Water aerobics is heart-rate-elevating, calorie-burning, high-energy exercise. The water provides resistance all the way around your body as you move back and forth. You can translate many land-based movements such as jumping jacks, running, knee lifts and pendulums into water exercises to add challenge and variety to your workout program.
Pendulum
A pendulum in water aerobics is a long-legged swinging motion. This exercise is performed with your feet together on the floor in the shallow end of a pool. The first movement is a hop onto your left foot as you raise your straight right leg out to the right side. With another hop, bring your feet together underneath your body and onto the floor. Then, hop onto your right foot and raise your left straight leg out to the side. Complete the pendulum by returning your feet together underneath you.
Advanced
As your water fitness ability improves, you can increase the speed of the pendulum and remove the middle hop, when you close your feet. This pendulum is performed by hopping onto your left foot and raising your right leg to the side. Then hop onto your right foot and raise your left leg to the side. Another advanced variation is to increase the number of hops on the supporting leg. For example, hop two or three times on your left foot before switching to your right.
Forward and Backward
To add forward movement to your pendulum, place your right foot slightly in front of your left foot, then your left foot in front of your right when you hop to change legs. Use your arms to push your right arm out to the side when the right leg extends and the left arm to the side when the left leg extends. Gently pulling your hands backward will help move you forward through the water. To move backward during your pendulum, place your right foot slightly behind your left, then your left foot behind your right when you hop to switch feet.
Front to Back
When a pendulum is held stationary and your body moves forward and backward, it becomes more of a bell hop. Your feet remain together during this exercise as you hop forward and backward. The easiest way to think of this exercise is to imagine a line on the bottom of the pool, and you are hopping forward and backward across it. Keep your arms at your sides and pull back as you hop forward or push forward as you hop back.
References
- Turnstep; Kick the Can-Can; June 15, 1999
- "Aqua Fitness"; Mimi Rodriguez Adami; 2002
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