The new class is a low-impact way to get a high-intensity cardio and strength workout.
While land-based high-intensity interval training has been trendy for years, the workouts can be hard on your joints.
Enter: Hydro Athlete, the latest pool-based Equinox offering. The class brings all the primary elements of traditional HIIT (plyometrics, cardio, and strength training) to the water for an intense workout that has minimal joint impact. Think: boot camp, but in the pool.
“It’s a double-duty workout. You get the added resistance factor from the water while you’re working to improve cardio and strength,” says Kristy DiScipio, the director of group fitness programming at Equinox. “Pool workouts are a hidden secret.”
Research backs this up. A 2016 review published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine found that water-based HIIT workouts may offer similar benefits to HIIT workouts on land, but with the added benefit of reduced musculoskeletal stress.
Hydro Athlete is one of two offerings in the Hydro class category. While Hydro Sculpt is also low-impact, it's lower intensity than Hydro Athlete. The latter head-above-water class is designed to improve cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance, strength, and flexibility — made to appeal to a broader audience of athletes who train at Equinox.
“The intention behind creating the class is to show our members the pool isn't for one member base — the benefits are endless,” DiScipio says.
You get the added resistance factor from the water while you’re working to improve cardio and strength. Pool workouts are a hidden secret.
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In each 60-minute class, you’ll cycle through 12-minute “waves” of work (think: mini circuits) that focus on strength, power, speed, and endurance. You can expect to see a variety of exercises, including plyometrics (like tuck jumps), moves that mimic classic resistance training, and core work, just like you would in a land-based HIIT class. In each wave, you’ll work through 60-second efforts, using the resistance of the water and buoys to add intensity.
Then, the final wave brings the pool wall into play. You’ll perform challenging exercises like triceps dips, raising and lowering yourself in and out of the pool.
DiScipio recommends the class for anyone (the instructor is able to provide options and progressions for each member), especially athletes who typically gravitate toward land-based HIIT workouts. “This class is designed for anybody, just jump right in,” says DiScipio. “It’s an all-inclusive workout so you can modify where you need to on any given day.”
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Book your first class at select Clubs today.