Nov 28, 2016
Hydro-Inertia Training Circuit

The Goals

The primary goal of this program is to create a circuit that is simple, functional, and progressive. Using the Kamagon Ball® and Surge®, these water filled tools from Hedstrom Fitness will allow trainers and coaches to create an environment that is both challenging and proprioceptive, and where participants will be provided with feedback on their performance not only from the coach but from the equipment as well.

What makes this circuit extremely unique is the Hydro-Inertia® provided by the three tools we are using. Each product uses water as the “load” that participants will be moving through space. Utilizing moving, shifting and unpredictable load will provide both coach and students with three specific benefits throughout the workout.

1. Progressive – One of the biggest challenges to any group workout/training session is to accommodate the needs and abilities of a wide range of participants. With a load as complex as water we can easily make adjustments on the spot to provide participants with the correct level of challenge. Once someone has learned to “control” the water in the Surge® or Kamagon® we can then begin to change the water action or environment of the exercise to better mimic the physical demands of life and sport. We can also easily increase the volume of water forcing the participant to demonstrate greater control and ownership of their movements.

2. Dynamic – Water provides us with living resistance that much like life is unpredictable. This type of training environment forces our clients to be present physically and mentally to adapt to an ever changing stimulus, and it increases the neurological demands of each exercise to create an extremely functional environment. Static training tools such as barbells and dumbbells have their place in loaded movement, but the benefit of water is that is teaches us to produce and control force in all planes of motion. Instead of just “learning to pick stuff up” in a one dimensional environment, we are able to better replicate many of the demands of life and sport, closing the gap between training and performance.

3. Feedback Rich – The greatest challenge when instructing a group workout is that the coach is always outnumbered, making it difficult to provide feedback to all the participants equally. Water filled resistance tools provide a sensory rich environment allowing participants to help themselves. Feedback is provided by “feeding the mistake.” For example, if someone loses spine alignment (moves out of braced neutral spine) by leaning left, the water will flow in that direction, and they will instantly correct to the right, fixing the problem. Coaching participants to “keep the water level or neutral” will give them a goal to focus on for that movement, let them know when things are “off” and how much correction they need to fix it. The water can also provide feedback for coaches/instructors. By telling the group to keep the “water quiet” (not shifting, moving or making noise) they can get participants to slow down, control reps and see who is lacking movement control (their water will be shifting and moving). On the other end of the spectrum, by asking athletes to purposefully move the water in the Kamagon® or Surge® the goal can be shifted to power or force production. Coaching the group to increase speed or power can be as simple as, “I want to hear the water crashing”.

The Breakdown

The working sets* of the circuit will consist of 1 minute sets per station broken down into 3 – 20 second intervals. At each interval a small change will be made in tempo, movement or water action (60 second set clock runs continuously with no break or time stops between intervals).

Rest 30-60 seconds between sets (longer rest will allow for greater intensity in each set, shorter rest will make the circuit more conditioning oriented).

1 round will consist of 3 stations (1 Surge®, 1 Surge® 3.0, 1 Kamagon®); complete 3-6 rounds (dependent on workout goals)

*Please note these are “working sets” and should be preceded by a 10-15 minute warm up designed to prepare the tissues and nervous system for quick, aggressive and intense movements.

The Exercises

Three different pieces of equipment will be used, for the purposes of this circuit the Surge® will be used at the lower body station, the Surge® 3.0 at the conditioning station and the Kamagon® (2 per person) at the upper body station)

Surge® 3.0

  • 1st interval (20 seconds) – Lateral shuffle with ¼ turn jump press
  • 2nd interval (20 seconds) – Lateral bound with same side shift
  • 3rd interval (20 seconds) – Lateral shuffle with uppercut

Kamagon®

  • 1st interval (20 seconds) – Seesaw press (water quiet)
  • 2nd interval (20 seconds) – Seesaw press (water crash)
  • 3rd interval (20 seconds) – Seesaw press (repetitive crash)

Surge®

  • 1st interval (20 seconds) – Neutral squat (water quiet)
  • 2nd interval (20 seconds) – Neutral squat (repetitive crash)
  • 3rd interval (20 seconds) – Neutral squat jump

Casey Stutzman is the owner of The Performance Locker in Alpena, Michigan where he specializes in functional movement and performance training. He is a Master Trainer for Surge® and Kamagon®, teaching seminars and workshops to help trainers increase their knowledge and skill set.




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