( with strength training ) then you most definitely become a better calorie burner.

2) Sing and Enjoy Music

Music can meaningfully reduce the perceived intensity of pain

Listen to your favorite “pump-up” music. Listening to music may help to boost  workout motivation, as well as enhance the duration of the workout . One study even found that listening to music after a workout may greatly  help the body recover faster .

3) Enjoy Family Time with Friends and people  you enjoy

Spending time together enjoying fun activities will provide a stronger emotional bond.  You don’t have to spend lots of money –  even the simplest activities  counts as quality family time. For example,  exercise with your family and friends and enjoy the companionship of this  healthy  activity.

4) Take Time for yourself with Mindful Movement

“Me” time allows us to distress, unwind and rejuvenate. Taking time for yourself allows you to renew, heal, and create reserves of energy and peace. This ME time  is a necessary way to deal with stress and unwind. You may even meditate at the end of the day.

 5) Sleep enough hours – You need at least 7 hours of deep sleep

Chronic sleep loss may  contribute to health problems such as weight gain, high blood pressure  as well as  decrease in the immune system’s power = reports the Harvard Women’s Health Watch.

•  Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.
•  Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents.

Additionally, sleep deprivation  may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.

An added  benefit of exercise improves mood.. Physical activity elicits endorphins which  boost your mood and keep you feeling good . This is so important especially for people who are stressed out or need to improve their mental well being. Even a short exercise session   stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed.

Stay well and keep moving!

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