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Aqua Training

Get fit in a summer-friendly weight room — the pool

by Dean Stattmann

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WHAT IT IS
Water-based lifting, core conditioning, and cardio. Offered in a variety of formats at almost any fitness club with a pool, classes use flotation devices to create resistance below the water, resulting in a full-body, nonimpact workout that can rival even the most strenuous strength training.

THE BENEFIT
In addition to strengthening your core, aqua training is also ideal for increasing flexibility and smashing through plateaus in the weight room.

WHAT TO EXPECT
A typical class starts with a warm-up designed to increase the core body temperature. From there, it goes to different strength and cardio exercises. One of the more popular pieces of equipment is the handheld buoy — essentially the dumbbell of aqua training. It's used to add extra resistance to various exercises. You may also end up moving through the water with a kickboard or even perched on the edge of the pool.

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