Aqua Quick Fix Cardio
Only 25 minutes each session @ 3 days/wk and you will be on your way to better health!
Warm-Up (5 minutes)
Why? Prepare your body physically and mentally for the workout ahead while preventing injury and allowing the body to adjust to the temperature of the water. Focus on correct body alignment – stand tall – roll shoulders back and down – keep abdominals tight, like you are pulling your belly button back towards your spine – keep shoulders over hips over knees – feet should always land toe, ball, heel when doing any movement. Perform each movement in the warm up 32 times or approximately 1 minute before progressing to the next movement.
- Wide Jog - jog in place with knees wide
- Hamstring Curl – jog in place with knees wide lifting heels to the back
- Jumping Jack – legs jump wide and then back together to start position
- Cross Country Ski – legs jump one forward & one back, switch legs jumping the other one forward and the other one back
- Bounce Center – feet shoulder width apart perform a small bounce
Why? To increase your energy throughout the day so you can do more of the things you enjoy. To improve your heart health, your immune systems ability to flight off disease, and to feel good about yourself! You can increase the intensity of any of the movements by adding a larger bounce or increasing the range of motion your arms and legs move. Challenge yourself and work at your own pace.
- Wide Jog (32x)
- Heel touch (32x) – maintain your wide jog turning your toe slightly out to the side and reaching for the opposite heel with your hand
- Jumping Jack (32x)
Continue your workout performing each movement 16x or approximately 30 seconds.
- Wide jog – travel forward
- Heel touch (on the spot)
- Jumping Jack – travel backward
- Hamstring curl (on the spot)
- Hamstring curl – travel forward
- Wide Jog (on the spot)
- Heel touch – travel backward
- Jumping jack (on the spot)
- Jumping Jack – travel to the right
- Hamstring curl (on the spot)
- Wide Jog – travel to the left
- Heel touch (on the spot)
Repeat these 4 movements starting travel to the left
- Wide jog (16x)
- Heel touch (16x)
- Jumping Jack (16x)
- Hamstring curl (16x)
Repeat these 4 movements 8x or approximately 15 seconds
- Cross Country ski
- Jumping Jack
Repeat these two movements decreasing the amount of repetitions (16x down to 8x). Add traveling forward and back as well as side to side. Challenge yourself by pushing through the water and adding a larger bounce between movements.
Why? To improve flexibility and range of motion and ability to complete activities of daily living such as stair climbing, playing with your children or grocery shopping. This part of the workout is a perfect method for relaxation and stress release leaving you feeling fresh & rejuvenated!
- Quadriceps – Lift one leg off the pool bottom and hold your foot in your hand. Point the knee down to the bottom of the pool keeping the knees close together. Stretches the front of your upper leg (quadriceps). Repeat on opposite leg.
- Hamstrings & Gluteals – Stand on one supporting leg. Other leg lifts straight out in front with hands under the leg to support the suspended leg. Stretches the back of your upper leg (hamstrings & gluteals). Repeat on opposite leg.
- Gastrocnemius – Stand with one foot in front & one behind in a lunge position. Keep the front knee at 90 degrees not passing in front of the toes of the same leg. Back leg bends at the knee to stretch the back of the lower leg (gastrocnemius).
- Pectorals – Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Open the arms out to the sides clasping hands behind the back. Keep your abdominals strong while you stretch the chest (pectorals)
- Posterior deltoid – Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Bring one arm across the body in front and hold in position with the opposite arm. Stretches the outside of the top part of the arm (posterior deltoids). Repeat on the other arm.
- Upper Back – Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Bring arms straight in front grasping hands together. Outstretch arms in front with the palms facing in. Keep the back tall feeling the stretch in the upper back. Then round the back to feel the stretch now in the lower back.
