National Fitness Leadership Alliance Aquatic Exercise Leadership Performance Standards
An Aquatic Exercise Leader designs and implements a safe and effective group aquatic exercise class for apparently healthy participants.
Aquatic Exercise Leader Performance Standards build on the NFLA Exercise Theory Prerequisite Knowledge Base.
Health-related Benefits of Physical Activity
Performance Standard #1
The Aquatic Exercise Leader describes the benefits of aquaticexercise.
Competencies
- Defines aquatic exercise
- Explains the current trends and factors that influence the popularity of aquatic exercise
- Describes and explains the benefits of group aquatic exercise
Leadership and Communication
I Leadership
Performance Standard #1
The Aquatic Exercise Leader demonstrates and identifies qualities, strategies, and skills of effective leadership.
Competencies
- Identifies professional qualities of leadership
- Identifies the skills of effective aquatic exercise leaders
- Applies leadership strategies in the delivery of aquatic exercise classes
- Describes effective leadership styles and motivation techniques
II Communication
Performance Standard #2
The Aquatic Exercise Leader recognizes and demonstrates a variety of effective communication techniques.
Competencies
- Distinguishes between verbal and visual cueing
- Describes how to enhance verbal and visual cueing
- Explains effective communication skills
- States forms and techniques of giving and receiving feedback
- Discusses the advantages and challenges of teaching from the pool deck and teaching in the water
- Identifies techniques to reduce voice injury
III Working with Groups
Performance Standard #3
The Aquatic Exercise Leader demonstrates knowledge of group dynamics.
Competencies
- Creates a supportive, participant-centred environment
- Identifies challenges in leading group exercise classes
- Explains the stages of group development
Professional Practice
Performance Standard
The Aquatic Exercise Leader demonstrates knowledge of professional conduct in an aquatic exercise setting.
Competencies
- Acts in accordance with the scope of practice
- Adheres to the code of conduct
- Acts as an informed resource to colleagues and participants
- Maintains accreditation
- Demonstrates commitment to continued education and professional development
Program Planning
I Exercise Analysis
Performance Standard #1
The Aquatic Exercise Leader selects safe and appropriate exercises for the goals and objectives of an aquatic exercise class.
Competencies
- Identifies the process of movement analysis
- Describes the principles of movement analysis
- Explains the intended and actual purpose of a given exercise, analyzes its potential risks, and provides modifications
- Defends exercise selection for appropriate use
- Identifies common exercise modifications
- Identifies how to progress exercise for a given muscle group
- Explains the importance of proper body alignment, posture, and core stabilization
- Identifies ways to correct errors in technique
II Class Design
Performance Standard #2
The Aquatic Exercise Leader designs an effective program using established methods and training principles.
Competencies
- Identifies the steps in class design
- Describes the components of an exercise class
- Explains the purpose of a given component of fitness
- Demonstrates ways to execute the exercise selections
- Applies the FITT formula to an exercise class
- Applies the properties of water and the principles of conditioning to a variety of aquatic exercise programs
- Identifies and differentiates methods to monitor exercise intensity
- Describes ways to evaluate the effectiveness of class design
- Lists and describes functional fitness skills in an appropriate class setting
- Describes use of a variety of training methods and types
III Use of Music
Performance Standard #3
The Aquatic Exercise Leader selects music appropriate for both the class format and audience.
Competencies
- Lists reasons for using music in classes
- Explains uses of music in an aquatic exercise setting
- Identifies music appropriate for different class formats, styles, and pace
- Identifies safe music and microphone volumes
- Acknowledges music copyright laws
IV Use of Equipment
Performance Standard #4
The Aquatic Exercise Leader demonstrates how to use equipment to enhance training for various participants and class types, ensuring that it is both safe and effective.
Competencies
- Describes the purpose of different pieces of aquatic exercise equipment
- Describes the advantages and disadvantages of using a piece of equipment
- Identifies when it is or is not appropriate to use equipment
- Designs appropriate exercises and alternatives using various pieces of equipment
V Risk Management
Performance Standard #5
The Aquatic Exercise Leader leads classes in a way to minimize and manage risk.
Competencies
- Identifies importance of health screening
- Assesses and addresses potential environmental safety issues
- Assesses and addresses potential equipment safety issues
- Recognizes the implications of legal issues
- Identifies common emergency procedures and the exercise leader’s role in response to emergencies
Applied Physical Principles of Water
Performance Standard #1
The Aquatic Fitness Leader describes how the aquatic environment influences the body during an aquatic exercise class.
Competencies
- Describes the physiological responses to variations in air and water temperatures and the implications for class design
- Explains the body's ability to thermoregulate and the implications for exercising in the water
- Explains the different physiological and psychological responses to exercise in either hot or cold water environments
- Describes the benefits of aquatic exercise on weight management, aerobic capacity, and stress
- Explains why aquatic heart rates may be lower than land-based heart rates for the same exercise
Performance Standard #2
The Aquatic Exercise Leader describes and demonstrates an understanding of the physical properties of water.
Competencies
- Defines and explains terms and principles relating to movement in water: buoyancy (assisted, supported, resisted); viscosity, gravity; water resistances drag forces; propulsion; turbulence; inertia; acceleration/deceleration; action/reaction; leverage; Archimedes’ principle; hydrostatic pressure; stability; muscular contraction return; and speed of movement