Equipment is an area of important growth to add variety and stimulus to an aquatic program as well as to provide appropriate progression to an exercise. Fundamental considerations for this type of progression include the type of equipment and the manner in which it is to be used and the exercise objective. Additionally, cost, storage, and liability must also be taken into consideration.
There is a sea of water equipment out there so it is key that the instructor and/or personal trainer has a good understanding for the efficacy and purpose of program design. It is imperative to maintain a professional image to help the client gain results!
Realize that each piece of equipment is unique for programming and may not be appropriate to all fitness levels or programs. Buoyant equipment is defined as equipment that floats, and resistive equipment is defined as equipment that sinks. This is very unique in terms of aquatic programming.
Boredom and not getting results are two of the major reasons that people leave a program. Take a critical look at how to progress an exercise to provide overload, variety and enjoyment and compare this with the cost of losing participants. Safety and understanding of program design must be the criteria when an instructor decides to use equipment, especially since everyone will not be strong or skilled enough to use the equipment safely or effectively. An educated instructor will realize that there no such thing as “one size fits all” in the water. It must be understood that some people may need to progress to equipment use and some may not, especially with group exercise.
The goal for all instructors and/or facilities is to purchase the best equipment that will provide long-term value and benefits to the most participants. Therefore, it is important to determine which piece(s) of equipment WILL provide the most benefit. What will be the cost? Will it last the test of time?
