Instruct water-based exercise sessions

​This standard is about instructing water-based exercise to apparently healthy adults.

The main outcomes of this standard are:

1. prepare participants and environment for water-based exercise
2. instruct water-based exercise to participants
3. close and reflect upon a water-based exercise session

This standard is for instructors who prepare, instruct and review water-based exercise sessions.

1. prepare the environment and self for the water-based exercise session
2. identify and select safe and correct equipment for the water-based exercise
3. meet the participants at the agreed times
4. carry out the appropriate screening process and collect any new information relating to the participants' readiness for water-based exercise
5. confirm or revise the agreed programme based on new information received from participants
6. advise participants of the facility's emergency procedure
7. give explanations and demonstrations that are technically correct
8. check the participants' understanding of instructions and give them the opportunity to ask questions
9. provide the participants with effective instruction, teaching and motivational strategies to carry out the exercise session safely and effectively
10. monitor the safety and effectiveness of the water-based exercise for all participants using appropriate techniques and methods
11. encourage and support participants to take responsibility for their own fitness
12. use techniques of voice projection with or without a microphone to instruct the group
13. provide effective cueing to enable the participants to exercise as appropriate to the session
14. develop participants' confidence by building exercises up gradually
15. review participants' performance and provide suitable progressions and regressions in response to their needs
16. refer or signpost participants to other professionals when their needs are outside your level of competence
17. provide fitness advice in water-based physical activity
18. adhere to the planned timings for the water-based exercise
19. provide opportunity for participants to reflect on the session and provide feedback
20. give the participants a summary of your feedback on the session
21. ensure the participants have details about future sessions
22. leave the environment in a condition acceptable for future use by yourself or others
23. refer any health, safety or welfare issues in accordance with legal and organisational procedures

1. the current legislation, guidelines, policies, procedures and protocols which are relevant to your work practice and to which you must adhere
2. the scope and limitations of your own competence, responsibilities and accountability as it applies to your job role
3. the principles of anatomy and physiology including skeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, energy and digestive system
4. how to apply anatomy and physiology when delivering safe and effective water-based exercise sessions for a range of participants
5. the components of health related fitness and how to apply these into a programme of exercise to suit your participants' needs
6. the health benefits of physical activity and risks of inactivity
7. the general healthy eating advice that can be given to participants based on credible sources
8. ways of identifying and preparing safe and correct equipment and environments for the water-based exercise session
9. why you should meet the participants punctually and make them feel welcome
10. methods of screening and collecting any new information relating to the participants' readiness for water-based exercise
11. when to confirm or revise the agreed programme based on any new information received from the participants
12. ways of explaining the physical and technical demands of the session to the participants
13. the components required to plan a safe and effective water-based exercise sessions
14. ways of providing explanations and demonstrations that are technically correct for water-based exercise, in relation to the participants' needs and level of experience
15. why you should check the participants' understanding of instructions and give them the opportunity to ask questions
16. methods for monitoring the intensity and technique of the water-based exercises selected
17. different types of instructing and teaching techniques and how they can be used to meet different participants' needs
18. a range of alternative water-based exercise and adaptations including progressions and regressions
19. ways of encouraging and supporting participants to take responsibility for their own fitness
20. ways of using voice projection effectively with or without a microphone
21. the principles of group behaviour management during water-based exercise sessions
22. how to develop participants' confidence by building exercises up gradually
23. ways to review the participants' ability to perform the water-based exercises and when to provide suitable progressions and regressions in response to participants' needs
24. when to provide advice and how to offer it in water-based exercise
25. ways of assessing if a participant has needs outside your level of competence and how to refer to other professionals
26. the types of new hazards or risks that may occur during a session, how to identify and manage these
27. the purpose of allowing sufficient time to end the session, according to the participants' level of experience
28. ways of providing the participants with a summary of your feedback on the session
29. the methods of gathering feedback from participants and others
30. why participants should have information about future sessions
31. ways of leaving the environment in a condition acceptable for future use by yourself or others
32. specific procedures for reporting issues which are beyond your competence, responsibilities and accountability

​Environment 

1. space
2. layout
3. ventilation
4. lighting
5. use of music
6. equipment for the session
7. personal clothing and equipment
8. shallow water
9. deep water

Information

1. personal goal
2. lifestyle
3. medical history
4. physical activity history
5. physical activity preferences
6. attitude and motivation to participate
7. current fitness level
8. stage of readiness
9. psychological readiness

Voice projection

1. use of volume
2. pitch of voice

​Methods

1. questionnaire
2. verbal screening
3. observation

Teaching techniques

1. changing teaching positions
2. asking questions
3. making adaptations and progressions
4. verbal and visual communications
5. mirroring
6. hand signals
7. strategies for group management

​This standard links to SKAEAF2, SKAEAF8 and SKAEAF20