Knee repeater
taps’. Again, using the term ‘tap’, rather than
kick, prevents the incidence of any injuries
caused by over-enthusiastic participants
kicking the wall too hard. Variations on this
exercise can be alternating foot taps, single
foot taps and unison foot taps.
Increasing the range of movement to
activate gluteal muscles may include single
leg foot tap and rear touch down; single leg
foot tap and rear kick; diagonal single leg
foot tap and rear touch down; and diagonal
single leg foot tap and rear kick.
To increase the activation of abdominal
muscles, include variations such as unison
foot taps; unison foot taps with a rear touch
down; and unison foot taps with a rear
suspended extension.
Changing directions
By changing the direction of participants’
position in the pool you can create even
more challenges to the above exercises.
For example, with participants’ backs
to the wall, variations on foot taps may
Arms crossed with open hands
52 | NETWORK SUMMER 2016
Gluteal bounces
include rear foot taps to the wall and leg
extensions to the front, and to engage the
abdominal and back muscles in a unique
way, unison foot taps to the wall and a full
body suspended extension to the front (I call
this the ‘reverse rock’n’roll’).
When standing sideways to the wall,
I like to work with two angles. An angle of
45˚ allows for really dynamic knee repeater
movements. Adding a sprinting single arm
movement to this delivers a great cardio
boost. An angle of 90˚ is great for leg
movements such as leg swings, hamstring
curls and gluteal bounces, all of which are
performed in the sagittal plane.
This position is also great for hip
abduction movements in the transverse
plane, and then, of course, a combination of
both these moves.
Time to hit the wall!
There are numerous combinations of
exercises that you could put together to
create a fun, interesting and functional
workout against the wall, but here are two
tried and tested ones to get you started.
WORKOUT 1: Cardio crush!
This combination is an amazing cardio
routine using lower limb large muscle
groups. With the left side of the body to the
wall, lightly hold the wall with the left hand
and perform 8 reps of each of the following
moves with the right leg.
• Knee repeater movement with a rear
touch down (45˚)
• Knee lift to front (90˚)
• Knee lift to side (90˚)
• Knee lift doubles front and side (90˚)
• Hamstring curls with rear raised leg (90˚)
• Gluteal bounces (90˚)
Turn to other side and repeat with the other leg
WORKOUT 2: Awesome obliques
This combination provides a great oblique
workout. Increase the intensity by adding a
jump on the supporting leg while performing
the diagonal leg kicks. Facing the wall, hold
arms across the chest with open hands (to
Long lever cross taps add diagonal rear kicks