When it comes to resistance pool training, the question isn’t, “who can it help?” but more like, “who can’t it help?” Pool training or aquakinetics as it’s known is something that has classically been associated with fitness for older adults and yet it’s one of the most versatile ways to train with benefits for every body.
That’s right—aquatic fitness is phenomenal as an all-levels training method that literally scales to any physical ability level and has benefits for both everyday individual and athlete alike. As a coach, I was first introduced to pool training by way of the late Marv Marinovich—one of the Mount Rushmore strength & conditioning pioneers.
Like the rest of the uninitiated, I as a coach had classically held believes that pool training was exclusively for rehabilitation and older adults, only. Since then, I’ve come full circle and now literally cannot think of a goal or person that pool training cannot benefit in some form.
All-Levels Fitness
The beauty of pool training is that it’s scalable to whatever level you’re at and whatever goal you’re trying to work on. This is because the water is an adaptable resistance (similar to certain isokinetic machines or rower machines) that will resist you at whatever force you apply.
Let’s say my mom or an older adult is going to apply a 10th the amount of force an athlete can. The water resists her at her given strengths and speeds to give her a fun, safe, challenging workout. Then I can have one of my athletes be in the exact same environment and yet they are getting a workout that challenges them at their given fitness level. Again, this is because they can deliver a higher level of velocity and force and the water provides adaptable resistance. This can also be referred to as drag resistance or how our body drags against the water.
The beauty is that in each case—to use opposite ends of the spectrum as an example—both are getting challenged relative to their own capabilities. More importantly, this means they’re getting exactly what they need out of the training and meeting their goals.
Moreover, resistance pool training is THE ONLY way to provide omnidirectional resistance. What does that mean in English and non-nerdspeak? Essentially, we can load the body in every direction in ways we simply cannot in the weight room. In other words, instead of just strengthening a muscle, we’re strengthening a movement pattern, as well. We’re able to load the body to provide adequate resistance to the entire kinetic chain (whole body) and all the different muscles and fascia it’s comprised of.
Many of these tissues are difficult to target in the gym and it’s often challenging to find ways to provide felt sensory feedback to the athlete in a way that helps them coordinate their movements. What I’m getting at is that the pool helps resist the body’s movements in entire chains and groups versus purely isolating one muscle group. For everyday individuals and athletes alike—that’s incredibly powerful.
“Strength is an expression—not a number.” —Coach Bob Stroupe
By taking gravity out of the equation to an extent, we’re also able to provide sub-maximal loads for those rehabbing from injury, those looking for pain-free ways to train, decompression & postural restoration, and athletes looking to increase speed & power.
This doesn’t mean we have to abandon our other forms of training, but in my view everyone should be supplementing their training routine with pool work, at the very least.
Now that we understand how it works, let’s talk about specific benefits for each group.
- Athletes are going to find that the pool helps increase speed, coordination & movement, reflexes, strength, endurance and power all while helping them stay more durable or helping them be able to load themselves during all phases of rehabilitation.
- Everyday Individuals will find the pool helps develop their “functional strength” in a way that’s safe and effective, even if you don’t have a trainer or spotter handy. The pool is going to help decompress them, support pain relief, challenge their cardiovascular system, improve flexibility & mobility, and help drive their overall physical fitness in daily life.
- Older Adults can enjoy a safe, effective way to strength train and load their bodies as they age. Pool Training can help solidify their movement patterns as they age, maintain postural health, improve cardiovascular strength without excess joint load, as well as keeping their reflexes plus motor control finely tuned so as to prevent falling. For them (and all of us really), fitness is freedom. Staying physically fit as we age helps us be able to navigate our daily lives and do what we love to do. Aquakinetics helps reinforce this day-to-day functionality as we age.
There you have it. Resistance pool training promotes strength, mobility, speed, movement quality, neurological efficiency, durability, endurance and more.
How To Choose Your Equipment Based On Your Goals
General Fitness:
Active Ageing & Longevity:
Athletes, Weekend Warriors & Functional Fitness (Basketball, Football, Soccer, Running & Endurance Sports):
Rotational Sports (Golf, Tennis, Baseball, Softball & Hockey)
Rotational Combat Sports (Cardio Kickboxing, Jiu Jitsu, MMA, Boxing)
Bottom Line
Aquakinetics or Pool Training has something for every body. Whether you’re an individual seeking to improve your fitness, an athlete, or an older adult looking to stay active, Hydro Revolution Technology can support your pool training and empower you with a virtually limitless exercise library right at your fingertips.
For additional support or questions regarding equipment selection, please contact info@hydrorevolution.com