Changing Intensity With Drag in Aqua Fitness

Janice Jaicks explores adjusting intensity within your aqua fitness class as a fitness instructor. Janice begins by breaking down how hand position affects the outcome of a single exercise due to drag. These variables can then be used depending on the class format and the clients within each class. The exercises used are the Cheerleader and Jump Jack.

What is drag in aqua fitness?

Drag is the resistance an object encounters when moving through water, with three main types: form, wave, and frictional drag. In aqua fitness, form drag can be manipulated to change exercise difficulty. Body or limb positioning can either increase or decrease this drag. For example, moving the arm horizontally with the palm down generates less form drag than with a vertical hand. Changing the length of limbs influences drag: longer limbs create more resistance, while shorter ones reduce it, because longer levers push more water. Equipment like hand paddles can also increase drag; larger paddles extend the lever arm and widen the hand surface, collectively boosting form drag to intensify workouts.