Aquatics classes include conditioning and teaching various activities in the water. Conditioning is accomplished through fitness routines that follow the main principles of a workout. Many classes begin with warm-ups and proceed to aerobics and fitness exercises. All combine to condition swimmers for particular activities, such as water ballet, distance swimming and medley events. Aquatic classes may be conducted in swimming pools and freshwater lakes, as well as saltwater marinas and bays.
Warm-up
Classes should begin with stretching on the pool deck or landing. Stretching is known to increase circulation in muscles and slowly elevating the heart rate. Stretching can be followed by several warm-up laps in a pool or to a point and back in a lake or marina. Once the class is warmed up, fitness conditioning can begin.
Circle Training
Circle training is a fitness-conditioning activity using several stations. Students swim a station and perform a particular activity, then swim to the next station. Activities might be underwater somersaults and treading water. A teaching assistant can monitor the activities at each station. Teachers may elect to expand circle training to include free-style, butterfly and backstroke between designated stations.
Aerobics
Many trainers believe overall fitness is achieved through aerobic exercises. Implementing routines that improve stamina and promote proper swimming technique would be beneficial in an aquatic class program. Fast-paced laps can be timed to track the progress of students. Aerobic fitness could include alternating hot laps with slower laps to allow students to rest while continuing to swim.
