The latest in the world of fitness? Is called Water Grid and it is done in the pool, in the spaces delimited by a floating plastic grid. Presented as a world premiere at the last Rimini Wellness, from October this discipline arrives exclusively in the clubs of Virgin Active.
This is a workout that mimics everyday movements more intensely, such as walking, bending and twisting. With a particularity: you train inside squares of 180 cm on each side, delimited by pipes, switching from one to the other every time you change exercise.
«The principle is to exploit the resistance of water, also thanks to the use of anklets, floating barbells and water baskets, or plastic buckets which, once immersed, increase the intensity of the effort. All at the pace of music, which marks time and speed », explains Silvia Pandolfi, national course manager of Virgin Active.
Short but intense phases
A lesson lasts 50-60 minutes: once in the tub, you start with 5 minutes walk on site, at an increasingly high speed, and small jumps to warm up the muscles.
Then the trainer starts the the circuit, which includes a minute and a half of exercises per tool: in your station, you start training with the water basket, which are moved underwater at a high rate from right to left, with torso twists sculpting the waistline.
Following the active recovery phase, ie a cardiovascular work lighter (by 30 seconds) with on-the-spot running, jumping jacks and slides on the water. So you have to quickly change square to start again with i floating barbells which, pushed under water, sculpt the arms, shoulders and back.
Following, another sector change and another 90 seconds with anklets (the classic water aerobics), to tone legs and buttocks. Finish with a 3 minute cool down. The circuit can be repeated 6 to 8 times, depending on the degree of fitness.
It encourages you to give more
In a lesson consume between 400 and 500 calories, improve the efficiency of heart and lungs and, thanks to the water resistance, tone the whole body and fight water retention. Also, you develop elasticity and coordination.
«The Water Grid also stimulates a healthy person spirit of competition, which motivates us to give our best to reach the number of repetitions required (also indicated by a blackboard by the pool) and obtain better and better results », concludes the trainer.
