Water Instability Training

Dynamic Resistance

Improve the adaptability to unpredictable, unexpected, quick changes in resistance. Rather than using a fixed load like a barbell, water flows freely and is a dynamic resistance that forces your body to actively engage to control and stabilise the shifting load. This dynamic resistance offers a multitude of training benefits.

Corrective Feedback Amplification

Whilst lifting a dead weight (i.e., barbell single leg deadlift), it’s easy to move through lifting errors without really being aware of them.

However, when performing the same exercise with an Aqua bag, if a mistake is made the water quickly flows to that side, highlighting the error and amplifying the corrective feedback.

Receiving this intrinsic feedback during the exercise will result in improved learning and better motor skills.

Superior Core Activation

D.R.T builds full body stability from the ground up and is scientifically proven to achieve greater core activation. Using the unstable properties of water your core is forced to stay engaged through virtually all Aqua bag exercises, which in turn increases maximal muscle recruitment, whilst improving motor control and increasing full body stabilisation.

In addition, many Aqua Bag exercises are performed standing in an upright stance forcing your core to work even harder, as opposed to many dumbbell, barbell and machine exercises where you’re either seated or laying down, meaning your core isn’t switched on. So, the core is trained without having to train it in isolation with exercises such as sit-ups and crunches.

Improves Joint Stability

There are two forms of joint stability.

  1. Active
  2. Passive

Active stability is joint stability provided by the surrounding muscles, this is where muscles and tendons work actively to maintain stability.

Passive stability is provided by passive forces, for example at the end range of the joint.

D.R.T improves the adaptability to unpredictable, unexpected, and quick changes in resistance because the water flows freely, thus creating a dynamic resistance. This dynamic resistance forces your body to actively engage in order to control and stabilise the shifting load. The resulting improvement in active stability enhances athletic performance and reduces the risk of injury.

Trying to improve passive stability is too risky because the joint, ligaments and tendons are in a vulnerable position.

Therefore, to enhance performance, reduce the risk of injury and improve functional movement we must look to optimize active stability where our joint is in a strong and protected position.

Training with a dead weight, such as a barbell or dumbbell doesn’t produce the same training effect. This is because the weight is more predictable and doesn’t require the body to engage the muscles and tendons around the joint to work in unison to stabilise the load.

Multi Planar Movement

Most training programs focus on linear exercises in the sagittal plane, but the human body naturally moves three dimensionally in all three planes.

  • Sagittal (forwards and backwards)
  • Frontal (side-to-side)
  • Transverse (rotational)

So, combining all three movement planes together will result in a more balanced training program that will improve a person’s ability to cope with the demands of their everyday life.

Functional movement are defined primal movement patterns; such as; squatting, hingeing, lunging, pushing, pulling, twisting and gait.

D.R.T. allows unilateral, multi-planar exercises to help further develop balance, mobility and improve functional movement.

Highly Versatile

The design of the Aqua bags allows the user to; press, pull and move with the bag in an almost endless number of ways.

The water filled PVC bags are soft to hold making bodyweight exercises such as squats and good mornings comfortable to perform.

The different handle positions allow for different grips providing an unparalleled amount of variety to your training.

The parallel handles are excellent for traditional movements such as; cleans, front squats and rotational exercises. Whilst the neutral handles are great for dynamic, explosive lifts that improve athletic performance.

Easily Transportable

Train at home without damaging the floors (or your feet) or simply fold up and take them with you wherever you go.

Weighing less than 1kg, the Aqua product range can be easily packed away into your luggage which makes them the perfect travel training tool. Just fill with water, add air and you’re all set.

Micro Loading

Increasing the load is a fundamental element for developing strength. However, an optimal strength progression system is overlooked in most training programs. For each workout performed 1% to 2.5% in strength gains is the upper limit a lifter can expect to achieve (beginner lifters = 2.5%, advanced lifters 1= %).

The problem is increasing the load by 1% to 2.5% isn’t possible with most traditional strength training equipment and performing one additional rep every workout is impossible to maintain. This is one of the reasons why many people hit plateaus in their strength gains.

The solution is micro loading, micro loading allows you to stay within the 1% to 2.5% of strength gains achieved in the prior workout. Aqua Bags are the perfect micro loading training tool. With 1 litre of water weighing approximately 1 kilo, calculating how much water to add each workout to stay within your strength limit gains is easy.

Unilateral Training

The shape, design and different handles on the Aqua Power bag lends itself perfectly to unilateral training.

Most people are dominant in one side of the body in which they feel stronger and more coordinated. Unilateral training incorporates single-leg or single-arm exercises that train both sides of the body equally helping to correct muscle imbalances.

Unilateral training is beneficial for developing athletic performance too. Explosive movements that require sprinting, jumping, turning, and throwing can be targeted with unilateral exercises.

Unilateral training can also be very beneficial to early-stage rehabilitation through the principle of cross-education. When you train one side of the body the other is stimulated through crossed pathways in the brain.

Cardiovascular Conditioning

Full-body D.R.T. workouts will elevate the heart rate and boost your cardiovascular health.

Thomas et al (2014) showed that continuous ballistic strength training at a moderate pace can produce similar rates of oxygen consumption and slightly higher heart rates as brisk treadmill walking.

The versatility of the Aqua power bag lends itself to flow workouts where combinations of three or more exercises are performed in sequence one after another without rest.