Every body — and every fitness routine — could benefit from more water.
For sculpting a strong, balanced physique, water happens to be one of the most multi-dimensional exercise spaces there is. “The main advantage of exercising in water is that it offers resistance in all directions, compared to land exercises where you work only against gravity,” says Mark Hendricks, group fitness manager at Toronto’s Bay Street Club. “Resistance in water ranges between 4 and 42 times greater than in air—depending on the speed of movement. This makes water a natural and instantly-adjustable weight-training machine.”
Hendricks created this routine and stars in the video below, shot at the breathtaking Viceroy Anguilla. And though this aquatic workout is set in paradise, it’s not easy-breezy. “Make no mistake—it’s intense if you want it to be,” says Hendricks. But it can be the perfect complement to your regular routine. “While we still need max load training (heavy weight training), sub-max load training is essential for mobility, flexibility, and full-body health,” says Hendricks.
Plus, there are built-in recovery benefits to a water session: “A massaging effect is created when your muscles are surrounded by water,” says Hendricks. “Workouts can get old, stagnant, boring. This is a great way to breathe some new life into a fitness regimen.”
Video and information sourced from Q by Equinox.
Video by The Wuss Productions.
Shot on location at Viceroy Anguilla.
Click here to get the workout.