How to Teach Water Aerobics to Seniors

Water aerobics is the perfect form of exercise for all ages; but it's especially beneficial for seniors. Water aerobics provides a stimulating workout that combines coordination and movement with resistance strength training, but without stressful impact on the joints. If you're a fitness instructor and would like to be able to offer this activity to your mature students, then take a moment to learn how to teach water aerobics to seniors.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Water aerobics instruction certification
• Specialized certification, if required
• Group of enthusiastic seniors

Learn How to Teach Water Aerobics to Seniors

1. Earn your core water aerobics instruction certification, if you haven't already done so. This certification allows you teach water aerobics to a general audience and is the first step necessary to becoming qualified to teach water aerobics to seniors.
2. Study the theory and practical application of movement, Kinesiology, water dynamics and training methods to obtain your certification to teach water aerobics to seniors. Note that you must also be current in CPR training and certification.
3. Demonstrate your ability to apply your core water aerobics training to specific population groups, such as seniors. You will be expected to illustrate your understanding of safety objectives, how physical conditions (such as arthritis) impact the body and how to apply 'anchored aquatic' methodology to teach seniors.
4. Keep your water aerobics routines for seniors lively and engaging, but low impact. Seniors benefit from resistance workouts that include walking and dancing, for instance, rather than 'bouncy' movements. In fact, studies have shown that strength training through water aerobics can significantly improve muscle tone, cardiac health and even lower blood cholesterol levels in seniors.
5. Encourage your senior students to participate in the fitness initiatives and water aerobics recommendations for seniors offered by the American Association of Retired Persons, or AARP (see Resources below). This information is especially helpful for seniors who engage in water aerobics on their own.

Tips & Warnings

• One reason water aerobics is an ideal fitness activity for seniors is the fact that the water supports the weight of the body yet, due to its density, provides enough resistance to promote muscle strength training at the same time.
• The facility which employs you to teach water aerobics to seniors may require you to verify that your students are physically capable of undergoing water aerobics by collecting a medical release from each participant.

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