This list focuses on the best design options available in this broad field. Use this guide to learn more about how to choose from the most frequently used commercial water exercise equipment and to get information about major aquatic equipment designs that have been introduced. The recommendations of each type of equipment and suggestions for where to obtain equipment are referenced to the numbered list of distributors and manufacturers on pages 37 and 38.
• Aqua shoes. Look for shoes that fit comfortably without squeezing,
binding, or crushing into the top of your foot. Be sure that they fit snugly enough so that they do not slip off when you jump up in the water. Lightweight shoes with good traction add a bit of resistance and a lot of stability. Some shoes are made of wetsuit material that helps keep your feet and ankles warm. AQx Sports makes an aqua shoe with a series of small cups along the sides to scoop water and increase resistance as you press your foot back. Contact distributor 2, 7, 8, 13, 14, 16, 17 or any of several fitness shoe companies.
• Chlorine-resistant lycra and body-warming apparel. If you tend to
chill easily, use a full bodysuit with long sleeves and long legs, which are available from distributors and manufacturers 1, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, and 16. These vendors provide sizes and styles for men and women and also offer chlorine-resistant tights, shorts, tops, swimsuits with long or short tights attached, swim skirts with briefs, and long-sleeved neoprene jackets and tights. For warmth before and after water exercise, cover up with an aqua parka from distributor 13.
• Flotation vests, belts, and upper arm cuffs. Flotation devices for deep-
cuffs and exercise vests. Two of the best for comfort, price, and function are the HYDRO-FIT Wave Belt (distributor 8) and the Water Gym Flotation Belt (distributors 7 and 17). The HYDRO-FIT Wave Belt forms to the natural shape of your body and has a unique contour that balances buoyancy evenly around your torso, enhancing correct posture and body align- ment and reducing the feeling of being tippy or wobbly. The Wet Vest (see figure 2.4), a more expensive product, provides a very durable and comfort- able option that requires less torso strength for successful vertical balance. The Wet Vest AT, a less expensive version, fits around your hips, not your waist. Built-in pants hold the
AT comfortably in place, preventing it from riding up. The pant design includes soft, contoured edges that put little or no pressure on your ribs and allow for ease of movement. The Free Floaters product, a low-cost alternative worn on the upper arms, also requires less torso strength and works well for abdominal exercise. Sprint supplies inexpensive flotation belts and adult-sized water wings worn on the upper arms. AQx makes a flotation suit that looks like a sleeveless wetsuit, but actually makes you float. Contact distributor 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, or 19.
• Flotation noodles. Water noodles are cheap and available everywhere.
These flexible 3- to 5-foot (.9 to 1.5 m) foam noodles provide a versatile and inexpensive flotation option (see figure 2.5). Add noodle handles to enable better grip and to allow use of the noodle for muscle resistance exercise as well as flotation aerobic conditioning. Contact your local sporting goods or discount store or distributor 6, 8, 10, 13, 14, or 19. • Buoyant barbells, cuffs, and balls. Barbells make a good flotation
option if you do not experience hand, shoulder, neck, or upper-back pain. Use them to buoy yourself for lower-body exercise, deep-water aerobics, or abdominal exercise, or press them through the water in shallow depths to increase upper-body resistance and improve muscle fitness. Ankle cuffs fit comfortably over the ankles and provide added
Figure 2.4 hYDro-FIt Wet Vest.
HYDRO-FIT images provided by RIC-FRAZIER Produc- tions.
preparing for Water Workouts 33
resistance to the lower body; some models can be used for advanced deep-water exercise in combination with flotation barbells. Swim and therapy bars, a 30-inch (76.2 cm) version of the hand bars with double floats at each end, provide stable and secure buoyancy for added sup- port. Flotation balls add resistance to your workout and come in many sizes. Balls are especially effective for adding buoyancy resistance to abdominal crunches. HYDRO-FIT offers convertible upper-arm cuffs that can be easily fashioned into a flotation belt or ankle cuffs. Figure 2.6 illustrates buoyant barbells and ankle cuffs. Contact distributor 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, or 19.
Figure 2.5 Water noodles are a versatile and inexpensive flotation option. HYDRO-FIT images provided by RIC-FRAZIER Productions.
Figure 2.6 Barbells and ankle cuffs.
• Resistance fins and flow bells. Hydro-Tone offers a proven system
that greatly magnifies the resistance of movement through water. The equipment enhances exercise for all major muscles of the body, includ- ing the heart. The degree of resistance automatically changes with the amount of effort or force you apply. To purchase this highly effective mode of water exercise, contact distributors 10, 11, or 14. For fin boots with lighter and smaller resistance at a lower cost, consider Aquafins or Mini Fins. Contact distributor 1, 9,10, 11, 14, 15, 16, or 19.
• Webbed gloves. Water gloves create a webbed hand to increase the
water’s resistance to your upper-body movements. Use webbed gloves to enhance upper-body muscle endurance and strength and to intensify your aerobic workout. Contact distributor 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, or 19.
• Aquatic step. Aquatic bench stepping combines the intensity and ver-
satility of stair climbing with the protection of an aquatic environment. The waterproof, sinkable platforms come in several heights and provide an alternative to stair-climbing machines or land-based step aerobics. The platform can also be used to alter depths in single-depth pools so that shorter people can perform Supported Squats or the Deep Muscle Hip, Thigh, and Buttocks Stretch. Speedo AquaStep makes a waterproof
aerobic step platform that is lightweight yet sinks to the pool floor and offers height adjustments. Contact distributor 3, 6, 11, 12, 13, or 14. • Boards. Sprint, Zura, and Burdenko make buoyant underwater boards
on which you sit, kneel, or stand for dynamic movements. The boards are uniquely shaped to challenge and strengthen stability and balance in the water. One Burdenko Board version has straps and is used in both shallow and deep water to develop upper- and lower-body fitness in each essential area: balance, coordination, flexibility, endurance, speed, and strength. In addition, many distributors offer a variety of kickboards, which represent an inexpensive and versatile option for resistance, balance, and cardio respiratory training. Contact distributor 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, or 19.
• Fitness vest. The weighted X Vest helps you strengthen core muscles,
improve spinal bone density, lose extra pounds safely and effectively, and maintain healthy weight. The engineering of the X Vest allows you to train your body in proper body alignment and balance. Wear the vest during water workouts to enhance results with core strengthening, aerobic moves in the shallow end of the pool, water yoga, and advanced power and plyometrics training. By using a fitness vest such as the X2, for example, you give your body a heightened challenge. Your body is currently acclimated to your weight. It burns calories based on weight, exercise, duration, and intensity. When you add weight to your body, more muscles are recruited to support the function of moving; in turn, more calories are burned to support the muscle action, increasing your
preparing for Water Workouts 35
metabolic rate so that you burn more calories in the same amount of time, making your workout more effective. Contact distributor 18. • Burdenko exercise belt. The Burdenko Belt is an all-in-one resistance
invention designed for use on land or in the water. Use this amphibious tool for a complete body workout that can provide aerobic conditioning, balance, coordination, flexibility, and strength. Surgical tubing extends from the belt to work your arms, legs, and torso. The belt is simple to adjust and serves as a back support. This highly versatile workout belt is ideal for use in a home gym and convenient for travel. Contact dis- tributor 5.
• Water walkers. By wearing flexible foot paddles called winged water
walkers, you can burn two to three times as many calories per minute as you do in standard water jogging or jogging on land. (Walking with water walkers burns 20 to 22 calories per minute compared to 11 calories per minute for standard water jogging or 8 calories per minute for land jogging.) Flexible paddles strap to the feet. Wings on the sides of the paddles unfold to form a wider surface for increased resistance during the downward movement and then refold for minimal resistance during upward movement. Wear water walkers with a flotation belt or vest and use them to strengthen core muscle groups, the abdominals, gluteals (buttocks), and hip flexors. Winged water walkers provide a challeng- ing physical conditioning method for athletes and an efficient workout for people who are recovering from surgery or injury, are overweight or obese, are older adults, or have chronic conditions such as arthritis, asthma, and fibromyalgia. Contact distributor 5, 14, or 17.
• Water weights. Waterproof weights come in varying degrees of heaviness
or can be adjustable. Some attach to your wrists or ankles; others are handheld. Use them to enhance upper-body toning. Wear a flotation vest or belt and attach the weights to your ankles to provide lower-body resis- tance or to hang suspended without motion in order to release pressure on your lower back, open up your spinal joints, and lengthen your spine. Weights are not recommended for use during aerobic exercise or other quick movements. Contact distributor 1, 7, 9, 10, 11,12, 13, or 14. • Cast guards and limb splints. Cast guards keep casts and bandages dry
while submersed in water. They are available in shapes to fit arms, legs, hands, and feet and in sizes for men, women, and children. Latex con- struction provides a strong, durable, and tear-resistant fit over wounds, sores, and all types of casts. Limb splints keep joints still so that the resistance of the water does not bend sore or injured joints (e.g., elbow or knee) that need to remain immobile while the muscles of a nearby joint (e.g., shoulder or hip) move the limb through the water. Contact distributor 5 for cast guards and distributor 14 for aqua limb splints. • AquaTunes. This water sport belt holds your personal cassette, CD, or
To use it, insert the mini-electronics in the waterproof pouch, close the watertight seal, and perform your workout. AquaTunes comes with an earplug speaker system that secures the speaker in your ear and keeps water out of your ear. The clear PVC enables better visibility and operation of controls. For the AquaTunes water sport belt, contact distributor 17.