Have you ever wanted to workout in the water but did not want to spend time (and money) heating the entire pool for only one hour of exercise? Well, if the pool has a spa attached, it is possible to take advantage of that spa for aquatic exercise. I discovered this technique while working with a special client of mine, to whom this article is dedicated.
Alma Brady, a dear friend, lost her battle with cancer on January 10, 2010. Alma was a spunky 93-year-young individual who enjoyed 70 years of marriage to her husband. Alma had four children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Alma had a love for golf and bridge, and while she had to give up golf years ago due to physical limitations, she continued to play a mean game of bridge. She became a widow in 2007, and that is when her life was drastically changed. This is when Alma’s path crossed mine. Her children wanted her to get exercise and a mutual friend had passed on my name. I met with Alma and talked with her at length; she filled out the health history forms and all the additional paperwork and I began to exercise with her.
Alma’s goals included to continuing to live in her current house and maintaining her independence. She had concerns about balance and walking up and down stairs and wanted to improve in both of these areas. She loved to walk along the beach but had trouble due to balance issues. She attended many social events, and wanted to continue to look good and stay fit. The hardest part of her day was 5pm, when she and her husband used to have a drink and talk about the events of their days. We decided that 5pm would be a great time for her to workout so that she did not have to be alone with her memories. After various successful sessions, her kids began to notice her moving better and improving both in balance and spirits as she learned to take care of herself.
Alma had a rather large pool and did not want to heat the entire pool for just one hour of exercise. So we decided to workout in her spa, which was also quite large. She would pre-heart the spa before I arrived. In order to improve muscular strength and endurance, which were the focus points of her program, we decided to heat the spa to 92 degrees and then shut it off. She wore water shoes to protect her feet, and I brought along additional equipment to supplement her exercises.
The workouts began with her sitting in the spa and warming up the muscles, acclimating the body to the water and getting the joints lubricated for the workout that was to come. The following is a sample of her workout program.
Type of Program: Muscular strength, endurance, flexibility and balance training
Goals: Improve function, balance, stair climbing, walking and maintain independent living
Format:
Warm Up: 10 minutes
Balance & Functional Training and Upper Extremity Resistance: 20 minutes using gloves
Lower Extremity Resistance Training – 20 minutes using one buoyancy cuff*
Flexibility and Stretching: 10 minutes
Equipment: aquatic step, gloves, one mini buoyancy cuff (*we used only one buoyancy cuff for safety purposes, as she was not able to maintain proper form with the other cuff on the standing leg during resistance training) and a pool noodle. Spa layout included a seat on both sides with an open area at the wall where the water flowed into the pool, and then another open area where the railing descended into the spa from the pool deck.
The warm-up consisted of knee lifts, leg curls, squats, lateral toe taps, heel digs, marches, low front kicks, low side leg lifts, shoulder flexion and extension, elbow flexion and extension, wrist circles, shoulder abduction and adductions, shoulder circles and shoulder transverse abduction and transverse adduction.
SAMPLE WORKOUT: BALANCE & FUNCTION
Circuit 1:
Poolside push away using the spa wall: 16 – 32 repetitions.
Standing knee lifts - 3 lifts and hold the lifted knee. Enhance balance and single leg stability.
Standing single leg lifts to the front or hip flexion and extension: 16 – 32 repetitions. Pull the lifted leg down to the pool bottom then pause at the end of the movement before returning the same leg back into hip flexion. This works the hip flexor and gluteus maximus muscles and also promotes single leg balance.
Seated transverse shoulder abduction and adduction: 16 – 32 repetitions. Sitting allows the arms to be lower in the water.
Circuit 2:
Standing toe taps to the side: (alternating by 4’s or simply 8 and 8).
Standing heel digs, varying the repetitions as on the toe taps.
Seated: shoulder abduction and adduction: 16 – 32 repetitions.
Standing march in place, to help with balance and walking.
Standing reverse lunges, varying the repetitions. Assist with balance and strengthening the posterior muscles of the lower extremity.
SAMPLE LOWER EXTREMITY RESISTANCE TRAINING:
For balance considerations, one may begin by holding the pool wall and progressing to turning the palm face-up, then from wall to noodle. This allows for a progression to train for balance and stability, gradually increasing the challenge.
Lateral Step Ups using an aquatic step and no buoyancy cuff.
Using one buoyancy cuff at ankle:
Standing Hip Flexion and Extension: 16 – 32 repetitions. This focuses on the muscles of the gluteus maximus and the hamstrings. The buoyancy of the water will assist lifting the leg into hip flexion, and the posterior muscles of the hip will work to pull the leg, hindered by the buoyancy cuff, down into hip extension. The gluteus maximus and hamstrings are working in both directions of the movement.
Standing Hip Adduction and Abduction: 16 – 32 repetitions. The focus of this movement is the hip adductor muscle group (inner thigh). As in the previous exercise, the buoyancy of the water will work to assist to move the hip upwards into hip abduction and then the leg will have to work to pull buoyancy cuff down through the water when performing hip adduction. The hip adductors are working in both directions of the movement
SAMPLE FLEXIBILITY & STRETCH – no equipment
Hold stretches for 15 – 60 seconds and repeat each stretch 3-4 times.
Standing Calf Stretch Stand at the spa wall in a lunge position. Point the back foot straight ahead with toes forward. Shift the weight of the body forward, while leaving the heel of the back leg on the pool bottom. There should be tension felt in the gastrocnemius (calf). Hold to the point of tension, then release.
Seated Water Pulls Begin by sitting on the edge of spa seat so the feet can be positioned against the wall of the seat across for stability. Next, pull the arms through the water in a swaying motion with the fingers separated. After performing several repetitions, bring one arm across the chest and hold it with the opposite arm. The hand of the opposite arm should be placed below the elbow. The shoulder of the stretching arm should be down and in a relaxed position.
Ankle Circles Lift one foot while either in a seated or standing position. Perform several circular repetitions in one direction, and then in the opposite direction.
Hamstring Stretch Sit with one leg extended on the seat with the other leg resting on the spa bottom. Reach for the extended leg using a rhythmical motion and only moving through a normal range of motion. Hold the stretch and repeat with the other leg.
This is a small sample of the spa workout I performed with Alma. Each spa will be somewhat unique, thus the exercises and equipment utilized may vary. The spa bottom may not be a flat surface, so moves will need to be adjusted accordingly. Also, if there is a drain, it may be raised, so again, the workout will need to be adjusted accordingly. When time is taken beforehand to determine the best positions, equipment and bracing of the body, the workout will be safer, as well as more effective.
Don’t be afraid to try something new and use a spa as your aquatic gym. Get in, work your muscles and then once finished, you can even enjoy the relaxation that the warmth of the spa offers. Please remember to be safe and never workout alone so that if an emergency were to arise, immediate care can be given.
I will forever cherish Alma and the time I was allowed to know her. I will never forget this spa workout that I had designed for her and the smile on her face when she would get into the water ready to exercise. I am truly blessed to have known such a wonderful person and I look forward in sharing this workout with more of my clients in the future.
Monique Acton is the President of The Personal Health Trac in Venice, Florida. She is an international presenter, an AEA Training Specialist, Co-Author/Executive Director for Aquatic Options Educational Programs and has been featured in several aquatic exercise videos / DVDs. As a medical exercise specialist, post rehab specialist and a personal trainer, Monique designs both land and water exercise programs to fit her client’s needs. Monique’s DVDs include Waist Management and Beyond the Gym. Monique can be reached at m.acton1@verizon.net.