As a personal trainer, you constantly seek ways to grow your client list. More clients equals more monthly income and a prolonged career in the fitness industry. What if an “untapped” workout format existed that your clients would enjoy and could quickly establish you as the go-to instructor? Training your clients in the pool offers numerous advantages while being attractive to gym members who observe from afar.
Guest Mark Grevelding reviews the benefits for personal trainers who want to add aqua fitness to their repertoire. He also shares the nuances that instructors should know before their clients jump into the pool for the first time. Mark founded Fitmotivation, an online streaming platform for aqua fitness professionals, and is an AEA educator.
How Water Impacts Exercise
One of the unique experiences of exercising in the pool is the constantly changing environment. As “whitewash” increases from movement, the exerciser must adjust their footing and use their brain to improve each movement. The environment is also a training stimulus that can’t be replicated in the gym.
During this episode, Mark shares the concept of buoyancy, which is the tendency of an object to rise or float in water. As an exerciser becomes more submerged, buoyancy increases (why humans can float), and the demand for the joints also decreases. Think about it: if a client performs jumps in the shallow end of the pool that is knee-deep, the demand on the joints is slightly reduced, but as they become submerged chest-level, the air in their lungs helps them float, and the demand on the joints is roughly 75% according to Mark.
Add Business to Your Fitness Career
As Mark starts the episode, he discusses how not many personal trainers are taking advantage of training their clients in the pool. It’s an untapped area of the fitness industry for personal trainers that have access to the pool, which can equate to more sessions rendered through a week. As a personal trainer, you might frequently hear the question, “What should I do when I’m not with you for training?" New clients typically feel enthusiastic about improving their health and seek guidance on every facet of their weekly routines. Conversely, personal trainers also seek opportunities to offer additional training sessions within their weekly schedules. By conducting more sessions, trainers can increase their monthly earnings, and getting clients to commit to more sessions as soon as possible is beneficial.
You Don’t Need Speciality Education
One of the key takeaways from this episode is when Mark shares how you don’t need a specialty certification to train clients in the pool, and a general personal trainer certification will suffice. Using common sense when training clients in the pool is a general rule of thumb, and getting in the pool yourself to practice each exercise will help you cue your clients. The cues you utilize on the ground will mostly apply. Still, you must remember the changing environment, how submerged your client is, and how much whitewash can alter the intensity.
Summary
With the pool providing 12-14% more resistance than air (Harvard Health, 2024), it offers a unique bodyweight training experience and elevates the use of equipment in the pool. The versatility of training clients in the pool enhances the enjoyment factor. You can bring regular dumbbells or kettlebells to create circuits that combine pool exercises with more traditional workouts on the pool deck. This variety encourages clients to transition seamlessly between exercises, providing a fresh experience. Pool workouts can be an excellent addition that motivates your clients to keep returning while increasing your earnings.
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