Aqua fitness equipment is the last frontier of water training, thanks to its advent, also known in America (as well as already in Europe) it has received a sudden and increasingly broad public consensus.
Up until a few years ago pools were mainly used for swimming or rehabilitative activities, but now the number of people who subscribe to water fitness courses and, consequently, the number of pools and centers adequately equipped to offer training programs in water are becoming increasingly more relevant.
Why is it so successful?
Just like swimming, water fitness allows you to get the most out of the physical principles of water:
- Flotation
- Hydrostatic pressure
- Resistance (Viscosity)
Combining them, however, in a seemingly endless series of super-training exercises is fun and suitable for all, thanks to the aqua fitness equipment!
Water activities with Acquapole® Fitness, will make you want to enter the pool and not only for those who cannot swim or are bored of swimming just lengths but also to those who want to regain lost form, despite being out of practice.
To better understand what we are speaking about, we will present some concrete examples.
Aqua fitness equipment and the principle of floating in water
A body immersed in water is subjected to two forces:
- strength weight that pushes you down
- the Archimedean thrust which pushes you upwards (therefore opposite to the weight) and it is equal to the weight of the quantity of water which occupied the volume that now is, instead, occupied by the body.
The Archimedes’ principle states, in fact, that: “A body immersed in a liquid, receives a push from bottom to an upward direction equal to the weight of the displaced liquid“.
The “fight” between these two forces determines the buoyancy of the body: if the buoyant force is greater than the weight, the body is pushed upwardly and, therefore, it floats. So, as we dive into the water and increases the immersed part of the body, it is as if we became progressively lighter.
The principle of buoyancy and physical benefits that follow are widely exploited by Acquapole® Fitness, where water is just used as a support. Since, in this state of almost weightlessness, even plus size people, seniors, people who train regularly and so on can perform exercises using the Acquapole® aqua fitness equipment (Acquapole®, Acquapole® Boxing Bag, Acquapole® Elastic Pole) to suit them. But, above all, preventing overloading the body with excessive stresses.
Aqua fitness equipment and the principle of the viscosity of water
Viscosity is, however, the resistance that the water opposes to the movement of an object. It is proportional to the speed with which the object is moved in its interior.
This means that the higher the speed with which we train with the aqua fitness equipment, the greater the resistance that the water opposes to the movement to its square (Quadratic Law).
This second physical principle, is widely exploited by Acquapole® Fitness; where, by varying the speed of execution of the exercises and the amplitude of the required movements, the water is just used to modulate the loading density (strength). Just as when training on the bench with a bar we increase the weight to be lifted.
Aqua fitness equipment and hydrostatic water pressure
Hydrostatic pressure is, essentially, the force that water exerts perpendicularly on the body’s surface. It increases with depth, improving balance and proprioception; and has the capacity to adjust posture and to coordinate movement.
Exploiting precisely these benefits of hydrostatic pressure, Acquapole® Fitness allows you to work on improving muscle tone, motor skills and the rehabilitation of postural changes caused by a sedentary lifestyle and stress.
If you want more information on Acquapole® aqua fitness equipment, because you want to take an Acquapole® Fitness course, because you are an instructor, would like to participate in our courses, certificates or, because you are a water sports center and you require an open day, please write to us here for info.
