As a fitness professional, you always look for ways to add more hours to your schedule. If you’re a personal trainer, adding more clients is a way to increase your chances of sustaining a career within this industry. So what if there was an “untapped” workout format that your clients would enjoy and you could quickly become the go-to instructor for? Training clients in the pool provides so many benefits for your clients but is also very appealing for any gym members watching from a distance.
In this post, we’ll review why aqua fitness should be your next educational opportunity as a fitness instructor and share some great companies creating equipment.
Impossible* to Injur a Client
There is always a chance for injury when it comes to training clients; as fitness professionals, it is our job to reduce those chances. Working with clients in the pool is low-impact on the body's joints but can also be highly impactful on the cardiovascular system. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be performed in the pool and in a manner that is much less impactful than on hard cement or a gym surface. That’s not to say that there isn’t any impact on the joints and proper mechanics should always be followed, but it is much less than jumping from a box onto the floor.
Great for Recovery Days
A common question you’ll receive as a personal trainer is, “What should I do when I’m not training with you?” New clients are often eager to get their health in order and want to be guided on all aspects of their weekly routine. On the other end of the equation, personal trainers also look for ways to render more training sessions during their weekly work schedule. More rendered sessions mean a higher monthly check, and the sooner you can get your client to sign up for more sessions.
Depending on how you program the session as a personal trainer, workouts in the pool can be HIIT-style or moderate activity. You can do sets and reps (like on the gym floor) and provide your clients with full-body exercises to challenge and stimulate their muscles.
But why not just do these on the gym floor? While doing a recovery day on the gym floor may be easier, adding variety and entertainment to your client's program is also essential. If you provide your client with a session that no other personal trainer is doing in the gym, and they are enjoying the session, there’s a good chance you’re building a lasting client-trainer relationship. It’s important to remember that not all clients enjoy exercise. In fact, most dread it. If you can get your clients to look forward to a recovery day, you’re putting yourself into a category of fitness professionals that will succeed.
It’s Fun
Getting to use new equipment in a new environment is fun. Companies like HydroRevolution have developed equipment that can be used in the pool in various ways. Using their Swing Trainer, you can take your clients through rotational exercises that will challenge them in a manner much different from those in the gym. They have tools similar to dumbbells and barbells that help instructors program a variety of full-body exercises.
The versatility of training clients in the pool cranks up the enjoyment level. You can bring over regular dumbbells or kettlebells and create circuits that involve pool exercises and more traditional ones on the pool deck. This variety keeps your client moving from exercise to exercise and is a new experience for your client. One company sharing more of these concepts is VIPR Pro, which has been highlighting the use of a VIPR in the pool and how it changes its use. The ViPR Pro is often an underutilized tool in the gym, but in the pool, it can be a fun way to do explosive jumps, challenging standing core exercises, and full-body cardio moves.Learn more about HydroRevolution (use code KIPS to save 12%) - CLICK HERE. KIPS Courses - https://kipsonline.org/education/
